By Rich Winter

605 Sports

A year ago Canton pulled away late scoring 170 points, ahead of Philip/Kadoka Area/Wall (151.5) for a record seventh consecutive Class B team wrestling title. 

The cupboard is not bare for coach Jeremy Swenson but the C-Hawks will need some firepower to replace state champions Ashton Keller, Ayson Rice (Appalachian State) and runner-up Traun Cook. The C-Hawks will be extremely strong in the lower weights with state champion Carter Kendrick, Landon Walker, Zach Bartels, Aiden Schrempp Teague Granum and Aiden Kranz all having made the podium last year. 

If the C-Hawks are to garner an eighth consecutive title they will need serious improvement from their upperweights where the only returning state place-winner is Hunter Richmond who was eighth at 215. 

Former Kingsbury County grappler Conner Giedd, fourth at (138) a year ago, transferred to Canton and should give the C-Hawaks another state champion caliber wrestler. 

Winner was fourth in the team standings (114.5) a year ago and the Warriors did lose multi-time state champion Maxton Brozik. The Warriors will build around returning state place-winners Ryan Robbins second at 106, Konnor Osborn fourth at 132, Karson Keiser third at 138 and Ryken Orel third at 144. 

If the Warriors want to contend for a Class B title, a crown they’ve never won, they’ll need state place-winning efforts from Roukyn Robbins, Kellen Brozik, Derek, Fenenga and Apollo Willuweit. 

Philip/Kadoka Area/Wall put up a strong showing at the state tournament in 2024 scoring 151.5 points and seeing Canton pull away for the team title late. The Brawlers had some heavy graduation losses and will need to replace Ryker Peterson, second at 150 and Burk Blasius (four-time state champion), along with state place-winners Tukker Boe, Thane Simons and Quinn Moon. 

The Brawlers return Gatlin Cordes third at 106, Jace Blasius, state champion at 144, Kale Crowser second at 157 and Jensen Fitch, fifth at 215. 

In recent years the Custer program has continued to improve and the Wildcats scored 115 state tournament points in 2024 to finish third in the Class B standings. The Wildcats have some upperweight points to replace as state runner-up Ryder Bailey, state champion Parker Noem and place-winner Zayne Severyn have all graduated. 

The Wildcats will build around returning state champion Tray Weiss and state place-winners Tyler Trant, Riley Scott and Leighton Sander. 

Wagner, which was fifth a year ago, graduated from place-winners Karstyn Lhotah, Riley Roberts, Tim Bouza and state champion Jhett Breen.

The only returning state place-winner for the Red Raiders is Gannon Knebel, second at 190 in 2024.

Kimball/White Lake/Platte Geddes, sixth a year ago, figures to be in the mix again with the return of state place-winners Gavin Braun, Johnny Lenz, Iden Myers and Lucas Lenz.