By Rich Winter

605 Sports

In the history of Class A wrestling in South Dakota seven athletes have won four state wrestling titles. Brandon Valley senior Navarro Schunke joined that during his junior season when he defeated Watertown’s Micah Hach for his fourth consecutive state title.

As an eighth-grader Schunke finished 39-2 and won the 220-pound title pinning Rapid City Stevens’ Ryan Brink. In his first three years of high school Schunke, a future Kansas State University football player, has gone 119-0 and won three titles at 285 pounds. 

Watertown senior Sloan Johannsen will be aiming for his fourth consecutive Class A title. Johannsen has gone 128-1 in his first three years of high school and won titles at 106, 113 and 120. 

A year ago Brandon Valley won its third consecutive team title with 208.5 points, ahead of Watertown (184.5) and Pierre (182). Brandon Valley will be looking to tie the Mitchell teams (1995-1998) and the Pierre teams (2015-2018) who each won a record four consecutive Class A wrestling titles.

The Lynx have some holes to fill (Jordon Oehme, champion at 132), Alex Mentzer (champion at 138), Trason Oehme (champion at 145), Lucas Slack (4th at 170) but the Lynx have a number of experienced athletes with high finishes at the 2023 state meet returning. 

Brandon Valley returning state place-winners: Brendon Oehme (runner-up at 106), Trevon Oehme (champion at 113), Landon Walker (7th at 120), Zander Nielsen (4th at 126), Gavin Chapman (7th at 160), Navarro Schunke (champion at 285). Brandon Valley also returns sophomore Elijah Schunke who did not place at the South Dakota state meet but had a very strong summer.

In the 2023-24 team race Watertown graduated a lot of talent so any challenge to Brandon Valley will likely come from Pierre or Sturgis. 

Pierre returning state place-winners: Alex Oedkoven (runner-up at 113), Tristan Spencer (runner-up at 138), Lucas Chamberlain (4th at 152), Trey Lewis (runner-up at 170), Chance Carda (runner-up at 182), Elijah Boutchee (6th at 220). 

Sturgis returning state place-winners: Teryn Zebroski (6th at 113), Dee Daniels (7th at 126), Beau Peters (6th at 132), Kalvin Ketelsen (7th at 145), Aiden Werlinger (runner-up at 195) and Zak Juelfs (runner-up at 220)

The 2023 state meet featured a number of outstanding seniors. Those graduation losses bode well for a host of underclassmen that will be vying for their first state title. Gage Lohr, Watertown, Trevon Oehme, Brandon Valley, Sloan Johannsen, Watertown, Sam Werdel, Tea Area and Navarro Schunke, Brandon Valley are all returning state champions. 

Returning state place-winners and their weight class from 2023:

106 - 1. Gage Lohr, Watertown 9 44-4 2. Brendon Oehme, Brandon Valley 9 37-5 3. Aidan Wells, SF Jefferson 11 49-5 4. Tate Helmbolt, Brookings 12 31-9 5. Shea Richter, RC Stevens 10 38-16 7. Pierce Hurd, RC Central 9 42-7 8. Owen Fischer, Milbank 11 31-12

113 - 1. Trevon Oehme, Brandon Valley 12 35-3 2. Alex Oedekoven, Pierre 10 31-6 3. Karson Vessells, West Central 9 40-3 4. Brayden Collins, RC Stevens 11 33-18 5. Tyler Woodring, Tea Area 10 36-10 6. Teryn Zebroski, Sturgis Brown 12 39-9 7. Hudson Cisar, SF Lincoln 10 32-15 8. Porter Lozenski, Aberdeen Central 8 24-18

120 - 1. Sloan Johannsen, Watertown 12 48-0 2. Corbin Zent, RC Stevens 12 43-13 3. John Jeffery, Spearfish 12 45-11 4. Tegan Zebroski, Sturgis Brown 12 44-10 5. Tyler Wurth, Harrisburg 12 29-12 6. Graham Wilde, SF Jefferson 10 34-16 7. Landon Walker, Brandon Valley 11 19-9 8. Ian Metz, Sisseton 11 15-4

126 - 2. Nolan Miles, Brookings 12 26-6 4. Zander Nielsen, Brandon Valley 10 25-8 6. Rayden Zens, Aberdeen Central 12 43-7 7. Dee Daniels, Sturgis Brown 12 33-14 8. Bentley Williams, SF Lincoln 12 39-15

132 - 3. Caleb Hodges, Madison 10 37-6 4. Holden Hawkins, Sisseton 10 39-12 5. Tate Huff, Aberdeen Central 11 38-18 6. Beau Peters, Sturgis Brown 12 35-19 7. Holden Hight, O’Gorman 11 31-22 8. Joe Juenger, RC Stevens 11 33-18

138 -  2. Tristan Spencer, Pierre 12 38-5 3. Michael Roob, Vermillion 11 34-9 4. Ayden Dooley, SF Jefferson 11 42-11 6. Riley Dighton, Belle Fourche 10 32-12 7. Derek Hanson, Watertown 12 27-20 8. Parker Wilson, Tea Area 11 41-20

145 - 2. Moses Gross, Huron 11 40-4 3. Mason Schrempp, Aberdeen Cent. 11 36-7 5. Chandler Carda, West Central 12 33-6 6. Jackson Boonstra, Dakota Valley 11 36-8 8. Kalvin Ketelsen, Sturgis Brown 11 34-13

152 - 2. Logan O’Connor, Harrisburg 12 39-8 3. Kale Crowser, Douglas/RCC/NU 11 31-6 4. Lucas Chamberlin, Pierre 12 24-9 6. Keaton Vessells, West Central 11 37-16 8. Austin Eimers, Tea Area 12 31-18

160 -  2. Keenan Sheridan, O’Gorman 11 42-3 5. Zack Soderlin, RC Central 12 24-5 8. Gavin Chapman, Brandon Valley 11 17-8

170 - 1. Sam Werdel, Tea Area 11 45-5 2. Trey Lewis, Pierre 12 33-10 6. Soren Aadland, Harrisburg 12 33-13 7. Lane Knutson, SF Washington 11 34-13 

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182 - 2. Chance Carda, Pierre 12 42-5 3. Chet Carda, West Central 12 35-8 6. Cole Dunlavy, Aberdeen Central 9 29-15 8. Mason Shultz, Sisseton 11 30-12

195 - 2. Aiden Werlinger, Sturgis Brown 12 37-4 3. Brock Eitreim, Watertown 12 38-7 4. Gavin Stotts, Pierre 12 39-10 5. Jaxon Morrison, RC 6. Ayden Kellogg, RC Stevens 11 35-21 

220 - 2. Zak Juelfs, Sturgis Brown 12 40-8 6. Elijah Boutchee, Pierre 11 34-14 7. Aiden Schroeder, Harrisburg 12 30-14 

285 - 1. Navarro Schunke, Brandon Valley 12 28-0 2. Micah Hach, Watertown 11 42-4 1 6. Gavin Pischke, West Central 12 28-18 8. Bryan Ramirez, Huron 12 28-21