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Simley makes its return to state meet a successful one

By Jack Warrick, Special to the Star Tribune, 02/28/19, 10:51PM CST

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Simley defeated Marshall 60-7 to win the Class 2A state championship at Xcel Energy Center, taking its first title since 2015 and 12th overall.


Ryan Sokol of Simley celebrated after quickly pinning Conner Roth of Marshall in the 132-pound class. Photo: Carlos Gonzalez * cgonzalez@startribune.com

After getting kept out of the state tournament for the first time in 11 years by Kasson-Mantorville last season, Simley defeated the KoMets in the section final last week, hopped on Hwy. 52 North and returned to downtown St. Paul with something to prove.

On Thursday, Simley defeated Marshall 60-7 to win the Class 2A state championship at Xcel Energy Center, taking its first title since 2015 and 12th overall.

“Our state tournament started in the Section 1 double-A finals, because if you don’t beat Kasson [Mantorville], you don’t come,” Simley coach Will Short said. “We’ve been extremely focused for the last three weeks.”

The Spartans dropped the first two matches and were down 7-0. Then freshman Chase DeBlaere pinned Marshall’s Tate Condezo at 120 pounds in the second period, and it flipped the script of the championship matchup.

“I felt pretty great because I knew we were going to seal the deal,” DeBlaere said. “I wanted to make a statement for the team that we’re here to win.”

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