High school wrestling: Bobcats finish fifth at Les Tlustos Invitational

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BROOKINGS – The Brookings Bobcats had an excellent weekend on the mat as the boys team picked up wins over Sioux Falls Jefferson and Mitchell on Friday night and finished fifth at the Les Tlustos Invitational at Bob Jostad Gymnasium in Brookings on Saturday morning.

The girls team also had a strong week, finishing second at Saturday’s invitational.

BOYS

The Bobcats’ strong performance began on Friday night when they hosted a triangular with Mitchell and Sioux Falls Jefferson.

• Brookings 56, Mitchell 22

Tate Helmbolt started the dual with a win over Colton Blow by fall at 106 points before Mitchell’s Van Johnson defeated Elias McElroy at 120 pounds and Van Long defeated Sawyer Johnson at 126 pounds to take an 18-6 lead.

The Bobcats rallied from there picking up four straight victories beginning with Luke DeRynck’s win by a 19-3 technical fall over Cannon Zoss at 132 pounds. Mason Mathis pinned Kaiden Allen at 138 pounds, Spencer Christie won a 7-2 decision over Kellan Odell at 145 pounds and Blake Kannegieter pinned Oscar Luque at 152 pounds to put Brookings ahead 26-18.

Mitchell’s Jagger Tyler ended the run with a 14-3 major decision over Joey Fitzpatrick at 160 pounds before the Bobcats closed the dual with five straight victories. Tyson Brandt began the run by pinning Seth Foote at 182 pounds, Caleb Loehr pinned Connor Degen at 195 pounds, James Olson pinned Trevon Austell at 220 pounds and Dylan Reynolds pinned Corson Podhradsky at 285 pounds.

• Brookings 35, Sioux Falls Jefferson 26

The Cavaliers got off to a fast start when Aidan Wells won by a 13-4 major decision over Helmbolt at 106 pounds, Graham Wilde pinned McElroy at 120 pounds and Derek Ranschau pinned Johnson at 126 pounds to take a 16-0 lead.

DeRynck put the Bobcats on the board with an 11-1 major decision over Brady Kuhnert at 132 pounds before Ayden Dooley won a 3-0 decision over Mathis. Christie chipped into the lead with a 2-0 decision over Austin Osborn at 145 pounds but the Cavaliers answered again when Nolan Jessen defeated Kannegieter by a 13-2 major decision at 152 pounds.

Down 23-7, Brookings won the next five matches to take control of the dual beginning with Fitzpatrick’s pin of Benjamin Neilan at 160 pounds. Israel Caldron pinned Niyongabo Yohana at 170 pounds, Brandt pinned Gordien Nzeyimana at 195 pounds, Loehr won a 9-0 major decision over Landon Van Roekel at 195 pounds and Olson pinned Landon Duran at 220 pounds. Antuan Duran wrapped up the dual with a 4-1 decision over Reynolds.

• Les Tlustos Invitational

Brookings finished fifth with 144.5 points at the Les Tlustos Invitational, finishing behind Pierre (287.5), West Central (172.5), Canby (169.0) and Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial (163.5).

The Bobcats were led by Helmboldt, who finished in first place at 106 pounds. Helmbolt received a bye in the first round before winning by fall over Sioux Falls Lincoln’s Josiah Kauffman and won by a 12-1 major decision over Pierre’s Jacob Mason in the semifinals. Helmbolt captured the title with a 5-4 decision over Rapid City Central’s Pierce Hurd in the championship.

Three Bobcats finished in second place as Fitzpatrick placed second at 160 pounds, Brandt placed second at 182 pounds and Loehr finished second at 195 pounds.

Fitzpatrick began the tournament with a first-round bye and pinned Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial’s Austin Northquest in the quarterfinals and won 5-3 in a sudden victory over Madison’s Layne Hess in the semifinals. Pierre’s Deegan Houska ended his run, however, pinning Fitzpatrick in the championship.

Brandt pinned Sioux Falls Washington’s Nolan Sowards in the quarterfinals and earned a 7-3 decision over Nick Slater of Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial in the semifinals but lost to Pierre’s Chance Cardy 7-5 in sudden victory.

Loehr won by a 15-2 major decision over Aiden Geraets of Dell Rapids in the quarterfinals, a 13-4 decision over Rapid City Central’s Jaxon Morrison in the semifinals, but lost by a 6-1 decision to Pierre’s Gavin Stotts in the championship.

The Bobcats had 10 wrestlers place at the tournament including Olson, who placed fourth at 220 pounds. Kannegieter placed seventh at 152 pounds, Christie placed seventh at 145 pounds, Caldron placed eighth at 170 pounds and Reynolds placed eighth at 285 pounds.

GIRLS

The girls had a strong weekend as well, finishing second at the Les Tlustos Invitational on Saturday.

Faith Caldron bounced back after losing by fall to Mitchell’s Danny Borja on Friday night, placing first at 126 pounds. Caldron pinned Dell Rapids’s Mikayla Hight and won by a 7-5 decision over Flandreau’s Julie Pitsenberger to take home the title.

Maya Erickson also finished in first place at 154 pounds, picking up two pins over Cassidy Meyers of Rapid City Central in a combined time of 54 seconds.

Three Bobcats placed second at the invitational including Kami Erickson, Johanna Steinlicht and Saige Hinricher.

Kami Erickson competed at 120 pounds and lost by an 11-2 major decision over Borja in her first match but pinned Rylee Bird of Dell Rapids in her second match. Erickson dropped a 9-2 decision to Olivia Kolbrek of Sioux Falls Washington in her final match of the afternoon.

Steinlicht went 1-1 at the invitational, pinning Riley Decker of Rapid City Central but losing by fall to Bailey Credeur of Dell Rapids.

Hinricher also split her two matches, pinning Stephani Viesca of Rapid City Central and losing by fall to Jayden Lange of Flandreau.

Bailey Techrony was also in action on Friday, defeating Mitchell’s Emma Trode by a 9-1 major decision but losing to Mitchell’s Frankie Kranz by pin.

UP NEXT

The Bobcats will be in action again on Tuesday night when they host Aberdeen Central.