Schneck Takes First and Christensen Takes Second at Mitchell Tourney

The Milbank wrestling team took sixth place at the Jerry Opbroek Invitational  tournament on Saturday, January 14 at Mitchell High School. Individually for the Bulldogs, Barrett Schneck took first place at 170 pounds, Brayden Christensen took second at 145, and Owen Fischer captured third at 106. Jesse Schneck, Dillen Sheeley, and Landon Novy were all just one match away from placing.

According to Josh Schmeichel, head coach for the Bulldogs, the tournament is designed with only four individual place winners. Even so, Schmeichel said, “We were able to get three wrestlers to place.” 

The competition was dotted with many of the top-ranked wrestlers in the state, and Schmeichel said, ” The Bulldogs went out, competed, and left everything they had on the mat every match. As a team, we ended up with sixth place out of 10 teams, but we lost to five ranked teams in Class A and B.”

Schmeichel also commented on some of the successes and challenges at the tournament. “Barrett didn’t have any troubles winning his way through the tournament and beating the No.2-ranked wrestler along the way. He started off with a pin, then a major decision in the semi’s, and finished it off with a pin in the first period in the finals. Brayden started off with a pin and a major decision on his way into the finals. In his finals match, he fell just short to another ranked wrestler at 4-5. This put Owen in the Class A rankings at No. 8.” 

Schmeichel said Owen had shown up to compete. “Despite getting beat by the No. 1-ranked Class A kid in the state, Owen came back and wrestled his way to a third- place finish, He beat the No. 6 -ranked Class A  wrestler along the way.”  

“Jesse probably had the toughest weight class at the tournament,” Schmeichel said.  “The No.1, 3, 5, 6, and No. 8 Class A ranked wrestlers were all in his bracket. Dillen had another tough weight class with four top-eight ranked wrestlers in his bracket. In Dillen’s match to make it into placing, he was leading, 11-7, but ended up getting rolled and stuck.”

He said Landon’s match to make it into the placing round was an exciting one. “The wrestlers were tied with 10 seconds left in the third period. Landon got a takedown, but with only three seconds left, his opponent got a reversal to tie it back up and take it into overtime.” 

Team scores included : (1.) Sturgis 199.5, (2.) Pierre 191, (3.) Watertown 189.5, (4.) Rapid City Stevens 129, (5.) Parkston 121,( 6). Milbank 71, (7.) Madison 53.5, (8.) Mitchell 52, (9.) Beresford/Alcester-Hudson 35, ans (10.) Howard 32.

Individual results:

106 — Championship: Gage Lohr -Watertown defeated Shea Richter -Rapid City Stevens (MD 15-2); Third: Sophomore Owen Fischer -Milbank  defeated Jacob Mason -Pierre (Dec 4-3).

113 — Championship:  Teryn Zebroski – Sturgis defeated Alex Oedekoven -Pierre  (SV-1 8-6); Third: Brayden Collins -Rapid City Stevens over Leo Stroup -Watertown (Dec 5-4).

Consolation Round 2 – Carter Downs – Madison defeated Evan Folk – Milbank ((Dec 7-0).

120 — Championship: Sloan Johannsen – Watertown  defeated Tegan Zebroski- Sturgis  (MD 12-4); Third: Corbin Zent -Rapid City Stevens- over Lincoln Schoenhard (Pierre) 16-11, Fr. (Dec 6-4).

126 — Championship: Weston Everson -Watertown defeated Kaden Holzbauer – Parkston (MD 11-3); Third: Conner Giedd -Howard over Dee Daniels -Sturgis  (MD 11-2).

Consolation Round 3 – Carson Wolf – Madison defeated Jayce Jonason – Milbank (Fall 1:41).

132 — Championship: Wyatt Anderson -Parkston defeated Caleb Hodges (Madison)  (Fall 3:35); Third: Beau Peters -Sturgis over Tate Miller -Howard (Dec 5-0).

Consolation Round 3 – Braden Le – Watertown defeated Jacob Johnson- Milbank (TF 1.5 3:00 (17-2))

138 — Championship: Tristan Spencer -Pierre defeated Thayne Elshere -Sturgis  (MD 14-5); Third: Carter Sommer -Parkston over Derek Hanson -Watertown (MD 11-0).

145 — Championship: Jaxon Ducheneaux – Pierre defeated Senior Brayden Christensen – Milbank (Dec 5-4); Third: Kash Neugebauer -Parkston over Dawson Inhofer – Sturgis (Dec 4-2).

152 — Championship: Porter Neugebauer -Parkston defeated Jagger Tyler -Mitchell  (Dec 5-4); Third: Corter Doney -Rapid City Stevens)  over Ian Johnson -Watertown  (Fall 4:22).  

Consolation Round 3 – Robert Watkins – Beresford/Alcester-Hudson defeated Nollen Sheeley – Milbank (Fall 1:47). 

160 — Championship: Deegan Houska -Pierre defeated Graydon Bakke -Rapid City Stevens (Fall 5:12); Third:  UK -Madison over Tucker Urdahl -Watertown (Fall 3:22).

Consolation Round 3 Layne Hess – Madison defeated Reese Rabe – Milbank (Fall 0:25).

170 — Championship: Senior Barrett Schneck -Milbank defeated Jax Kettwig- Watertown (Fall 1:48); Third: Kolter Kramer -Parkston over Preston Ray – Sturgis) (Dec 4-0).

182 — Championship: Reese Jacobs – Sturgis defeated Chance Carda – Pierre  (Dec 13-6); Third: Tanner VanScoy – Rapid City Stevens defeated Jackson Maag – Watertown (Dec 7-3).

Consolation Round Breckin Culbert – Parkston defeated Paul VanDover – Milbank (Dec 7-2).

195 — Championship: Aiden Werlinger -Sturgis defeated Brock Eitreim -Watertown (Dec 3-2); Third: Gavin Stotts -Pierre over Landon Schurch – Beresford/Alcester-Hudson (Dec 5-1).

Consolation Semi Final – Gavin Stotts – Pierre defeated Jesse Schneck – Milbank (Fall 1;49).

220 — Championship: Zak Juelfs -Sturgis. defeated Elijah Boutchee -Pierre (Fall 4:26); Third: Matthew Peters – Watertown over Aaron Larson -Beresford/Alcester-Hudson (MD 14-6).

Consolation Semi Final – Matthew Peters – Watertown defeated Dillen Sheeley- Milbank (Fall 3:37).

285 — Championship: Joshua Rydberg -Pierre defeated Kaiden Strong -Rapid City Stevens (Dec 3-2); Third: Carson Podhradsky – Mitchell over Dakarai Osborne -Sturgis (Fall 1:47).

Consolation Semi Final – Dakarai Osborne defeated Landon Novy – Milbank (SV 1-5-3).

What’s next for the Bulldog wrestlers?  Milbank goes on the road to Watertown for a dual on Thursday, January 19.

Photos: Top- Owen Fischer Bottom- Landon Novy