Demons win West title: Blue Jays qualify nine for state meet
The Bismarck Demons wrestling team entered Saturday’s West Region tournament with a target on their backs.
- Gumke
- Ova
The Bismarck Demons wrestling team entered Saturday’s West Region tournament with a target on their backs.
But that’s nothing new.
The Demons won three straight region titles heading into Saturday, and after nearly 10 hours of wrestling they extended their streak to four at Jerry Meyer Arena in Jamestown.
Bismarck ran away with its fourth straight region championship with a team score of 238.5, while Williston won a tight race for second with 190. The Coyotes barely edged out Turtle Mountain despite the Braves sending six wrestlers to title bouts.
“We finished real well,” said Bismarck co-head coach Jeff Schumacher. “I thought our championship rounds and medal rounds were real good. I was really happy with that. I didn’t think that we got after it earlier in the day — I thought we were still making some mistakes — but we ended strong.”
The Demons crowned four individual champs and qualified 16 individuals for next week’s state tournament in Bismarck.
“At least we know a couple of things that we now have to work on,” Schumacher said. “(Today) and Tuesday we actually have to work on some simple strategies and then the second thing is ‘When you’re in these positions, make sure that this happens.’ Just making sure they finish the job.”
The Demons entered the region tournament as heavy favorites, but Schumacher said he wasn’t worried the wrestlers were going to take the competition lightly.
“You have to be willing to challenge yourself,” said Schumacher. “That’s what the sport of wrestling is all about. …. It’s just a simple challenge of going out and competing real hard.”
The Blue Jays fell one individual shy of accomplishing their goal of sending 10 wrestlers, but they were still able to match last year’s mark of nine state qualifiers.
Though happy to have nine extending their season into Bismarck next weekend, JHS coach Greg White said he was hoping for a better performance collectively as a team. The Blue Jays finished in sixth place with a score of 120.0.
“I was hoping to be fourth or fifth,” said White. “We were right in that area but we were quite a ways away in points. So, I was a little disappointed with the way some matches went.”
Jamestown finished 38 points back of fifth-place finishing Minot and 49 points shy of Bismarck Century.
“We’ve had days where it might be like this was, but we would win the close ones,” White said. “Today, we didn’t win the close ones.”
Jamestown had two individuals battle into the championship bouts, but neither broke through to secure a spot atop the podium.
Zane Braun ad Jaden Horsted entered the tournament ranked fourth in their respective weight classes, but both failed to top their higher-ranked opponents in the title tilt.
Horsted did, however, take down Dickinson’s Davin Berger in the semifinals to punch his ticket to the 120-pound championship. Berger was ranked third entering Saturday’s tournament.
“I’m pretty happy with second,” Horsted said. “I upset Berger and I can do it again.”
The only setback came when he ran into Turtle Mountain’s Terry LaVallie in the championship. LaVillie pinned Horsted in 55 seconds.
“I wrestled Terry LaVallie before freshman year and sophomore year,” said the JHS junior. “He’s just good.”
Braun had a similar journey on Saturday, winning everything until Williston’s Eddie Maisey dropped him in the title bout with a 9-3 decision.
“I need more wrestling time on the mat I guess,” said the soft-spoken Braun. “I need to work harder.”
Eathan Gumke was seeded fourth at 170 but finished third, winning three of his four matches.
Paxton Mewes and Nate Purcell, both ranked sixth in the state in their respective weight classes, and unranked Ryan Hillerud all finished fourth on Saturday.
Hillerud went 4-1 despite having just one good leg. He sprained an ankle in practice Tuesday, but gutted it out with a solid outing Saturday.
Purcell picked up a pair of first-period pins en route to placing fourth at 220, one spot better than his seed.
Mitch Ova punched his ticket to state with a sixth-place finish on Saturday and teammates Reece Waldie and Pat Lane each finished eighth to round out the Blue Jays’ state qualifiers.
“We were hoping for 10, but that’s alright,” White said. “We’ll take nine.”
West Region Wrestling
In Jamestown
Team results
1, Bismarck 238.5; 2, Williston 190.0; 3, Turtle Mountain 186.5; 4, Bismarck Century 169.5; 5, Minot 158.0; 6, Jamestown 120.0; 7, Dickinson 113.0; 8, Mandan 81.0; 9, Bismarck St. Mary’s 71.0
Individual results
106
Championship:Adam Blees, BIS, dec. Nathan Humann, CEN, 3-0
Third place: Austin Hutzenbiler, DHS, dec. Paxton Mewes, JHS, 3-0
Fifth place: Brandon Zachmeier, MAN, won by forfeit over Cayne Cymbaluk, Una.
Seventh place: Hayden Rossol, WIL, pinned Christopher Longie, TM, 1:44.
First round: Austin HUtzenbiler, DHS, pinned Tyrell Mathwich, MIN, 1:52; Cayne Cymbaluk, Unn., pinned Matthew Schaffner, SM, 0:50; Quarterfinals: Adam Blees, BIS, pinned Christopher Longie, TM, 1:51; Hutzenbiler dec. Brandon Zachmeier, MAN, 6-0; Nathan Humann, CEN, Cymbaluk, 6-1; Paxton Mewes, JHS, pinned Hayden Rossol, WIL, 2:35; Semifinals: Blees dec. Hutzenbiler, 4-1; Humann dec. Mewes, 5-1.
Wrestlebacks: Cymbaluk pinned Mathwich, 1:33; Zachmeier pinned Schaffner, 2:02; Cymbaluk dec. Rossol, 4-2; Zachmeier pinned Longie, 3:38; Mewes dec. Zachmeier, 2-1 OT; Hutbenbiler maj. dec. Cymbaluk, 10-0.
113
Championship: Curt Zachmeier, MAN, dec. Grant Laducer, TM, 6-0
Third place: Kael Knowlen, BIS, dec. Tate Barnhardt, SM, 3-0
Fifth place: Hunter Eckert, CEN, dec. Chris Willits, Una., 2-0
Seventh place: Logan Boese, Una., maj. dec. Jaret Lee, 9-0
First round: Tate Barnhardt, SM, pinned Jorey Bartsch, MIN, 3:51; Grant Laducer, TM, dec. Jaret Lee, DHS, 10-6; Quarterfinals: Curt Zachmeier, Man, dec. Sammy Maisey, WIL, 6-0; Barnhardt pinned Chris Willits, CEN, 4:49; Kael Knowlen, BIS, maj. dec. Logan Boese, Una., 10-0; Laducer dec. Eckert, CEN, 8-4; Semifinals: Zachmeier dec. Barnhardt, 6-2; Laducer maj. dec. Knowlen, 11-1.
Wrestlebacks: Boese dec. Bartsch, 5-3; Lee pinned Maisey, 2:40; Eckert 5, Boese 5-4; Willits pinned Lee, 3:30; Knowlen maj. dec. Willits, 12-4; Barnhardt dec. Eckert, 3-0.
120
Championship: Terry LaVallie, Jr., TM, pinned Jaden Horsted, JHS, 0:55
Third place: Devin Berger, DHS, dec. Lane Kaseman, BIS, 6-2
Fifth place: Cale Sass, WIL, pinned Bobby Edick, CEN, 2:20
Seventh place: Gabe Nehlson, MIN, pinned John Windsor, SM, 2:54
Quarterfinals: Terry LaVallie, TM pinned John Windsor, SM, 0:39; Lane Kaseman, BIS, dec. Cale Sass, WIL, 3-2; Jaden Horsted, JHS, pinned Gabe Nehlson, 4:48; Devin Berger, DHS, pinned Bobby Edick, CEN, 1:30. Semifinals: LaVallie maj. dec. Kaseman, 11-1; Horsted dec. Berger, 5-2.
Wrestlebacks: Sass pinned Windsor, 1:52; Edick dec. Nehlson, 6-4; Kaseman dec. Edick, 9-7; Berger dec. DHS, 7-2.
126
Championship: Keenan Ternes, MAN, dec. Tanner Crissler, TM, 2-1
Third place: Tate Hoffman, BIS, dec. Bryton Brien, DHS, 3-2
Fifth place: Beau Bergeron, WIL, dec. Domagala, CEN, 4-3
Seventh place: Jesse Hoffart, tech. fall Austin Huck, SM, 16-1
Quarterfinals: Keenan Ternes, MAN, pinned Austin Huck, SM, 1:43; Bryton Brien, DHS, dec. Beau Bergeron, 1-0; Tate Hoffman, BIS, dec. Jesse Hoffart, MIN, 9-2; Tanner Crissler, TM, pinned Brandon Domagala, CEN, 3:49; Semifinals: Ternes dec. Brien, 8-3; Crissler dec. Hoffman, 7-3.
Wrestlebacks: Domagala dec. Hoffart, 9-7 OT; Bergeron pinned Huck, 2:46; Hoffman maj. dec. Bergeron, 8-0; Brien dec. Domagala, 3-2.
132
Championship: Izec Neer, CEN, dec. Cody Haugen, MIN, 7-0
Third place: Forrest Pifer, BIS, dec. Joe Rice, WIL, 5-0
Fifth place: Dane Fischer, SM, pinned Mitch Ova, JHS, 2:14
Seventh place: Eugene Fleetwood, Jr., TM, maj. dec. Dillon Clark, DHS, 17-4
Quarterfinals: Cody Haugen, MIN, pinned Dillon Clark, DHS, 1:15; Dane Fischer, SM, dec. Mitch Ova, JHS, 7-5; Forrest Pifer, BIS, dec. Joe Rice, WIL, 5-3; Izec Neer, CEN, tech. fall Eugene Fleetwood, Jr., 16-0; Semifinals: Haugen dec. Fischer 11-7; Pifer maj. dec. Neer, 12-3.
Wrestlebacks: Clark pinned Dillman, 0:34; Rice dec. Fleetwood, 5-0; Ova pinned Clark, 4:41; Rice dec. Fischer, 6-1; Pifer dec. Ova, 5-1.
138
Championship: Ryan Blees, BIS, maj. dec. Alec Lindsey, DHS, 19-7
Third place: Adam Stein, MAN, won by forfeit over Ryan Hillerud, JHS
Fifth place: Ryder Peterson, Una., won by forfeit over Jered Keller, Una.
Seventh place: Lucas Maul, WIL, dec. Brian Rabe, MIN, 8-4
First round: Jacob Schwab, SM, pinned Michael Coffin, Una. 3:26; Ryan Hillerud, JHS, dec. Jacob Rader, 8-3; Lucas Maul, WIL, pinned Samuel Solberg, Una., 2:28; Jered Keller, Una., pinned Brian Rabe, 1:50. Quarterfinals: Ryan Blees, BIS, pinned, Schwab, 3:37; Adam Stein, MAN, dec. Hillerud, 8-5; Ryder Peterson, Una., maj. dec. Maul, 16-2; Alex Lindsey, DHS, pinned Keller, 1:29; Semifinals: Bleese pinned Stein, 1:49; Lindsey dec. Peterson, 6-3.
Wrestlebacks: Keller pinned Coffin, 4:04; Maul pinned Rader, 3:35; Hillerud pinned Solberg, 2:56; Rabe pinned Schwab, 2:32; Keller dec. Maul, 7-6; Hillerud maj. dec. Rabe, 20-9; Stein dec. 9-8; Hillerud maj. dec. Peterson, 12-2.
145
Championship: Paul Michaelson, WIL, dec. Ricky Purtle, BIS, 4-3
Third place: Hunter Babeck, CEN, dec. Chris Pitner, MIN, 9-4
Fifth place: Clayton Tangen, DHS, won by forfeit over Alex Willey, SM
Seventh place: Geraldo Fox, TM, maj. dec. Jacob Shypkowski, Una., 10-0
First round: Alex Willey, SM, dec. Brandyn Harr, JHS, 6-0; Chris Pitner, MIN, pinned Matt Elder, Una., 1:52; Shypkowski, Una., pinned Brek Laducer, Una., 1:12; Quarterfinals: Paul Michaelson, WIL, pinned Willey, 0:51; Pitner dec. Geraldo Fox, TM, 10-6; Hunter Babeck, CEN, pinned Clayton Tangen, 3:39; Ricky Purtle, BIS, pinned Shypkowski, 1:06; Semifinals: Michaelson dec. Pitner, 6-2; Purtle maj. dec. Babeck, 12-1.
Wrestlebacks: Shypkowski dec. Harr, 6-4; Tangen pinned Elder, 1:40; Willey pinned Laducer, 3:56; Tangen dec. Shypkowski, 7-2; Willey pinned Sox, 3:37; Pitner maj. dec. Tangen; Babeck pinned Willey, 2:58.
152
Championship: Eddie Maisey, WIL, dec. Zane Braun, JHS, 9-3
Third place: Anthony Pitner, MIN, maj. dec. Michael Cherwinski, DHS, 14-6
Fifth place: Robert Richter, SM, won by forfeit over Michael Dobitz, Una.
Seventh place: Ian Johnson, BIS, pinned Brian Schaffer, CEN, 3:23
First round: Michael Dobitz, Una. Pinned Dalton Mitzel, 1:37; Robert Richter, SM, pinned Ronald Azure, 0:43; Zane Braun, JHS, tech. fall Kyle Mathiason, 18-3. Quarterfinals: Eddie Maisey, WIL, pinned Dobitz, 1:25; Richter dec. Ian Johnson, 10-4; Anthony Pitner, MIN, pinned Michael Cherwinski, 2:52; Braun tech. fall Brian Schaffer, CEN, 18-2. Semifinals: Maisey dec. Richter, 9-3; Braun pinned Pitner, 5:13.
Wrestlebacks: Schaffer pinned Mitzel, 1:59; Cherwinski pinned Azure, 4:04; Dobitz pinned Mathiason, 1:45; Cherwinski dec. Schaffer, 11-7; Dobitz dec. Johnson, 8-6; Pitner maj. dec. Dobitz, 14-3; Cherwinski dec. Richter, 5-1.
160
Championship: Wyatt Azure, TM maj. dec. David Rabe, MIN, 9-1
Third place: Zach Schuchard, BIS, dec. Markus Noeske, WIL, 6-0
Fifth place: Alex Haaland, Una., dec. Hunter Bondeson, Una., 6-2
Seventh place: Jace Dukart, DHS, dec. Trey Grumann, SM, 4-0
First round: Zach Schuchard, BIS, pinned Caleb Ellingson, 3:04; Quartefinals: Wyatt Azure, TM, pinned Trey Grumann, SM, 1:08; Markus Noeske, WIL, dec. Alex Haaland, 3-1; David Rabe, MIN, pinned Hunter Bondeson, 3:55; Schuchard dec. Jace Dukart, DHS, 5-1. Semifinals: Azure dec. Noeske, 5-0; Rabe dec. Schuchard, 11-6.
Wrestlebacks: Grumann dec. Ellingson, 4-0; Haaland pinned Gurmann; Schuchard pinned Holland, 1:51; Noeske dec. Bondeson, 2-1.
170
Championship: Kip Jangula, BIS, dec. Jacob Sargent, WIL, 11-10
Third place: Eathan Gumke, JHS, won by forfeit over Dayne Haman, MIN
Fifth place: Tommy Moravec, CEN, dec. Waylon DeCoteau, TM, 7-0
Seventh place: Brandon Benth, WIL, maj. dec. Kimani Benjamin, Una., 11-1
First round: Kip Jangula, BIS, tech. fall Waylon DeCoteau, 18-2; Dayne Haman, MIN, pinned Mikael Fetch, MAN, 1:12; Brandon Benth, Una., dec. Nicholas Boechler, SM, 7-0; Quarterfinals: Jangula pinned Kimani Benjamin, Una., 2:38; Eathan Gumke, JHS, dec. Haman, 6-3; Jacob Sargent, WIL, pinned Benth, 2:53; Tommy Moravec, CEN, pinned Jade Dirk, DHS, 3:57; Semifinals: Jangula pinned Gumke, 0:34; Sargent dec. Moravec, 6-5.
Wrestlebacks: DeCoteau dec. Dirk, 10-9; Benth, maj. dec. Fetch, 14-1; Haman pinned Boechler, 0:44; Haman tech. fall Benjamin, 16-0; DeCoteau dec. Benth, 4-3; Gumke maj. dec. DeCoteau, 8-0; Haman dec. Moravec, 7-6.
182
Championship: Drew Kary, BIS, dec. Landon Schmidt, CEN, 6-4
Third place: Todd Kessler, Una., pinned Adam Stevens, WIL, 4:53
Fifth place: Brandon Rodriguez, TM, pinned Marcus Green, MIN, 4-3
Seventh place: Kyle Leining, WIL, dec. Reece Waldie, JHS, 5-3
First round: Kyle Leining, WIL, pinned Marcus Green, MIN, 3:00; Adam Stevens, WIL, maj, dec. Reid Hessman, SM, 9-0; Quarterfinals: Drew Kary, BIS, dec. Brandon Rodriguez, TM, 8-5; Todd Kessler, Uns. Pinned Leining, 1:12; Steven pinned Thomas McCarty, DHS, 3:07; Landon Schmidt, CEN, maj. dec. Reede Waldie, JHS, 9-0; Semifinals: Kary pinned Kessler, 5:57; Schmidt dec. Stevens, 11-4.
Wrestlebacks: Green dec. McCarty, 12-8; Leining pinned Hessman, 0:59; Rodriguez dec. Leining, 8-5; Green maj. dec. Waldie, 14-6; Kessler pinned Green, 2:18; Stevens dec. Rodriguez, 9-2.
195
Championship: Briley Crissler, TM, dec. Joe Henriquez, BIS, 4-3
Third place: Trace Maravec, CEN, dec. Zack Corneliusan, WIL, 8-1
Fifth place: Jesse Rodriguez, Una., pinned Jacob Brooke, 2:09
Seventh place: Austin Braunagel, SM, pinned Pat Lane, JHS, 2:37
First round: Briley Crissler, TM, tech. fall Trex Opp, 17-0; Pat Lane, JHS, pinned Austin Braunagel, 1:05; Jose Henriquez, BIS, pinned Beraiah Simburger, 1:42; Zack Corneliusan pinned Colin Crabtree, Una., 1:16; Quarterfinals: Crissler pinned, Jesse Rodriguez, Una., 1:19; Jacob Brooke, DHS, pinned Lane, 4:30; Henriquez pinned Daniel Macy, 4:51; Corneliusan dec. Trace Maravec, CEN, 9-2; Semifinals: Crissler pinned Brooke, 1:07; Henriquez pinned Corneliusan, 5:52.
Wrestlebacks: Maravec pinned Opp, 4:25; Braunagel dec. Macy, 8-6; Lane pinned Simburger, 0:32; Rodriguez maj. dec. Crabtree, 10-2; Rodriguez pinned Lane, 4:28; Maravec dec. Braunagel, 8-3; Maravec pinned Brooke, 1:44; Corneliusan dec. Rodriguez, 7-6.
220
Championship: Skyler Poitra, TM dec. Demetreus Roby, MIN, 7-1
Third place: Bret Sandberg, WIL, dec. Nate Purcell, JHS, 7-3
Fifth place: Austin Were, CEN, pinned Jackson Grad, 2:38
Seventh place: Chris Sickler, DHS, med. forfeit Tomm Sease, BIS.
First round: Austin Were, CEN, pinned Kyle Anderson, Una., 0:33; Quarterfinals: Skyler Poitra, TM, pinned Chris Sickler, DHS, 1:42; Bret Sandberg, WIL, pinned Nate Purcell, JHS, 5:23; Were inj. def. Tommy Sease; Demetreus Roby, MIN, pinned Jackson Grad, SM, 5:34; Semifinals: Poitra pinned Sandberg, 0:42; Roby pinned Were, 1:50.
Wrestlebacks: Purcell pinned Anderson, 0:29; Purcell pinned Sickler, 0:50; Grad med. forfeit Sease; Sandberg pinned Grad, 2:11; Purcell dec. Were, 7-3.
285
Championship: Nick Nesdahl, MIN, dec. Justice Johnson, CEN, 6-1
Third place: Brandon Sandberg, WIL, pinned Seymour Page, TM, 1:36
Fifth place: Zach Scalzo, BIS, pinned Christian Dienert, Una., 0:57
Seventh place: Trevor Peterson, MAN, pinned Aston Schatz, DHS, 3:32
First round: Justice Johnson, CEN, pinned Trevor Peterson, 0:30; Quarterfinals: Nick Nesdahl, MIN, pinned Mark Reynolds, JHS, 1:19; Seymour Page, TM, pinned Christian Dienert, Una., 1:27; Brandon Sandberg, WIL, pinned Zach Scalzo, BIS, 2:58; Johnson pinned Aston Schatz, DHS, 1:23; Semifinals: Nesdahl pinned Page, 5:36; Johnson dec. Sandberg, 3-0
Wrestlebacks: Peterson dec. Reynolds, 4-3; Dienert pinned Peterson, 2:42; Scalzo pinned Schatz, 0:56; Page pinned Scalzo, 2:34; Sandberg pinned Dienert, 0:52.
Sun sports writer David Griswold can be reached at (701) 952-8462 or by e-mail at dgriswold@jamestownsun.com. Follow him at www.twitter.com/DGriswoldSun
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