2023 Border Battle Boosts Christensen Into Top 12 in Class A

Milbank hosted the 2023 Border Battle, an eight-team dual tournament, on Saturday, January 7. The Bulldogs’ head coach, Josh Schmeichel, said, “Brayden Christensen, our senior 145- pounder, went 3-1 over the weekend. Currently he is ranked in the top 12 in Class A for South Dakota.”

Schmeichel also explained how the Border Battle is not set up like a typical tournament. “We had four South Dakota schools and four Minnesota schools and each team wrestles all four teams from the other state. This is great because everyone gets some new competition they wouldn’t see otherwise.”

“Milbank struggled to get going against Benson,” Schmeichel commented, “but we finished much stronger than we started. Next, we wrestled United. They are a tough team, and we couldn’t get any momentum going. In the third round, we wrestled MAHACA, and it turned out to be close. We ended up only losing by three points. Lastly, we wrestled Border West. They had a lot of open weights, but had real solid wrestlers at the weights they had filled.” 

Team and individual results for Milbank

Match 1 Round 1 – Benson defeated Milbank 49-26

Bulldogs who notched a win included: Jacob Johnson, Brayden Christenson, Barrett Schneck, Jesse Schneck, and Landon Novy. 

Match 2 Round 2 – Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United defeated Milbank 69-12

Bulldogs who gained a win included: Owen Fischer and Barrett Schneck.

Match 3  Round 3 –MAHACA (Morris Area, Hancock, Chokio-Alberta) defeated Milbank 42-39

Bulldogs who earned a win included: Evan Folk, Owen Fischer, Jacob Giles, Jacob Johnson, Brayden Christensen, Barrett Schneck, and Landon Novy.

Match 4  Round 4 –Border West defeated Milbank 48-33

Bulldogs who captured a win included: Owen Fischer, Brayden Christensen, Barrett Shcneck, Paul Vandover, Jesse Schneck, and Landon Novy.

Schmeichel thanked everyone who helped to put on the Big Stone Therapies Border Battle tournament during the weekend. We don’t have many home competitions, so it’s great we get to host a tournament like this every year. It takes way more people that one realizes to run a tournament like this. From setting up, to working concessions and the tables and all the way to cleaning up afterwards.”

“It was awesome, though,” he said, “to be able to have our home crowd come and watch the junior high wrestlers on Friday and the JV and varsity wrestlers on Saturday.’

Schmeichel also explained, “In South Dakota, everything wrestling is run on the website called TrackWrestling, and for Milbank, I’m our TrackWrestling guy. This meant during the tournament, I was busy dealing with any issues that arose, and we had more than we should have because the website itself was experiencing difficulties.” 

That’s where I was lucky to have the coaching staff I do,” he added.  “Coach Tostenson took care of the JV guys in the elementary gym, so I knew they were in good hands.” Schmeichel also said he felt lucky he had Coach Winter. “I was running around a lot during the tournament helping out with issues, and he took charge and coached the varsity Bulldog wrestlers.”

Complete Results for Milbank

Match 1  Round 1 –Benson defeated Milbank 49-26

• 106 – Gavin Olson (Benson) over Owen Fischer (Milbank) Maj 9-0
• 113 – Max Nygaard (Benson) over Andrew Folk (Milbank) Fall 1:11
• 120 – Ed Wah (Benson) over Jacob Giles (Milbank) Fall 0:48
• 126 – Darin Hippe (Benson) over Jayce Jonason (Milbank) Fall 3:40
• 132 – Jacob Johnson (Milbank) over Tanner Nelson (Benson) Fall 0:53
• 138 – Rafael Mejia (Benson) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
• 145 – Brayden Christensen (Milbank) over Derek Johnson (Benson) Fall 0:00
• 152 – Nick Bolduc (Benson) over Nollen Sheeley (Milbank) Fall 2:32
• 160 – Alex Whitcup (Benson) over Reese Rabe (Milbank) Dec 6-0
• 170 – Barrett Schneck (Milbank) over Preston Mcgee (Benson) Maj 11-0
• 182 – AJ Klassen (Benson) over Paul VanDover (Milbank) Fall 2:20
• 195 – Jesse Schneck (Milbank) over Teegan Hogrefe (Benson) Maj 12-3
• 220 – Thomas Dineen (Benson) over Dillen Sheeley (Milbank) Fall 3:41
• 285 – Landon Novy (Milbank) over Johnny Kobberman (Benson) Fall 1:02

Match 2  Round 2  –Dawson-Boyd – Lac qui Parle – Montevideo United defeated Milbank 69-12

• 106 – Owen Fischer (Milbank) over Eli Olson (Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United) Fall 1:47
• 113 – Ben Gunlogson (Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United) over Andrew Folk (Milbank) Fall 1:05
• 120 – Bentleigh Bothun (Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United) over Jacob Giles (Milbank) Fall 1:23
• 126 – Holland Schacherer (Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United) over Jayce Jonason (Milbank) Fall 1:57
• 132 – Daniel Gunlogson (Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United) over Jacob Johnson (Milbank) Fall 2:29
• 138 – Kameron Sather (Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
• 145 – Zander Clausen (Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United) over Brayden Christensen (Milbank) Dec 6-3
• 152 – Ethan Moravetz (Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United) over Nollen Sheeley (Milbank) Fall 2:00
• 160 – Noah Meyer (Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United) over Reese Rabe (Milbank) Fall 1:25
• 170 – Barrett Schneck (Milbank) over Mason Pederson (Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United) Fall 0:36
• 182 – Holt Larson (Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United) over Paul VanDover (Milbank) Fall 0:00
• 195 – Parker Bothun (Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United) over Jesse Schneck (Milbank) Fall 5:11
• 220 – Zach DeBeer (Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United) over Dillen Sheeley (Milbank) Fall 5:52
• 285 – Brady Rhode (Dawson-Boyd – Lac Qui Parle – Montevideo United) over Landon Novy (Milbank) Fall 2:40

Match 3  Round 3 –MAHACA (Morris, Hancock, and Chokio-Alberta) defeated Milbank 42-39

• 106 – Evan Folk (Milbank) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
• 113 – Owen Fischer (Milbank) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
• 120 – Jacob Giles (Milbank) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
• 126 – Grayson Gibson (MAHACA) over Jayce Jonason (Milbank) Fall 0:50
• 132 – Jacob Johnson (Milbank) over Jeremiah Schmidgall (MAHACA) Fall 1:17
• 138 – Logan Anderson (MAHACA) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
• 145 – Brayden Christensen (Milbank) over Andrew Marty (MAHACA) Maj 12-2
• 152 – Davin Rose (MAHACA) over Nollen Sheeley (Milbank) Fall 0:00
• 160 – Caden Rose (MAHACA) over Reese Rabe (Milbank) Fall 0:29
• 170 – Barrett Schneck (Milbank) over Ryker Erickson (MAHACA) Fall 1:44
• 182 – Connor Olson (MAHACA) over Paul VanDover (Milbank) Fall 2:32
• 195 – Hunter Gibson (MAHACA) over Jesse Schneck (Milbank) Fall 0:48
• 220 – Brock Marty (MAHACA) over Dillen Sheeley (Milbank) Fall 2:34
• 285 – Landon Novy (Milbank) over Carter Gibson (MAHACA) Fall 3:10
• Milbank’s team score was adjusted by -1.0 for Misconduct

Match 4  Round 4  –Border West (Clinton, Graceville, Wheaton, and Herman)  defeated Milbank 48-33

• 106 – Owen Fischer (Milbank) over Tucker Hennessy (Border West) Fall 4:00
• 113 – Zach Rikimoto (Border West) over Andrew Folk (Milbank) Fall 0:45
• 120 – Cole Sykora (Border West) over Jacob Giles (Milbank) Fall 0:42
• 126 – Gunner Hennessy (Border West) over Jayce Jonason (Milbank) Fall 2:53
• 132 – Eli Larson (Border West) over Jacob Johnson (Milbank) Fall 3:09
• 138 – Peyton Forcier (Border West) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
• 145 – Brayden Christensen (Milbank) over Jude Olson (Border West) Dec 9-5
• 152 – Patrick Forcier (Border West) over Nollen Sheeley (Milbank) Fall 2:41
• 160 – Brody Nachbor (Border West) over Reese Rabe (Milbank) Fall 2:21
• 170 – Barrett Schneck (Milbank) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
• 182 – Paul VanDover (Milbank) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
• 195 – Jesse Schneck (Milbank) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
• 220 – Andrew Hennessy (Border West) over Dillen Sheeley (Milbank) Fall 1:15
• 285 – Landon Novy (Milbank) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf

What’s next for the Bulldog wrestlers?  Milbank travels to Mitchell High School for a varsity invitational on Saturday, January 14.

Photos: Top-Brayden Christensen, Middle-Coaches, Coin Flip, Bottom Dillon Sheeley