Bulldog Wrestlers Punch Ticket to State Tournament

Seven Milbank wrestlers punched their tickets to the 2020 South Dakota Class A Wrestling Tournament. The tournament is slated for Thursday, February 27, through Saturday, February 29, at the Denny Sanford Premiere Center in Sioux Falls.

The top four regional place winners in each weight class advance to the state tournament. The Bulldogs competed at the Region 3A tournament in Aberdeen on Saturday, February 22. MHS Senior Eli Fischer was named Region 3A champion at 126 pounds to lead the Dawgs. Senior Brodie Holtquist was the runner-up at 195 pounds. Brothers Barrett Schneck and Toby Schneck both placed third. Brady Femling, Leyton Raffety, and Dillon Schneck each placed fourth.

“I thought the guys really showed up to wrestle,” stated the Bulldog’s head coach Jeremy Tostenson. “I am very proud of the way we competed and am happy for the guys that qualified.”

A new twist in the region tournament was the significance of fifth place in each weight class. This year, fifth-place winners become alternates for the state meet. For the Bulldogs that includes Jacob Johnson, Isaac Dean, and Logan Meyer. Dean replaced Brayden Christensen in the Milbank line-up for the region tournament as Christensen was unable to compete due to an illness.

Milbank landed in fifth place in the team standings with 129 points. Pierre was named the Region 3A champion with 242.5 points. Chamberlain took second with 200, and Mitchell was third with 193. Other team totals included: Aberdeen Central, 138; Huron, 127; Todd County, 29.5; and Cheyenne-Eagle Butte/Dupree, 11.

Complete results for the Bulldogs:
106 – Jacob Johnson fell by 11-1 major decision to Spencer Eldeen, Mitchell; lost by 11-3 decision to Jacob Bellefeuille, Aberdeen Central; won by fall against Devyn Anderson, Chamberlain, 2:50. Fifth-place finish.
113 – Isaac Dean lost by fall to Colt Dunkelberger, Huron, 4:59; lost by fall to Kaileb Hubbard, Mitchell, :40. Fifth-place finish.
126 – Eli Fischer won by fall against Brandon Sparks, Mitchell, :47; won by 13-0 major decision against Deegan Houska, Pierre. Region Champion.
132 – Barrett Schneck fell by 12-2 major decision to Hayden Shaffer, Pierre; won by fall against Drew Salfrank, Aberdeen Central, 3:26; won by fall against Bryce Palmer, Mitchell, 2:40. Third-place finish.
138 – Brady Femling won by fall against Calvin Beadle, Aberdeen Central, 2:40; lost by fall to Kyler Bauder, Mitchell, :45; won by fall against Halsey Pearman, Todd County, 3:53; fell by 11-1 major decision to Garret Ristau, Chamberlain. Fourth-place finish.
152 – Leyton Raffety won by fall against J’Shon Sedlmajer, Todd County, 3:29; lost by fall to Jack Van Camp, Pierre; won by fall against Swade Reis, Chamberlain, 4:29; fell 7-3 to Ryan McGinnis, Mitchell. Fourth-place finish.
160 – Dillon Schneck won by fall against Rocky Wiedman, Todd County 1:23; lost by fall to Tyson Degen, Mitchell, 3:39; won by fall against Daniel Tafoya, Pierre, 1:41; lost by fall to Garrett Mitzel, Aberdeen Central, 4:23. Fourth-place finish.
170 – Nick Trevett lost by fall to Tyson Lien, Huron, 1:34; lost by fall to Jaret Clarke, Pierre, 1:30. Did not place.
182 – Toby Schneck lost by fall to Blake Larsen, Huron, 4:12; won by fall over Blake Fredericks, Mitchell, 2:35; won 3-1 against Gavin Stotts, Pierre. Third-place finish.
195 – Brodie Holtquist won by fall against Dillon Stoebner, Aberdeen Central, 4:41; fell 11-5 to Regan Bollweg, Pierre. Second-place finish.
220 – Logan Meyer lost by fall to Wyatt Winter, Mitchell, :34; won 9-2 against Blaine LaPointe, Todd County; lost by fall to Jacob Larson, Pierre, 2:39; won by fall against Samson Flakus, Aberdeen Central, 2:53. Fifth-place finish.

Photos by Sheri Schneck
Wrestlers who qualified for State: Front – (l. to r.) Barrett Schneck, Eli Fischer, and Toby Schneck. Back – Brodie Holtquist, Leyton Raffety, Brady Femling, and Dillon Schneck.
Region place winners – Front – (l. to r.) Barrett Schneck, Isaac Dean, Jacob Johnson, Eli Fischer, and Toby Schneck. Back – Brodie Holtquist, Logan Meyer, Leyton Raffety, Brady Femling, and Dillon Schneck.