By Rich Winter

605 Sports

RAPID CITY — Over a three-day span beginning Thursday new chapters in the history of Class B wrestling will be written.

The South Dakota state wrestling tournament is Feb. 27-March 1 in Rapid City. Here’s a look at some headlines entering the three-day event:

Canton boys aiming for eighth consecutive Class B team championship

With no other Class B team winning more than three consecutive team titles (Faulkton 1971-73, Wagner 2008-10 and Parkston 2013-2015) it isn’t hard to appreciate the current run of seven consecutive state titles.

The C-Hawks qualified 12 wrestlers for the state tournament the most in the Class B ranks. Bode Walker (106), Landon Walker (113), Carter Kendrick (120), Zach Bartels (126), Aiden Schrempp (132), Camdyn Ockenga (138), Wyatt Tantland (144), Conner Giedd (150), Tasyn Ockenga (157), Aiden Kranz (165), Teague Granum (190), Hunter Richmond (285) will be the contingent of current C-Hawks looking for an eight consecutive team championship. 

Of those wrestlers Landon Walker, Kendrick, Bartels, Giedd, Granum and Richmond could easily reach the finals making Canton the heavy favorites. 

The battle for second place in the team race should come down to Winner or Philip/Kadoka Area/Wall. 

Winner qualified 11 athletes for the state tournament: Apollo Willuweit (106), Roukyn Robbins (113), Rylan Robbins (120), Hudson Peters (126), Karson Keiser (138), Ryken Orel (144), Konnor Osborn (150), Kellen Cihak-Brozik (175), Legend Benedict (190), Mason Curtis (215) and Derek Fenenga (285).

Willuweit and Keiser both earned No. 1 seeds in their respective weight classes. 

Philip/Kadoka Area/Wall also qualified 11 wrestlers: Cannin Snyder (106), Shay Weber (113), Chance Wagner (126), Kason Berry (132), Tel Gropper (144), Jace Blasius (157), Tyce Gropper (165), Kale Crowser (175), Ethan Harris (190), Jensen Fitch (215), Patrick Trask (285).

Blasius and Crowser both earned No. 1 seeds in their respective weight classes. 

Among the other Class B contenders, Bon Homme/Avon qualified 10 wrestlers while Kimball/White Lake/Platte-Geddes and Parkston both qualified eight athletes. 

Most unpredictable weight class - 120: 

Bennett County's Maddux Risse wrestling Canton's Carter Kendrick in the finals of the Wagner tournament. The two wrestlers are part of a loaded Class B 120 bracket - (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

All season long the 120 weight class has seen huge fluctuations in the weekly rankings and as wrestlers hit the mat Thursday the question of who wins this weight class is absolutely up in the air. McCook Central/Montrose senior Landon Flogstad (52-4) earned the top seed and earned that seed with a 2-0 decision over No. 3 seed Canton's Carter Kendrick (32-5) in the finals of the Region 2B tournament. Bennett County sophomore Maddux Risse (45-7) has criteria over Kendrick from the Rapid City Invitational and Wagner tournaments. Custer’s Tyler Trant (30-5) is the No. 4 seed and could easily find himself in the finals if he can beat Winner’s Rylan Robbins (45-8) in the second round. One of the best opening round matches of the entire tournament features Sisseton’s Evan Folk (17-3) against Clark/Willow Lake’s Cooper Pommer (43-5). Faulkton Area’s Cash Edgar (43-8) and Bon Homme/Avon’s Devonne Sessler (34-11) are extremely dangerous floaters in an absolutely loaded bracket. 

Jace Blasius (Brawlers) vs. Holden Hawkins (Sisseton):

If the seeds hold one of the more intriguing finals would come in the Class B 157-pound championship match. Philip/Kadoka Area/Wall senior Jace Blasius (38-1) won the 144 title in 2024 and has been lights out since recovering from a rib injury sustained at the Rapid City Invitational in December. Sisseton’s Holden Hawkins (38-2) hasn’t lost to a Class B wrestler this season and will be looking to win Sisseton’s first state title since 2012. Kimball/White Lake Platte-Geddes freshman Carter Konechne (42-4) earned the No. 3 seed while Tri-Valley’s Treyson Richter (36-9) is the No. 4 seed. 

Gannon Knebel (Wagner) vs. Teague Granum (Canton): 

If the seeds hold the 190 finals would feature two wrestlers with a combined record of 70-1 this season. Wagner’s Gannon Knebel has been a technical fall machine this season, regularly outpointing the competition by a 15-point margin in the first period. Knebel’s only loss this season came in the finals of the Rapid City Invitational in December. Granum finished fifth in the 2024 Class B state tournament at 144 and hasn’t suffered a bit from going up and unheard of five weight classes for his senior season. 

Preston Cavalier, Hunter Richmond or Lincoln Dikoff, who wins the heavyweight title?

Some very interesting criteria to determine the No. 1 seed for the Class B 285 bracket. Warner/Northwestern’s Preston Cavalier (40-3) earned the No. 1 seed despite losing to No. 3 seed, Faulkton Area’s Lincoln Dikoff, 8-4 in the Region 1B finals. Canton’s Hunter Richmond, 46-3 earned the No. 2 seed although he split with Dikoff during the regular season. 

Intriguing first-round matches: 

• 113 - Keegan Kucker, Groton Area vs. Tayten Kurkowski, Webster Area

• 132 - Witt Myers, Stanley County vs. Chase Hurd, Miller/Highmore-Harrold

• 138 - Luke Swatek, Elk Point-Jefferson vs. Sean Roseland, Faulkton Area

• 144 - Leighton Sander, Custer, Greyson Nielson, Kingsbury Country

• 150 - Landon Coyle, Faulkton Area vs. Spencer Sargent, Stanley County

• 175 - Justin Klein, Flandreau vs. Gunner Ewing, Elk Point-Jefferson

• 215 - Wyatt Zeigler, Mobridge/Pollock vs. Jimmy Burman, Sunshine Bible Academy

• 285 - Luke Nehlich, Tri-Valley vs. Derek Fenenga, Winner.