By Rich Winter

605 Sports

RAPID CITY — A year ago Pierre edged Canton by a half a point (139-138.5) to claim a third consecutive Class A state wrestling title. 

With the state tournament beginning Thursday in Rapid City the Governors and C-Hawks are the top teams vying for an overall team championship. 

Pierre qualified 11 wrestlers for the state meet Shaylee Spreck (100), Dani Ringstmeyer (126), Lexie Hillmer (132), Kezry Benning (138), Ireland Templeton (145) and Abbigail Lewis (152) being the Governors top athletes. 

Ringstmeyer and Lewis are both top seeded in their respective weight classes.

Canton qualified all 12 of their wrestlers, the most in the girls field. The C-Hawks are led by eighth-grader Finley Evjen (126) who is 44-0 on the season and a returning state champion. 

If the C-Hawks are to upset Pierre, athletes like Jewell Gannon (100), Brooke Warejcka (107), Lakynn Qualseth (145), Kori Wallner (185) and Natalie Long (235) will need to perform at a high level. Canton has just one senior on their state qualifying roster. 

Watertown managed to put six wrestlers into the state tournament. Olivia Anderson (107), Allison Konrad (185) and Eden Hach (235) are all top seeded in their weight classes. 

The 2025 field includes five returning state champions.

Returning state champions: Finley Evjen, Canton (No. 1 seed at 120); Alexis Bryant, McCook Central/Montrose (No. 1 seed at 114); Regina Stoeser, Harrisburg (No. 1 seed at 132), Peyton Hellmann, Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon (No. 1 seed at 145) and Abbigail Lewis, Pierre (No. 1 seed at 152).

Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon’s Brittney Rueb is a three-time champion that was injured late in the season and did not compete at the regional tournaments. 

Dream Finals Matchups: 

• 100 - Liza Krueger, Groton Area, 42-2 vs. Kyra Vandenberg, Belle Fourche, 37-3 - Krueger is the only member of the Groton Area girls team and practices with the girls from Doland during the week. Vandenberg is looking to become the first Belle Fourche girl to win a state title.

• 107 - Olivia Anderson, Watertown, 39-1 vs. Analee Pierseon, Sturgis, 45-1

• 132 - Regina Stoeser, Harrisburg, 9-1 vs. Quinn Butler, Lemmon. 44-1 - Stoeser wasn’t able to compete until early February because of injury. A defending champion, Stoeser  likely would not have qualified for the state meet without the new region format this season. Butler bounced around weight classes this season and was the runner-up at 132 a year ago. 

• 165 - Marieda Kalahar, Rapid City Stevens, 38-2 vs. Rhiannen Heimdal, Harrisburg, 33-4 - A year ago Kalahar finished third in the 152 weight class while Heimdal finished third at 165. Kalahar, a senior, has been the top ranked athlete at 165 most of the season.

• 185 - Allison Konrad, Watertown, 39-2 vs. Jessica HIte, Custer, 33-1 - Hite’s only loss of the season came against Konrad in the finals of the Rapid CIty Invitational by fall at exactly 2-minutes of the first quarter. Both of these athletes are only sophomores so a finals matchup could be the beginning of a stellar rivalry.