VIBORG – The Aberdeen Central girls wrestling program kicked off its season with a pair of victories at the Viborg-Hurley/Irene-Wakonda Quadrangular Friday night. The Golden Eagles opened the day with a tightly-contested loss to Watertown, but bounced back to earn victories over the host Cougars and over Brookings to end the day at 2-1.

Central coach Jake Flakus said the morning began with trying to get everyone down to weight, but once the matches started, the day had an up-and-down sort of rhythm to it.

“That first one is always tough to do,” Flakus said of the season’s first weigh-in.

Avery Bendewald, Allison Neitzel and Jasmine Maas all won their season-opening competitions for the Golden Eagles, and all in pin-fall fashion.

Flakus noted that the dual ultimately came down to just a couple matches.

“We were just a match or two away from taking that one,” he said. “We’ll get to dual them again later this year, so I’m excited to see them again.”

Central wasted little time in bouncing back after the opening loss, taking a quick win over Brookings in its next dual.

“We just went out there and dominated,” Flakus said.

Flakus pointed out notable wins from Bendewald and Madyson Gillen in that match. Bendewald went 3-0 with pins in all three of her matches, while Gillen used a third-period surge to pin her Brookings opponent after being down to begin the third.

The back-and-forth nature of the day continued in Central’s third dual of the day against Viborg-Hurley. Each team picked up a handful of forfeits or pins before a Golden Eagle newcomer sealed the victory with a dramatic third-period pin.

Lilly Nelson moved up a weight class to compete at 185 pounds and ultimately earned a win by fall with just three seconds remaining in the match. The contest was just Nelson’s second career match.

“I think every wrestler remembers their first takedown,” Flakus said. “She got her first takedown in that match, then she got her first win. … Once a wrestler gets that feeling, I think they’re hooked on it.”

The Cougars ended up with the win in the final match of the dual, but it wasn’t enough to flip the Golden Eagles out of the victor’s spot.

Flakus said his squad’s two victories are a boost of confidence this early in the season.

“That was a really good win,” Flakus said of Central’s final victory of the day. “Viborg is a really good team. It’s good to see we can compete and not just hang in there but beat these good teams.”

Central will head west next weekend for the Rapid City Invitational, one of the biggest tournaments of the Golden Eagles’ season.

“There’s probably 60 teams from a couple different states out there,” Flakus said. “Our girls will get some good matches out there.”

Watertown 42, Aberdeen Central 30

100: Olivia Anderson (WAT) won by forfeit; 107: Avery Bendewald (AC) over Kaitlynn Payne, (Fall 1:07); 114: Madyson Gillen (AC) won by forfeit; 120: Hayden Thomas (WAT) won by forfeit;

126: Allison Neitzel (AC) over Avah Grismer, (Fall 0:58); 132: Jasmine Maas (AC) over Jeryn Fieber, (Fall 0:38); 138: Katelyn Yexley (WAT) over Rakyrah Wallace, (Fall 3:27); 145: Nevaeh Schanbeck (WAT) over Grace Reszler, (Fall 5:05);

152: April Peterson (WAT) over Katrina Gibson, (Fall 3:01); 165: Lilly Nelson (AC) won by forfeit; 185: Allison Konrad (WAT) won by forfeit; 250: Eden Hach (WAT) over Nina Howard, (Fall 0:39).

Aberdeen Central 54, Brookings 6

100: Double Forfeit; 107: Avery Bendewald (AC) over Claire Milliron (Fall 0:50); 114: Madyson Gillen (AC) over Bailey Tekrony (Fall 4:27); 120: Double Forfeit;

126: Allison Neitzel (AC) over Ramsie Hinricher (Fall 2:50); 132: Jasmine Maas (AC) over Cierra Strand (Fall 1:05); 138: Rakyrah Wallace (AC) won by forfeit; 145: Johanna Steinlicht (BRO) over Grace Reszler (Fall 0:31);

152: Lin Paw Jone (AC) won by forfeit; 165: Katrina Gibson (AC) won by forfeit; 185: Lilly Nelson (AC) won by forfeit; 250: Nina Howard (AC) won by forfeit.

Aberdeen Central 36, Viborg-Hurley/Irene-Wakonda 30

100: Double Forfeit; 107: Avery Bendewald (AC) over Rose Wickham (VHIW) (Fall 0:12); 114: Madyson Gillen (AC) won by forfeit; 120: Aubrey Jensen  (VHIW) won by forfeit;

126: Wendi Silverthorn (VHIW) over Allison Neitzel (Fall 1:37); 132: Jasmine Maas (AC) over Kayla Schoolmeester (Fall 0:28); 138: Rakyrah Wallace (AC) won by forfeit; 145: Maddie Feiock (VHIW) over Grace Reszler (ABCE) (Fall 1:14);

152: Katrina Gibson (AC) over Ella Kessler (Fall 0:30); 165: Gia Miller (VHIW) over Lin Paw Jone (Fall 1:01);  185: Lilly Nelson (AC) over Rayna Miller (Fall 3:57); 250: Brinlee Smith  (VHIW) over Nina Howard  (Fall 1:08).