If the Jamestown High School's wrestling team's season could be set to music, it would undoubtedly be Journey's top hit, "Don't Stop Believin."
"We had a lot of adversity throughout this season," JHS head wrestling coach Larry Eslick said. "We still came through it believing
in ourselves.
"We had a lot of people out, we had a lot of injuries — we were 1-4 floundering and not knowing where we were going. We did what we had to do, they didn't stop believing."
Eslick and the Blue Jays wrapped up the Class A 2021-22 wrestling season on Saturday with a fourth-place finish in the state dual tournament. The fourth-seeded Blue Jays knocked off the East Region's top-seeded West Fargo Sheyenne before falling 42-25 to Minot in the semifinals and 44-25 to Dickinson in the third-place match.
As a team, the Blue Jays finished as the individual state tournament runners-up with 149.5 team points.
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"We're pretty happy with the finish," Eslick said. "Dickinson got us in a couple of spots we didn't think they'd get us, but credit to them. We're pretty happy with a fourth-place finish."
The adversity bug hung almost as tough as the Blue Jays, but the No. 4 team in the state hung just a little tougher than the adversity.
Aden Braun gave up a pretty big win for the Jays in the team's matchup against West Fargo Sheyenne in the 138-pound bracket.
The junior, who claimed his first career state title on Friday, fell in a 4-0 decision to Marcus Johnson. Braun suffered a high-ankle sprain at the Lee Wolf Invitational on Jan. 29 and the injury came back to haunt him.
While the state champ went down, his team rallied around him, pulling out five wins by fall to take the dual.
The Jays tried to rally again against the Magicians and Midgets, but it proved a little too late to up their eventual place in the eight-team field. In the Blue Jay program history, the team has never placed at the state dual tournament three years in a row.
"We've had different guys in and out of our lineup all season long," Eslick said. "They rallied together and pushed through."
The four West Region teams, Bismarck High, Minot, Dickinson and Jamestown swept the four teams out of the EDC — West Fargo Sheyenne, West Fargo, Fargo Davies and Valley City.
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Bismarck High won the Class A State Dual title, defeating Minot 52-21.
"We're closer to the east than to the west but we've been in this conference 15 years now and I don't want to leave. It's made us that much better and a competitive team."
The Jays will not lose any members of the 2021-22 squad to graduation this year. Braun, Jackson Walters, Colton Mewes, Preston Gall, Pete Rasmussen, Josiah Reimers and Samuel Schlepuetz will be the seniors heading up next season's squad.
"We've worked hard and proved that we are a legitimate wrestling program here in the toughest conference," Eslick said. "I am proud of that fact, these kids have worked hard for it."
Eslick said that while the Jays have worked hard this season and he expected the squad to be competitive this weekend, tying the record for four finalists, nine state placers, two state runners-up two state champs, and a runner-up finish in the state individual tournament far exceeded expectations.
"Everything today was just the cherry on top,' Eslick said. "It was a lot of fun to knock off the No. 1 seed and compete for a trophy. We're very proud of how the kids wrestled and how they finished. They never stopped believing."
Class A Dual Tournament
Quarterfinals
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Bismarck 59, West Fargo 18
138: Snyder, WF, won by forfeit; 145: Araujo, B, maj dec Cressell 14-0; 142: Anderson, WF, pin Olson 5:03; 160: Jangula, B, pin Porter 3:05; 170: Steckler, B, won by forfeit; 182: Fettig, B, pin Bild 2:20; 195: Nagel, B, pin Lamb 0:56; 220: Huus, B, pin Kressin 0:39; 285: Larson, B, dec Jacklovich 5-0; 106: Egeberg, B, pin Hettenbaugh 1:14; 113: DeForest, B, pin Thoreson 0:46; 120: Lardy, B, pin Magnell 0:56; 126: Davidson, WF, won by forfeit; 132: Kostelecky, B, maj dec Christopherson 10-2
Dickinson 46, Valley City 26
138: Richter, D, dec Rogelstad 7-1; 145: Crimmings, D, maj dec Kunze 14-4; 152: Miller, VC, tech fall Booth 16-1; 160: Selle, D, pin R. Muske 0:20; 170: Berg, D, pin Hovland 5:07; 182: Bozovsky, D, dec I. Schuldheisz 6-3; 195: B. Muske, VC, dec Melvin 4-2; 220: J. Schuldheisz, VC, pin Mavity 1:08; 285: Fichter, D, pin Thornton 0:55; 106: Koltyn Grebel, VC, pin Dahmus 4:38; 113: Glaser, D, pin Klabo 2:33; 120: Koye Grebel, VC, Ta. Gillen 0:54; 126: Morel, B, pin Christianson 5:07; 132: Tr. Gillen, D, pin Redfearn 3:33
Jamestown 37, West Fargo Sheyenne 33
138: Johnson, WFS, dec Braun 4-0; 145: Manske, WFS, pin Kjellberg 3:27; 152: Gall, J, pin Schaff 4:34; 160: Hoornaert, WFS, pin Eckart 5:00; 170: Mewes, J, maj dec Car 18-6; 182: Walters, J, pin Weigel 1:26; 195: Post, WFS, dec Levin 6-3; 220: Nelson, J, pin Galde 2:40; 285: Darby, J, pin Parson 2:58; 106: L. Zink, WFS, pin Matzke 2:36; 113: Gisselbeck, WFS, dec L. Schlepuetz 7-0; 120: Rasmussen, J, pin Alexander 5:44; 126: S. Schlepuetz, J, dec C. Zink 6-5; 132: Spray, WFS, won by forfeit
Minot 48, Fargo Davies 24
138: Frie, FD, tech fall Carulli 16-1; 145: Maldonado, M, pin Oster 2:47; 152: Garcia, M, pin Wicklow 0:48; 160: Jones, M, pin Omar 0:38; 170: Cunningham, M, pin Wagner 1:16; 182: Byer, M, pin Senn 4:43; 195: Lilly, FS, dec Brooks 9-3; 220: Turnbow, M, pin Ahlers 0:19; 285: Carlquist, FD, pin Mason 0:37; 106: Nuur, FD, maj dec Mortenson 13-1; 113: Llamas, M, dec Mathiason 7-4; 120: Marker, M, pin Tesch 1:50; 126: Kosidowski, FD, pin Keilman 3:31; 132: Burton, M, dec Gurung 8-6 OT
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Championship semifinals
Bismarck 55, Dickinson 16
145: Araujo, B, pin Richter 0:48: 152: Olson, B, dec Crimmins 7-0; 160: Booth, D, maj dec Steckler 13-4; 170: Fettig, B, dec Berg 13-6; 182: Schlafman, B, pin Bozovsky 4:56; 195: Nagel, B, pin Mavity 2:49; 220: Huus, B, pin Melvin 0:22; 285: Larson, B, dec Fichter 2-1; 106: Egeberg, B, maj dec Dahmus 13-2; 113: DeForest, B, pin Glaser 5:56; 120: Lardy, B, pin Ta. Gillen 0:41; 126: Morel, D, won by forfeit; 132: Kostelecky, B, pin King 5:23; 138: Tr. Gillen, D, won by forfeit
Minot 42, Jamestown 25
145: Maldonado, M, pin Kjellberg 4:38; 152: Garcia, M, pin Eckart 3:11; 160: Mewes, J, pin Kraft 2:24; 170: Walters, J, pin Jones 1:42; 182: Cunningham, M, dec Gall 6-1; 195: Byer, M, maj dec Levin 15-5; 220: Turnbow, M, pin Nelson 5:13; 285: Darby, J, dec Rystedt 7-2; 106: Matzke, J, maj dec Mortenson 12-4; 113: Llamas, M, maj dec L. Schlepuetz 9-0; 120: Marker, M, dec Rasmussen 11-9; 126: Mortenson, M, maj dec S. Schlepuetz 11-1; 132: Anderson, J, pin Burton 1:11; 138: Carulli, M, won by forfeit
Consolation semifinals
Valley City 36, West Fargo 33
145: Iverson, WF, dec Kunze 9-2; 152: Cressell, WF, pin Miller 2:40; 160: Anderson, WF, pin R. Muske 1:58; 170: Hovland, VC, won by forfeit; 182: Porter, WF, dec I. Schuldheisz 7-1; 195: B. Muske, VC, pin Lamb 2:41; 220: Berogan, WF, dec Thornton 8-5; 285: J. Schuldheisz, VC, pin Kressin 0:31; 106: Klabo, VC, pin Hettenbaugh 1:02; 113: Koltyn Grebel, VC, pin Thoreson 4:51; 120: Koye Grebel, VC, won by forfeit; 126: Davidson, WF, maj dec Christianson 13-0; 132: Christopherson, WF, tech fall Redfearn 15-0; 138: Snyder, WF, dec Rogelstad 6-3
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West Fargo Sheyenne 54, Fargo Davies 22
145: Johnson, WFS, pin Oster 5:28; 152: C. Manske, WFS, pin Omar 1:01; 160: Hoornaert, WFS, pin Wicklow 2:56; 170: Carr, WFS, maj dec Christopherson 16-7; 182: Devine, FD, maj dec K. Manske 11-1; 195: Post, WFS, pin Lilly 1:45; 220: Ahlers, FD, pin Galde 0:53; 285: Carlquist, FD, pin Parson 1:28; 106: L. Zink, WFS, maj dec Nuur 15-2; 113: Gisselbeck, WFS, won by forfeit; 120: Alexander, WFS, maj dec Tesch 11-1; 126: Kosidowski, FD, pin C. Zink 4:00; 132: Spray, WFS, pin Gurung 1:04; 138: Johnson, WFS, pin Frie 2:57
Championship
Bismarck 52, Minot 21
152: Olson, B, maj dec Maldonado 8-0; 160: Jangula, B, dec Jones 7-1; 170: Fettig, B, pin Cunningham 1:08; 182: Nagel, B, pin Brooks 0:21; 195: Schlafman, B, dec Byer 8-2; 220: Huus, B, pin Rystedt 1:29; 285: Turnbow, M, pin Larson 0:27; 106: Egeberg, B, pin Mortenson 0:44; 113: DeForest, B, pin Llamas 3:38; 120: Marker, M, pin Lardy 1:07; 126: Mortenson, M, dec Harvison 7-1; 132: Kostelecky, B, pin Burton 1:26; 138: Carulli, M, won by forfeit; 145: Araujo, B, pin Garcia 4:59
3rd place
Dickinson 44, Jamestown 25
152: Selle, D, dec Cross 8-3; 160: Mewes, J, pin Booth 2:35; 170: Walters, J, pin Raines 2:39; 182: Gall, J, pin Bozovsky 1:42; 195: Melvin, D, dec Levin 2-0; 220: Mavity, D, dec Nelson 4-3; 285: Fichter, D, pin Robinson 3:43; 106: Dahmus, D, pin Matzke 0:26; 113: Glaser, D, pin L. Schlepuetz 2:42; 120: Rasmussen, J, dec Morel 7-6; 126: King, D, pin Vasquez 0:33; 132: T. Gillen, D, pin S. Schlepuetz 4:52; 138: Anderson, J, maj dec Richter 15-2; 145: Crimmins, D, pin Kjellberg 1:52
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5th place
West Fargo Sheyenne 39, Valley City 33
152: Manske, WFS, pin Kunze 0:52; 160: Hoornaert, WFS, pin R. Muske 0:49; 170: Hovland, VC, dec Carr 10-4; 182: I. Schuldheisz, VC, dec Weigel 6-4; 195: B. Muske, VC, dec Post 10-3; 220: Galde, WFS, pin Thornton 5:59; 285: J. Schuldheisz, VS, pin Parson 1:09; 106: Koltyn Grebel, VC, pin L. Zink 0:55; 113: Gisselbeck, WFS, pin Klabo 0:36; 120: Koye Grebel, VC, pin Wadeson 1:16; 126: Christianson, VC, disq. Over Alexander; 132: C. Zink, WFS, pin Redfearn 1:26; 138: Spray, WFS, pin Rogelstad 1:01; 145: Johnson, WFS, dec Miller 3-0
Class B Dual Tournament
Quarterfinals
New Salem-Almont 46, Carrington 18
138: C. Clifton, C, dec Doll 4-2; 145: B. Lura, C, dec Tomac 8-3; 152: Wolding, NSA, dec Kovar 3-0; 160: Norton, NSA, dec Weninger 3-0; 170: Co. Irwin, NSA, pin J. Lura 1:07; 182: M. Clifton, C, pin Weinberger 0:18; 195: Olander, NSA, pin Jorgenson 0:09; 220: Klatt, NSA, dec C. Garber 9-4; 285: Heins, NSA, won by forfeit; 106: Mosbrucker, NSA, dec Carr 4-2; 113: Hoggarth, C, pin Ch. Irwin 1:15; 120: Engwicht, NSA, pin N. Garber 0:56; 126: Gerhardt, NSA, maj dec Duchscherer 11-3; 132: Maier, NSA, won by forfeit
South Border 50, Central Cass 24
138: Olson- Tingelstad, CC, dec Lepp 11-8; 145: Deutsch, CC, pin C. Nitschke 1:02; 152: Lindgren, SB, pin Baumgarten 0:48; 160: J. Nitschke, SB, pin Biffert 1:24: 170: Sand, SB, pin Thorton 1:13; 182: Kauk, SB, maj dec Houle 9-0; 195: Schumacher, SB, maj dec Haugen 11-2; 220: S. Nitschke, SB, pin Stafford 2:32; 285: Peterson, SB, pin Sell 1:33; 106: Urbach, CC, pin Keller 3:26; 113: Peterson, CC, pin Michaelsohn 1:52; 120: Crandall, CC, dec Vetter 7-2; 126: Hoffman, SB, pin Link 4:49; 132: Wolf, SB, pin Johnson 1:34
Lisbon 56, Kenmare-Bowbells 13
138: T. Ford, KB, dec Nelson 11-7; 145: Wallner, L, tech fall Spear 17-2; 152: B. Reinke, L, dec Anderson 6-1; 160: Sveum, L, pin M. Ford 0:25; 170: S. Reinke, L, pin Porter 2:09; 182: B. Greenley, L, pin Christensen 4:51; 195: Lyons, L, pin J. Holter 5:06; 220: X. Holter, KB, pin Opp 0:55; 285: Lyons, L, won by forfeit; 106: Enge, L, dec Mogren 9-2; 113: G. Greenley, L, pin Melin 3:03; 120: Anderson, L, dec Matejovski 8-1; 126: Lyons, L, pin Spear 2:15; 132: Cook, KB, maj dec Dick 12-0
Hettinger-Scranton 42, Velva 33
138: Warbis, HS, pin Vincent 1:01; 145: Weichmann, HS, pin Kaercher 1:57; 152: Dalley, HS, pin Siebuhr 2:36; 160: Andress, HS, pin Mascol 0:59; 170: Stang, HS, pin Schumaier 4:44; 182: Sola, V, pin Predonzan 4:52; 195: Pekas, HS, won by forfeit; 220: Selzler, V, pin Hasbrouck 5:33; 285: Lakoduk, V, won by forfeit; 106: Campbell, V, pin Hasbrouck 5:36; 113: Schalesky, HS, dec Hager 9-1; 120: Dean, V, pin Defoe 3:14; 126: Hildre, V, dec Tuhy 5-0; 132: Frank, HS, dec Schiele 10-8 OT
Championship semifinals
New Salem-Almont 52, South Border 24
145: Lindgren, SB, dec Tomac 11-4; 152: Wolding, NSA, pin C. Nitschke 2:00; 160: J. Nitschke, SB, pin Norton 0:51; 170: Co. Irwin, NSA, pin Sand 1:45; 182: Olander, NSA, pin Wolf 3:28; 195: Schumacher, SB, dec McGrath 7-3; 220: Peterson, SB, pin Klatt 3:36; 285: Heins, NSA, pin S. Nitschke 2:52; 106: Ch. Irwin, NSA, pin Keller 1:00; 113: Klatt, NSA, pin Lepp 2:39; 120: Engwicht, NSA, pin Michaelsohn 0:28; 126: Gerhardt, NSA, pin Hoffman 1:47; 132: Maier, NSA, dec Lepp 10-2; 138: Wolf pin Doll 4:36
Lisbon 48, Hettinger-Scranton 21
145: Weichman, HS, dec Wallner 3-2; 152: B. Reinke, L, dec G. Dalley 5-4; 160: Sveum, L, pin Andress 5:46; 170: S. Reinke, L, pin Stang 5:57; 182: B. Greenley, L, won by forfeit; 195: Pekas, HS, dec Ga. Lyons 8-6; 220: B. Hasbrouck, HS, pin Opp 0:32; 285: Gr. Lyons, L, won by forfeit; 106: Enge, L, pin R. Hasbrouck 1:44; 113: G. Greenley, L, pin Schalesky 2:30; 120: Defoe, HS, dec Anderson 6-0; 126: Wadeson, L, pin T. Dalley 1:00; 132: Frank, HS, pin Kelly 2:46; 138: Nelson, L, dec Warbis 4-2 OT
Consolation semifinals
Carrington 38, Central Cass 33
145: Deutsch, CC, pin Co. Clifton 2:25; 152: Kovar, Car, pin Baumgarten 3:06; 160: Weninger, Car, maj dec Biffert 9-1; 170: J. Lura, Car, pin Thorton 5:13; 182: M. Clifton, Car, won by forfeit; 195: Houle, CC, dec C. Garber 5-2; 220: Haugen, CC, pin Richter 0:40; 285: Sell, CC, won by forfeit; 106: Carr, Car, dec Urbach 8-5; 113: Hoggarth, Car, maj dec Peterson 11-2; 120: Crandall, CC, pin N. Garber 4:34; 126: Duchschere, Car, pin Link 0:35; 132: Johnson, CC, won by forfeit; 138: B. Lura, Car, dec Olson-Tingelstad 9-4
Kenmare-Bowbells 45, Velva 24
145: Kaercher, V, dec L. Spear 7-4; 152: Anderson, KB, pin Siebuhr 5:26; 160: Ford, KB, pin Werner 1:33; 170: Mascol, V, pin Porter 4:58; 182: Christensen, KB, pin Schumaier 1:04; 195: Selzler, V, won by forfeit; 220: J. Holter, KB, won by forfeit; 285: X. Holter, KS, pin Lakoduk 0:42; 106: Hager, V, dec C. Melin 5-1; 113: P. Melin, KB, dec Campbell 7-3; 120: Dean, V, pin Matejovski 0:25; 126: Cook, KB, dec Hildre, 4-3; 132: L. Spear, KB, dec Barstad 4-0; 138: Ford, KB, pin Vincent 0:31
Championship
Lisbon 36, New Salem-Almont 30
152: B. Reinke, L, dec Wolding 7-3; 160: Sveum, L, pin Norton 1:45; 170: S. Reinke, L, pin Co. Irwin 2:40; 182: B. Greenley, L, pin Weinberger 1:05; 195: Ga. Lyons, L, dec Olander 7-3; 220: McGrath, NSA, pin Opp 1:07; 285: Heins, NSA, pin Gr. Lyons 1:39; 106: Enge, L, dec Ch. Irwin 4-1; 113: G. Greenley, L, dec Klatt 6-5; 120: Engwicht, NSA, pin Anderson 3:16; 126: Gerhardt, NSA, pin E. Lyons 1:33; 132: Maier, NSA, dec Wadeson 8-2; 138: Nelson, L, pin Doll 3:40; 145: Tomac, NSA, dec Wallner 7-0
3th place
South Border 37, Hettinger-Scranton 25
152: J. Nitschke, SB, dec Dalley 5-0; 160: Andress, HS, pin Sand 5:24; 170: Wolf, SB, dec Stang 3-1 OT; 182: Pekas, HS, Kauk 3-1; 195: Schumacher, SB, pin Anderson 3:54; 220: Peterson, SB, pin B. Hasbrouck 1:53; 285: S. Nitschke, SB, won by forfeit; 106: R. Hasbrouck, HS, pin Keller 5:21; 113: Schalesky, HS, maj dec Michaelsohn 12-0; 120: Vetter, SB, pin Defoe 3:01; 126: Hoffman, SB, dec Tuhy 4-2 OT; 132: Frank, HS, dec Wolf 9-4; 138: Warbis, HS, dec Lepp 13-6; 145: Lindgren, SB, maj dec Weichmann 13-5
5th place
Carrington 40, Kenmare-Bowbells 36
152: Kovar, C, dec Anderson 10-5; 160: Weininger, C, dec Ford 7-5 OT; 170: J. Lura, C, maj dec Porter 13-2; 182: Christensen, KB, pin Ciubotareanu 0:59; 195: M. Clifton, C, won by forfeit; 220: J. Holter, KB, pin C. Garber 0:36; 285: X. Holter, KB, pin Richter 0:17; 106: C. Melin, KB, pin Carr 5:51; 113: Hoggarth, C, pin P. Melin 0:28; 120: N. Garber, C, pin Matejovski 4:44; 126: Duchscherer, C, pin Li. Spear 0:46; 132: Cook, KB, won by forfeit; 138: Ford, KB, won by forfeit; 145: B. Lura, C, pin La. Spear 0:22
