SIOUX FALLS — Five area grapplers made the podium as the SDHSAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament wrapped up on Saturday afternoon.
Nolan Miles, Tate Helmbolt, Gabriel Stern and Joey Fitzpatrick of Brookings placed in the Class A tournament while Tate Steffensen of Sioux Valley placed in the Class B tournament.
Miles took the mat looking to take home an individual title in the A132 bracket, but was defeated by Sioux Falls Lincoln’s Bentley Williams. Williams scored a takedown early in the match and never relinquished the lead, picking up a pin at 4:57 to end Miles’s season with a 32-3 record.
Helmbolt took part in the third-place match in the A106 bracket earlier on Saturday morning against Sturgis’s Tyler Baldwin. Baldwin scored a point in the opening moments of the match, but Helmbolt couldn’t find the equalizer in a 1-0 decision. Helmbolt ended the season with a record of 36-5.
Gabriel Stern took home fifth place in the A165 bracket after winning by a 10-3 decision over Sturgis’s Preston Ray and Joey Fitzpatrick earned fifth place in the A190 bracket, winning by fall at 4:50 over Rapid City Central’s Ian Hook.
Stern finished the year with a 30-7 record while Fitzpatrick finished with a record of 31-9.
Brookings finished the individual tournament in 12th place with 64 team points. Sturgis Brown finished first with 197.5 points, Pierre finished second with 176 points, Aberdeen Central finished third with 139 points, West Central finished fourth with 127 points and Brandon Valley finished fifth with 119.5 points.
Steffensen finished sixth at 132 pounds after falling by a 3-0 decision against Lemmon/McIntosh’s Gage Anderson. Steffensen finished the season with a record of 47-8.
Sioux Valley finished 31st in the Class B tournament with 11 points. Canton finished first with 170.5 points, Philip/Kadoka Area/Wall finished second with 151.5 points, Custer finished third with 115 points, Winner Area finished fourth with 114.5 points and Wagner finished fifth with 103.5 points.
