RAPID CITY – Aberdeen Central put nine guys through to podium-placing matches after day two of the Class A boys’ wrestling state tournament Friday at The Monument. That contingent includes four guys vying for fifth place, four more for third place and one – senior Mason Schrempp – contending for a state title.
“Our effort is there,” said Central coach Donnie Bowden of having nine guys out of 14 still wrestling on the final day of the tournament. “Our fight is there. Just a couple situations that didn’t go our way. So this is the next best thing.”
Schrempp, who advanced to the semifinals with a pair of wins on day one, claimed victory in his semifinal match on Friday, a win that vaulted him into the title round at 157 pounds. The Golden Eagle senior was third at that weight a year ago and will be contending for his first career state title.
“This is the spot we knew Mason could be,” Bowden said. “The last couple years it’s eluded us. This year he broke through and he’s been dominant.”
Schrempp will face Jacob Williams of Rapid City Stevens in today’s championship round. The two have split a pair of matches this season with Schrempp winning the most recent round.
Jackson Dargatz (106 pounds), Esten Foss (113), Ridley Waldo (144) and Grayden Timm (175), all of whom dropped their semifinal matches, rebounded in the wrestlebacks to earn a spot in the third place matches.
Owen Ward (150), Elias Biegler (165), Cole Dunlavy (190) and Ryker Meister (215) will all wrestle for fifth place.
Biegler and Meister both had longer routes to get to those matches after dropping into the consolation bracket with a loss in the quarterfinals. Both guys, however, fought through that side of the bracket to earn a chance at a podium finish.
“They’re two seniors and you always want to see your seniors go out on the podium,” Bowden said. “And they’re two tough dudes. They’ve been in every match they’ve wrestled.”
As a team, the Golden Eagles remain in second place heading into the placing rounds. Central dropped as far down as fifth before regaining some momentum towards the end of the day.
Sturgis leads the field by a comfortable margin, holding 174.5 points to Central’s 136.5. Rapid City Stevens is third with 126.5.
Elsewhere, a handful of area wrestlers earned spots in today’s finals matches in the Class B tournament. Warner-Northwestern’s Preston Cavalier reached the finals of the 285-pound class.
Both Sisseton and Wessington Springs-Woonsocket-Wolsey-Wessington put a pair of wrestlers in the title round. Ian Metz (126) and Holden Hawkins (157) will represent the Redmen, while Jackson Carter (132) and Holden Havlik (215) will vie for titles for the Warhawks.
Kellan Hurd, a state champion at 138 pounds a year ago, is in the finals at 144 pounds for Miller-Highmore-Harrold, while Webster’s Haeden Jorgenson, who lost to Hurd in last year’s finals, returns to the ring at 138 pounds for a chance at redemption.
In the Class B team race, Canton continues to hold a comfortable lead over the rest of the field with 165 points. Sisseton sits in eighth place with 61.5 points, followed by Clark-Willow Lake (58) in ninth, Miller-Highmore-Harrold (51.5) in 10th and Faulkton (50.5) in 11th.
The third and final day of the state tournament resumes today with placing matches at all weight classes.
To see complete results, click on the following link:
Looking Back
Looking Back
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State B Notebooks
Raasch adding to coaching career victory total
Boys Basketball
McClemans named new boys’ basketball coach at Central
Girls' Wrestling
Groton’s Krueger wins state title, Central places five girls
Boys Basketball
Class B SoDak 16 pairings finalized
Boys Basketball
Class A SoDak 16 pairings set
