A pair of area girls used different motivation on the way to winning individual championships at the Lee Wolf Invitational wrestling tournament Saturday at Golden Eagles Arena.

Aberdeen Central’s Jasmine Maas won the 132-pound title, and Brooke Grajczyk of Webster took home the 138-pound crown during the event. The Golden Eagles finished third in team points, behind champion Pierre and runner-up Canton.

Maas said wrestling in front of family and friends fueled her on the way to the championship.

“I had my family with me and some of my best friends, and that made me really proud that they were here,” Maas said. “It gave me more motivation.”

Maas was able to gain a measure of revenge with a pin against Pierre’s Kezrey Benning, who she has struggled with in the past.

“I was really scared to get into it, because I already lost against her a few times, but I kept myself going,” Maas said. “I’ve been working for a moment to go against her again, to get to where I am.”

Maas was involved in a back-and-forth match and actually was in trouble at one stage.

“There was a point I thought I was going to lose and get pinned, because I was tired,” Maas said. “When she started turning me, I was like, I think I’m done here. Then I was like, I can’t. I’ve gotten this far and I kept myself going.”

Central coach Jake Flakus was proud of his eighth-grader’s effort in winning the championship.

“That was, I don’t want to say unexpected, but I don’t think most people in that gym thought she was going to win that match, but she stayed in that match,” Flakus said. “Normally, when we’re getting tired, she found a way to muster it through. She did what she’s done. She finds a way to get girls on their back and then she finishes it.”

The win was even more gratifying, since it came against Benning.

“She lost to her at Pierre,” Flakus said, “so just getting that redemptive win, especially to win a Lee Wolf title at home, is awesome for her.”

Grajczyk used different motivation for her victory and like Maas, it included family, only in a different way.

“I get to give my dad a mohawk now, and I wanted a big bracket,” Grajczyk said.

The eighth-grader explained how her dad’s soon-to-be new hairstyle factored into the equation.

“He told me, he said if you win this you can give me a mohawk,” Grajczyk said.

After a fifth-place finish at the Lee Wolf last year, Grajczyk was able to win the title this season.

“I think I’ve definitely expanded my horizon as far as takedowns go and a lot of top moves,” she said.

So does this now make her the favorite to win a state championship as well?

“I don’t know if I’m quite there,” Grajczyk said, “but that’s what I’m working for.”

Central’s Katrina Gibson knows something about winning a state title, after she became the school’s first state champ last season. The senior fell to Abbi Lewis of Pierre in Saturday’s final at 152 pounds. While the two have wrestled each other several times before, Gibson said that doesn’t really matter.

“The whole mindset going in is I’m going out there to wrestle,” Gibson said. “It doesn’t really matter who it is, I’m going out there to wrestle.”

Gibson said her biggest foe is actually herself.

“Going into it, it’s not me against my opponent. I’m not going to be mad at my opponent. She did nothing wrong. She’s worked hard,” Gibson said. “It’s me against me, and me against who I was yesterday, or me against who I was a couple of weeks ago, and it’s me trying to get better in myself and what I’m doing.”

Gibson tries to keep things in perspective when she competes. She said she and a teammate prayed over the mats before the tournament started Saturday morning.

“We prayed that people wouldn’t get injured,” Gibson said, “and we thanked God for letting us have the opportunity to wrestle today.”

Peyton Hellman of Bon Homme-Scotland-Avon was chosen as the Stan Opp Outstanding Wrestler.

Flakus was pleased with how his team competed in the tournament.

“I thought our girls wrestled phenomenal today,” Flakus said. “A lot of them were beating girls that they weren’t supposed to beat, whether that’s on paper or just how the tournament got seeded. They were going out and beating girls, and they were usually beating them by pin.”

The Golden Eagles host Brookings in a dual on Thursday.

Team Points: Pierre 231, Canton 225, Aberdeen Central 177, Watertown 129, Viborg-Hurley-Irene-Wakonda 83, Bon Homme-Scotland-Avon 82, Jamestown 81.5, Huron 48, Lemmon-McIntosh 40.5, Webster 39, Sisseton 34, Chamberlain 31, McCook Central-Montrose 26, Miller-Highmore-Harrold 25, Clark-Willow Lake 24, Mobridge-Pollock 24, Ipswich-Bowdle 22, O’Gorman 17, Wessington Springs-Woonsocket-Wolsey-Wessington 13, Tiospa Zina 3, Winner 0.

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES

100, Olivia Anderson, Watertown, pinned Finley Evjen, Canton, 4:34; 107, Sydney Uhrig, Pierre, pinned Dani Batchelor, Clark-Willow Lake, 1:36; 114, Alexis Bryant, McCook Central-Montrose, def. Kaydence Golding, Jamestown, 8-7; 120, Quinn Butler, Lemmon-McIntosh, def. Dani Ringstmeyer, Pierre, 9-5;

126, Lexi Hillmer, Pierre, def. Sophia Knittel, Ipswich-Bowdle, 4-2; 132, Jasmine Maas, pinned Kezrey Benning, Pierre, 4:29; 138, Brooke Grajczyk, Webster, pinned Jasmin Perez, Mobridge-Pollock, 5:24; 145, Peyton Hellmann, Bon Homme-Scotland-Avon, pinned Ireland Templeton, Pierre, 2:51;

152, Abbigail Lewis, Pierre, pinned Katrina Gibson, Aberdeen Central, 1:47; 165, Gia Miller, Viborg-Hurley, pinned Natalia Long, Canton, 1:48; 185, Allison Konrad, Watertown, pinned Kori Wallner, Canton, 2:33; 250, Kiara King, Canton, pinned Eden Hach, Watertown, 1:45.

Third Place Matches

100, Shaylee Speck, Pierre, pinned Kinsley Sheridan, O’Gorman, 1:58; 107, Brooke Warejcka, Canton, pinned Brooklynn Randall, Watertown, 3:55; 114, Sara Schroder, Canton, pinned Madyson Gillen, Aberdeen Central, 2:59; 120, Vi Anderson, Sisseton, def. Ula Martin, Aberdeen Central, 4-2;

126, Hadlee Kracht, Bon Homme-Scotland-Avon, pinned Allison Neitzel, Aberdeen Central, 1:27; 132, Gabby Werdel, Miller-Highmore-Harrold, def. Bailey Kemnitz, Bon Homme-Scotland-Avon, 6-0; 138, Kieonna Smith, Canton, pinned Kayeleigh Bowden, Huron, 2:27; 145, Lin Paw Jone, Aberdeen Central, pinned Gabby Romans, Jamestown, 3:52;

152, April Peterson, Watertown, pinned Kaylee Dean, Canton, 4:08; 165, Grace Bercier, Jamestown, pinned Ashley Tolmsa, Bon Homme-Scotland-Avon, 2:17; 185, Emalee Larson, Pierre, pinned Claire Campbell, Viborg-Hurley-Irene-Wakonda, 2:36; 250, Heavenly Thompson, Pierre, pinned Nina Howard, Aberdeen Central, 2:02.

Aberdeen Central results

Avery Bendewald

Champ. Round 1 – Avery Bendewald (Aberdeen Central) over Kaitlynn Payne (Watertown) (Fall 0:26)
Quarterfinals – Darla Barnes (Lemmon/McIntosh) over Avery Bendewald (Aberdeen Central) (Inj. [time])
Cons. Round 2 – Kpaw  Paw (Huron) over Avery Bendewald (Aberdeen Central) (For.)

Wylynn Drevlow

Champ. Round 1 – Wylynn Drevlow (Aberdeen Central) received a bye
Quarterfinals – Lexie Hillmer (Pierre T.F. Riggs) over Wylynn Drevlow (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 1:22)
Cons. Round 2 – Mohrgan Werdel (Miller/Highmore-Harrold) over Wylynn Drevlow (Aberdeen Central) (MD 9-0)

Katrina Gibson
Champ. Round 1 – Katrina Gibson (Aberdeen Central) received a bye
Quarterfinals – Katrina Gibson (Aberdeen Central) over Aubrey Babcock (Jamestown) (Fall 0:40)
Semifinals – Katrina Gibson (Aberdeen Central) over Kaylee Dean (Canton) (Fall 3:19)
1st Place Match – Abbigail Lewis (Pierre T.F. Riggs) over Katrina Gibson (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 1:47)

Madyson Gillen
Champ. Round 1 – Madyson Gillen (Aberdeen Central) over Clara Iverson  (Sisseton) (Fall 0:30)
Quarterfinals – Madyson Gillen (Aberdeen Central) over Audrey Mack (Watertown) (Fall 0:53)
Semifinals – Alexis  Bryant (McCook Central/Montrose) over Madyson Gillen (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 3:30)
Cons. Semis – Madyson Gillen (Aberdeen Central) over Bailey Yost (Wessington Springs/Woonsocket/Wolsey-Wessington) (Fall 0:14)
3rd Place Match – Sara Schroder (Canton) over Madyson Gillen (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 2:59)

Nina Howard
Champ. Round 1 – Nina Howard (Aberdeen Central) received a bye
Quarterfinals – Nina Howard (Aberdeen Central) over Brylee Pelle (Pierre T.F. Riggs) (Fall 1:29)
Semifinals – Kiara King (Canton) over Nina Howard (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 1:20)
Cons. Semis – Nina Howard (Aberdeen Central) over Izzy Baldwin (Canton) (Fall 1:16)
3rd Place Match – Heavenly Thompson (Pierre T.F. Riggs) over Nina Howard (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 2:02)

Jasmine Maas
Champ. Round 1 – Jasmine Maas (Aberdeen Central) over Clare Kappenman (Canton) (Fall 0:16)
Quarterfinals – Jasmine Maas (Aberdeen Central) over Say Glay (Huron) (Fall 1:05)
Semifinals – Jasmine Maas (Aberdeen Central) over Lakynn Qualseth (Canton) (Fall 1:02)
1st Place Match – Jasmine Maas (Aberdeen Central) over Kezrey Benning (Pierre T.F. Riggs) (Fall 4:29)

Ula Martin
Champ. Round 1 – Ula Martin (Aberdeen Central) over Clare Kappenman (Canton) (Fall 0:55)
Quarterfinals – Aubrey  Jensen  (Viborg-Hurley/Irene-Wakonda) over Ula Martin (Aberdeen Central) (MD 13-4)
Cons. Round 2 – Ula Martin (Aberdeen Central) over Kmui Paw (Huron) (Fall 1:32)
Cons. Round 3 – Ula Martin (Aberdeen Central) over Hayden Thomas (Watertown) (Fall 4:12)
Cons. Semis – Ula Martin (Aberdeen Central) over Jayrn Warejcka (Canton) (Dec 5-4)
3rd Place Match – Vi Anderson (Sisseton) over Ula Martin (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 4-2)

Allison Neitzel
Champ. Round 1 – Allison Neitzel (Aberdeen Central) over Josie Althoff (Watertown) (Fall 0:30)
Quarterfinals – Hadlee  Kracht (Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon) over Allison Neitzel (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 0:52)
Cons. Round 2 – Allison Neitzel (Aberdeen Central) over Kaitlyn Dullum (Jamestown) (Fall 1:11)
Cons. Round 3 – Allison Neitzel (Aberdeen Central) over Shelby Shrake (Chamberlain) (Fall 4:54)
Cons. Semis – Allison Neitzel (Aberdeen Central) over Jersey Folkens (Canton) (Fall 1:26)
3rd Place Match – Hadlee  Kracht (Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon) over Allison Neitzel (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 1:27)

Lilly Nelson
Champ. Round 1 – Lilly Nelson (Aberdeen Central) received a bye
Quarterfinals – Lilly Nelson (Aberdeen Central) over Kyanne Traversie-Johnson (Pierre T.F. Riggs) (Fall 0:37)
Semifinals – Natalia Long (Canton) over Lilly Nelson (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 6-5)
Cons. Semis – Grace Bercier (Jamestown) over Lilly Nelson (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 4:39)
5th Place Match – Lilly Nelson (Aberdeen Central) over Aspen Humes (Jamestown) (M. For.)

Lin Paw Jone
Champ. Round 1 – Lin Paw Jone (Aberdeen Central) over Sage Woster (Chamberlain) (Fall 0:21)
Quarterfinals – Ireland Templeton (Pierre T.F. Riggs) over Lin Paw Jone (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 4-0)
Cons. Round 2 – Lin Paw Jone (Aberdeen Central) over Nevaeh  Schanbeck (Watertown) (Fall 0:39)
Cons. Round 3 – Lin Paw Jone (Aberdeen Central) over Samantha Dreiske (Lemmon/McIntosh) (Fall 1:35)
Cons. Semis – Lin Paw Jone (Aberdeen Central) over Kenzie King (Canton) (MD 15-7)
3rd Place Match – Lin Paw Jone (Aberdeen Central) over Gabby Romans (Jamestown) (Fall 3:52)

Grace Reszler
Champ. Round 1 – Brooke Grajczyk (Webster Area) over Grace Reszler (Aberdeen Central) (For.)
Cons. Round 1 – Leah Whittington (Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon) over Grace Reszler (Aberdeen Central) (For.)

Rakyrah Wallace
Champ. Round 1 – Rakyrah Wallace (Aberdeen Central) over Ashlyn  Lee (Jamestown) (Fall 4:00)
Quarterfinals – Katelyn Yexley (Watertown) over Rakyrah Wallace (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 7-0)
Cons. Round 2 – Rakyrah Wallace (Aberdeen Central) over Leah Whittington (Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon) (Fall 1:40)
Cons. Round 3 – Rakyrah Wallace (Aberdeen Central) over Kyler Forman (Miller/Highmore-Harrold) (Fall 0:18)
Cons. Semis – Kieonna Smith (Canton) over Rakyrah Wallace (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 0:41)
5th Place Match – Katelyn Yexley (Watertown) over Rakyrah Wallace (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 5-1)