In 2016-17, Clark Willow Lake wrestling coach Greg Marx started the organization 605 Grapplers with the sole purpose of giving lesser known wrestlers the opportunity to compete in summer tournaments across the country. 

“This organization was started to give kids that weren’t going to the Disney Duals or Des Moines the opportunity to develop over the summer,” Marx said.

What started as a local project has gained steam over the years as the 605 Grapplers have previously competed in Texas, New Orleans (previously) and even Virginia Beach. In 2022 wrestlers from Chamberlain, Mobridge, Clark-Willow Lake, Watertown, Dickinson, North Dakota, Deuel, Kingsbury County, McCook Central/Montrose, Rapid City Central, Tri-Valley, Hamlin-Castlewood, Webster Area and Groton Area attempted to hop a flight in Omaha to reach the summer competition. 

“Right away we ran into some flight delays and when we found out our connecting flight from Atlanta was going to leave without us we started working on a different flight,” he said.  

Initially the group was told they would be given hotel rooms but after working that option the coaches and kids found themselves sleeping on the floor of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for the night. Twelve of the wrestlers and Marx left on a 6 a.m. flight while several others had to fly out later that afternoon. 

Once in New Orleans the 605 Grapplers managed a swamp tour and took in the sights and sounds of the city. 

Prior to the tournament, way back in March, Marx needed to get approval for his team. After calling the tournament director, explaining his team had no state champions and was a group of South Dakota youth from small towns, the 605 Grapplers were approved. 

“I decided to double check that we were pre-approved and get verification via email in May,” Marx said. 

After getting email approval and arriving in New Orleans the South Dakota kids hit the mat in impressive fashion. 

The South Dakota wrestlers defeated Backyard Boys, 83-0, in their first dual. In round two the 605 Grapplers ran into a Texas team, Best Trained, and promptly fell behind 20-0. They eventually came back to win that dual, 42-36. 

“That was really fun to watch,” Marx said. “It really brought the whole crew together and the kids were having fun.” 

The 605 Grapplers rolled in their final three day one duals, defeating Brother Melchlor, 82-4, Manatee Mafia, 69-3 and Nowc White, 90-0. 

Later that evening Marx said he received a call from the tournament director who said it was shocking how well the South Dakota youth had done and then told Marx that tournament organizers had received some complaints because all-star teams were not allowed to compete in their tournament. 

Marx said he tried to explain that he had no state champions on the team (two state finalists), a number of kids that qualified for state but didn’t place and a number of kids that didn’t even qualify for the South Dakota state tournament. 

To no avail the South Dakota kids were told they would not be allowed to win the tournament. 

“The kids were upset, I was upset,” Marx said. “Eventually we had a couple of our leaders (Noah Hutmacher/Chamberlain and Barret Schneck/Milbank) step forward and helped change the mood of the team to get ready for the next day.” 

At the coaches meeting the next morning Marx said his team was informed they wouldn’t be allowed to wrestle for the championship, and that they wouldn’t be allowed to advance on the back side of the bracket. 

That morning the 605 Grapplers knocked off the eventual second place team, again coming from behind for a 40-30 dual win. They won their last dual of the tournament, finishing 7-0, then hopped back on a plane to travel home. 

“The kids knew they won the tournament and we kinda looked at this as a life lesson that sometimes everything is not fair,” he said. 

Marx said there were many bright spots during the weekend spent in New Orleans. 

“Brody Randall wrestled at 100 lbs, and despite giving up five pounds his tenacity showed through all weekend,” he said. “Noah and Barret were our team leaders and the kids really fed off them. Barret lost a match but he never quit and he kept going for scoring opportunities. A lot of these kids are freshman and sophomores and you could see them watching the older kids and then started mimicking them in the way they prepared for matches.”