Friday, March 29, 2024

Area wrestlers named to Region 1 Hall of Fame

Several area residents are among those recently named to the Mayo Civic Center Region 1 Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2021.

Among those honored are athletes Jason Rhoten, Kasson-Mantorville High School; Chris Steele, Hayfield High School and athlete/coach Mike Buringa, Plainville-Elgin-Millville who formerly coached at Kasson-Mantorville.

Jason Rhoten was an outstanding wrestler at Kasson-Mantorville High School and finished with a 164-28 varsity career record. Jason closed out his career as a senior in 2002 with a 140-Pound State Title, for KM. A two-time state finisher at KM, Jason took his talents to Minnesota State University where he earned four NCAA II All-American Honors.

He won the 157-pound NCAA II National Champion in 2008, in his final collegiate match. Jason has been elected to the NCAA Division II Hall of Fame and Minnesota State University  Mankato Hall of Fame. He finished his collegiate career with a 136-23 mark. 

Jason is now the regional fisheries manager in Great Falls, Mont., and proud father of four children.

Chris Steele was a two-time state high school champion for Hall of Fame Coach Dave Erickson at Hayfield High School. Chris ended his career in style with a :34 second pin in the 160-Pound championship his senior year, going against another undefeated wrestler in the finals. The two-time state champion ended his career with a 114-16-2 record, with 106 falls, second only to Cory Olson, his high school hero and teammate. Chris’s pin in the final was his 83rd straight win to close out his career. 

Chris, one of the top recruits in the country, headed for Nebraska and competed for two years.

He has returned to the Hayfield area where he is now farming.

Mike Buringa wrestled for Hall of Fame Coach Jim Campbell at Plainview-Elgin-Millville High School where he won the State Title, and also placed third and fourth.

Mike’s high school record was 139-20-2 and he was 33-0 in  his championship year. 

Mike took over the PEM Program while a student at Winona State. He was the head coach for over 12 years. He was head coach at Kasson-Mantorville where his team finished fourth in the 1997 state tournament. Mike had a 113-41-3 high school coaching record. Mike organized and was the head coach for Team Minnesota in the NHSCA National Wrestling Championships winning the national title in 1998.

Mike teaches at Lewiston-Altura Elementary School and coaches softball and helps with football at St. Charles High School.

Also named to the Hall of Fame are:

Brad Fisher, Austin High school, the first 8th grade MSHSL state champion with a pair of state titles and five state place finishes.

Thomas Theede, Lewiston-Altura High School. He had a 68-14-1 high school record and won the 1982 state championship and placed third his junior season. 

Official: Rod Hoesley, Winona and Fountain City, Wis. Where he officiated for 28 years.

Coach: Matt Ryan, Kenyon-Wanamingo High School. Ryan finished his career with an outstanding 363-172-2 record. Matt served 21 years as head coach and retired in 2019.

State’s Wrestling Coach of the Year for all three classes -A, AA, AAA in 2016.  Matt had 3 individual State Champions in 2019, including Son Tyler, now at St. Could State.  Matt is currently the High School Principal at K-W.

Assistant Coach: Jay Wheaton, Caledonia/Houston. Wheaton has been involved with the Caledonia/Houston Program for over 25 years as an assistant coach  and with the youth program. 

Meritorious Service: Donita Flodeen, Cannon Falls. Donita is the wife of long time Cannon Falls Coach Dudley Flodeen and mother of three sons that all wrestled. Donita has been a table worker/helper for over 20 years.

The class will be inducted on March 13, 2021 either in person or by virtual and Zoom .

Tickets and information will be thru Rick Ties:  rickties@gmail.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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