It’s the final week of the spring sports season, but there is still a lot to be decided in Baseball. This week a boy’s champion will be crowned in Class AAA baseball, and Delano will represent the Wright County Area. You can follow the Tigers throughout the state tournament and AM1360 KRWC, krwc1360.com and on our app. Below is a state preview. Good luck to the Tigers!
All games subject to change.
The Teams:
#1 Seed: Totino-Grace Eagles, 17-8, defeated Becker, 2-1 in Section 5 finals, 5th trip to state, state champs in 2024.
#2 Seed: Mahtomedi Zephyrs, 21-5, defeated Hill-Murray, 3-2 in Section 4 finals, 11th trip to state, won it all in 2018, 2021 and last year.
#3 Seed: Mankato West Scarlets, 17-6, defeated Mankato East, 6-1 in Section 2 final, 4th trip to state.
#4 Seed: Delano Tigers, 18-7, defeated Orono, 6-3 in Section 6 finals, 12th trip to state.
#5 Seed: St. Thomas Academy Cadets, 16-9, defeated Holy Angels, 4-0 in Section 3 finals, 10th trip to state, 2019 champs.
#6 Seed: Northfield Raiders, 17-6, defeated Kasson Monterville, 13-8 in Section 1 finals, 7th trip to state.
#7 Seed: Grand Rapids Thunderhawk’s, 15-10, defeated Cloquet, 8-4 in Section 7 finals, 24th trip to state. State champs in 1978, and 1984.
#8 Seed: Rocori Spartans, defeated Willmar in Section 8 finals, 9th trip to state, state champs in 1992, and 2010.
St. Thomas Academy, above in white, is the first-round opponent for Delano at state, Thursday at Chaska.
Players to watch:
Totino: Dimarco Cognetta, first base, hit .303, headed to St. John’s (MN), and Joey Terhaar, 2.54 ERA on the hill for the Eagles.
Mahtomedi: Cody Loida, .450 BA, 24 RBI, Jacob Reubish, .650 BA, and Zach Herrod, 1.40 ERA.
Mankato West: Emmitt Rentas, .548 BA, 35 RBI, Evan Senske, .462 BA, and Kason Neuhring, 2.33 ERA.
Delano: Brody Geislinger, .378 BA, 2 HR, Andrew Bruett, .431 BA, 15 RBI, and Carter Van Beusekom, .455 BA and 22 RBI.
St. Thomas Academy: Brody Cashill, .475 BA and RBI leader, Colby Olson, .333 BA, and Ethan Ruiz, 1.75 ERA.
Northfield: Owen Jensen, .400 BA, 22 RBI, Ben Ims, .5000 BA and 11 doubles, and JT Graupmann, 3.50 ERA.
Grand Rapids: Joe Dick, RBI leader and Ari Lamppa, P and OF.
Rocori: Calan Heying, .333 BA, Max Fredin, .430 BA, RBI leader and ace pitcher with a 1.62 ERA, and Cooper Notch, .300 BA.
DiMarco Cognetta, above, from Totino Grace, will play for St. John’s, MN after he completes his Senior season.
Key Stats and Notes:
- Although the defending state champs are here in Mahtomedi, this should be a wide-open field. Only four of the eight teams are ranked, and every team enters the tournament with at least five losses.
- Last season Mahtomedi won its third state championship with a win over Mankato East, 6-2.
- Speaking of the Zephyrs, like usual they rely on pitching and defense. Mahtomedi has shut out it’s opponent nine times this season.
- Looking for a resilient team? That would be the Northfield Raiders. They started the season 0-4 and then had to win four straight in sections to get to state, including defeating the #1 seed KMS twice.
- Delano brothers Andrew (A Senior), and Grant a (Sophomore) Bruett have had a great year for the Tigers, and their father is J.T. Bruett who went to Minnesota and played for the Twins in 1992, and 1993, finishing with a .250 BA.
The Mahtomedi Zephyrs, above, are back to defend their 2025 Class AAA State Championship.
Do the Tigers have a shot of picking up their first state championship……
This will be the 12th state tournament appearance for the Tigers, and they are still searching for that first state championship, but there is no doubt this could be the year. Delano did struggle late in the season, losing three of four going into sections, but they righted the ship by knocking out both the #2 Seed, Benilde SM, and the #1 Seed Orono twice to advance to state in one of the toughest sections in the state. Not only that, but the Tigers defeated #1 seed Totino-Grace earlier this season, so obviously they have the talent, not to mention this is a wide-open field. Every team is vulnerable, and as I said in my AAAA preview, baseball is by far the most unpredictable of all the state tournaments. This should be wide open, every team in this tournament has a shot.
The Delano Tigers, above, are headed back to the Class AAA state tournament.
