Both Apple Valley and St. Edward finished this past season ranked in The Fab50 National Team Rankings, the Eagles from Minnesota were ranked No. 17, while the Eagles from Ohio were No. 15 overall. Apple Valley won a tenth consecutive state title in Minnesota Class AAA, which is the big school division, and a 16th championship in the last 17 years. St. Edward won the individual state tournament in Ohio Division I, which is the big-school division, earning the title for the 16th time in the last 18 years.
Also joining these perennial national powers in The Clash field are Carrington, N.D., Hastings, Minn., and Wasatch, Utah. Fifteen teams out of the 32 school field for this year's event have been unveiled.
Carrington won both the individual bracket and dual meet state tournament in North Dakota Class B, which is that state's small-school division. The Cardinals return 11 wrestlers that competed in the state tournament last year, including nine that placed, and five that were in the state finals.
Returning state champions include Walker Carr (145), Billy Holtan (152), and Riley Lura (182); while Bridger Anderson (170) and Bradee Schroeder (285) finished as state runners-up last year. It is a debut appearance in The Clash for Carrington.
Hastings participated in The Clash last year, finishing third in their opening day bracket, but going 0-3 in the day two pool of third place teams. The Raiders were state dual meet semifinalists in Class AAA in 2014, but failed to make the final eight last year. They return five state qualifiers, but only Mark Vaith (182), who finished fourth, earned a state placement finish this past season.
Wasatch also participated in The Clash last season, finishing seventh in their opening day bracket, then going 1-2 to finish third in the day two pool of seventh place teams. The Wasps were state champions in Utah Class 4A during the 2014-15 season. Nine state placers return for the upcoming season, including state champion Braiden Parker (113), along with five state runners-up.
Circling back to Apple Valley and St. Edward, each squad features many high profile wrestlers. Leading the way is a pair of wrestlers ranked tops in their grade level that compete for Apple Valley, Mark Hall in the Class of 2016 and Gable Steveson in the Class of 2018. They are joined by three other returning state qualifiers, including Nate Larson (106) and Kyle Rathman (113) who each finished in third place.
St. Edward has had a wrestler earn All-American honors at the Division I NCAA tournament in each of the last 25 years. This year's squad returns five state qualifiers, four of whom earned top three finishes at the state tournament. Allan Hart (113) was the lone state champion, Hunter Ladnier (132) and Jared Campbell (195) placed second, while Jack Conway (145) finished third.
The field for the January 2016 edition of The Clash National High School Wrestling Duals now features seven teams that were members of the Fab50 National Team Rankings to end the 2014-15 season.
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