By Rich Winter

605 Sports

SIOUX FALLS — The three-day South Dakota state wrestling tournament concluded on Saturday at the Denny Sanford Premier Center. 

Here’s a look at some odds and ends from this season’s state tournament: 

Canton breaks consecutive state champions record 

That fifth consecutive team title from Canton was not only impressive but record breaking. The C-Hawks became the first team, regardless of class, to win five consecutive team titles in South Dakota wrestling. 

Brandon Valley scores record number of points

So dominant was Brandon Valley’s performance over the weekend that the Lynx broke the Class A scoring record (Sturgis 210 points, 2010) before the finals matches even started. The Lynx finished with 252 points, an all-time record. 

Philip Area’s McCoy Peterson misses state tournament 

Ranked No. 1 all season (152) and a two-time South Dakota state champion, Philip Area’s McCoy Peterson was unable to wrestle at the state tournament following a neck injury he suffered at the Region 4B tournament the week before. 

Jack Schoenhard, Rapid City Stevens 

During his first-round match on Friday Rapid City Stevens senior Jack Schoenhard reached some rare air. Schoenhard earned his 200th win and the 100th pin of his career. Schoenhard finished second at the state tournament falling to Maddix Slykhuis of Tea Area. 

Winner Area dual teams

After winning Saturday’s state dual tournament the Winner Area boys became the first school in South Dakota to win titles in both Class A and Class B wrestling. Winner Area won the Class A dual competition in 2003 and defeated Kimball/White Lake/Platte-Geddes for their first B title on Saturday. 

Repeat champions 

• Canton sophomore Ayson Rice won a second consecutive state title Friday. Last season, Rice went 38-0 and won the 126-pound championship. 

• Only a sophomore Canton's Ayson Rice won a second consecutive title on Friday
  
  

• Burke/Gregory’s Owen Hansen won his second state title on Friday. The junior was the 126-pound champ in 2020-2021 and reached the finals of the state tournament three times in his career. 

• Winner Area's Kaden Keiser won his fourth state title Saturday and is the all-time leader in wins by a South Dakota prep wrestler

• Philip Area’s Burk Blasius wins second state title. Only a sophomore Blasius already has two state titles under his belt. Last year he won at 160, this season he bumped up to 170 and won again. 

• Canton’s Marshall Baldwin won the Class B state title in 220 pounds in 2020-2021 and repeated in that weight class this season with a 13-3 win over Parker’s Levi Wieman.

• Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Wolsey-Wessington senior Quinten Christensen repeated as a state champion in the 285-pound class. 

• Watertown’s Sloan Johanssen, a sophomore, followed up his 106-pound title from a year ago by winning the 113-pound title on Friday. 

• Rapid City Stevens senior Logan Graf followed up his 120-pound title from last season with another championship, this time at 126 pounds.

• Riley Benson was another repeat champion for Rapid City Stevens. He won in the 152-pound division in 2020-2021 and again this year at 160 pounds. 

• Brandon Valley senior Damion Schunke won a third career title on Friday. He previously won state titles in 160 pounds in 2019 and 182 pounds in 2020. 

• Brandon Valley’s Navarro Schunke went back-to-back at 285 pounds. Schunke, who is a major college football prospect, is only a sophomore with two titles under his belt. In the last two seasons, Schunke is 91-0

• Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon’s Brittany Rieb won her second state title on Saturday. Only an eighth grader, Rieb will be an interesting athlete to follow for the next four years. 

• Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon's Britney Rueb captured her second consecutive state title
  

• Spearfish junior Taylor Graveman won at 143 pounds a year ago. This year the wrestler/powerlifter bumped down to 132 pounds, winning another title and finished the season 38-0.

• Pierre ninth grader Ciarra McFarling backed up her 2021 title with another championship in 2022. Her season record was 32-2

• Pierre ninth grader Ciara McFarling won a second state title on Friday
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• Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon’s Peyton Hellman won a title at 129 pounds in 2021. This season the sophomore finished the year at 37-4 and a title at 126 pounds. 

• Kimball/White Lake/Platte-Geddes’ Kiana Shevling-Major won last season at 160 pounds. She repeated with a title this year in the 142-pound division. 

• Canton’s Carlee Laubach was a champion in 2021 at 185 pounds. This year she dropped to 170 pounds, won another state title and finished the year 34-0.