WATERTOWN – Aberdeen Central took another big step forward on the road to qualifying for this year’s State A Dual Wrestling Tournament on Thursday night. The Golden Eagles fell to Watertown 44-21 before gaining a measure of revenge against Harrisburg in a 32-26 victory.
“Getting a top win like this over another top eight team, just like what we did with Tea, and this one, it just moves you up the seeding a little bit,” said Central coach Donnie Bowden of the importance of the win over the Tigers.
Central just dropped a 39-27 dual against Harrisburg recently, but this time the Eagles were able to edge the Tigers.
“We split seven matches with them, we just ended up getting more bonus points,” Bowden said. “We got 11 bonus points to their five bonus points.”
Bowden said a big key to the dual win was his wrestlers ability to stay off their backs.
“We didn’t give up any pins. I think this is probably the first dual all year, one of those contested duals, that we didn’t,” Bowden said. “What we’ve been preaching really came together. It was a real team effort to get it done.”
Bowden pointed out the efforts of three individuals who went undefeated on the evening: Bryce Beitelspacher, Mason Schrempp, and Cole Dunlavy.
“Those three, they showed the consistency today,” Bowden said. “They went out and got after it.”
Beitelspacher ended up defeating two opponents who are rated ahead of him, one of which he lost two twice this season.
The Eagles found the going a bit tough against Watertown, losing a variety of close matches to the Arrows.
“Losing those close matches like that, that really starts to swing those points,” Bowden said. “They really start to add up.”
Bowden said the Central girls battled hard, but were unable to match the recent success of tournaments in Pierre and Harrisburg. They lost to Watertown and tied with Harrisburg.
Central hosts the annual Lee Wolf Invitational on Saturday at Golden Eagles Arena.
“There’s going to be some good wrestling,” Bowden said. “We proved today that we can hang in there. We’re excited to see what’s going to happen on Saturday.”
Watertown 44 Aberdeen Central 21
106: Gage Lohr (WATE) over Paxton Ewing (ABCE) (Fall 3:46) 113: Leo Stroup (WATE) over Will Allen (ABCE) (Fall 4:00) 120: Sloan Johannsen (WATE) over Ridley Waldo (ABCE) (MD 15-4) 126: Weston Everson (WATE) over Rayden Zens (ABCE) (Dec 10-7);
132: Braden Le (WATE) over Tate Huff (ABCE) (Dec 6-5) 138: Derek Hanson (WATE) over Brody Aesoph (ABCE) (Dec 9-3) 145: Mason Schrempp (ABCE) over Cade Kuemper (WATE) (TF 19-4 4:12) 152: Ian Johnson (WATE) over Elias Biegler (ABCE) (MD 10-1) 160: Logan Opitz (ABCE) over Tucker Urdahl (WATE) (MD 13-3);
170: Jax Kettwig (WATE) over Ayden Gisi (ABCE) (Fall 5:15) 182: Cole Dunlavy (ABCE) over Jackson Maag (WATE) (Fall 0:50) 195: Brock Eitreim (WATE) over Samson Flakus (ABCE) (Dec 4-1) 220: Bryce Beitelspacher (ABCE) over Matthew Peters (WATE) (Fall 1:58) 285: Micah Hach (WATE) over Jacob Krenz (ABCE) (Fall 5:17)
Aberdeen Central 32, Harrisburg 26
106: Logan Johns (HARR) over Will Allen (ABCE) (Dec 9-3) 113: Emory Johnson (HARR) over Paxton Ewing (ABCE) (MD 13-0) 120: Ridley Waldo (ABCE) over Tyler Wurth (HARR) (Fall 4:45) 126: Rayden Zens (ABCE) over Carter Ractliffe (HARR) (Dec 9-5)
132: Tate Huff (ABCE) over Lincoln Peters (HARR) (Dec 8-6) 138: Dylan O`Connor (HARR) over Jacob Bellefeuille (ABCE) (MD 15-7) 145: Mason Schrempp (ABCE) over Teegen Stauffacher (HARR) (TF 15-0 4:52) 152: Logan O`Connor (HARR) over Elias Biegler (ABCE) (TF 18-3 2:53) 160: Peyton Tryon (HARR) over Logan Opitz (ABCE) (MD 12-2);
170: Soren Aadland (HARR) over Ayden Gisi (ABCE) (Dec 4-0) 182: Cole Dunlavy (ABCE) over Brandon Simunek (HARR) (Dec 4-3) 195: Jack Detert (HARR) over Samson Flakus (ABCE) (Dec 7-1) 220: Bryce Beitelspacher (ABCE) over Aiden Schroeder (HARR) (Fall 1:51) 285: Jacob Krenz (ABCE) over Gueibondy Doelue (HARR) (Fall 3:07).
GIRLS
Watertown 28, Aberdeen Central 21
106: Olivia Anderson (WATE) over Avery Bendewald (ABCE) (MD 11-3) 113: Madyson Gillen (ABCE) over (WATE) (For.) 120: Hayden Thomas (WATE) over Allison Neitzel (ABCE) (Fall 2:59) 126: Ula Martin (ABCE) over Jeryn Fieber (WATE) (Fall 0:36) 132: Katelyn Yexley (WATE) over jasmine Maas (ABCE) (Fall 3:44);
142: Lin Paw Jone (ABCE) over (WATE) (For.) 154: Katrina Gibson (ABCE) over April Peterson (WATE) (Dec 10-5) 170: Double Forfeit 190: Allison Konrad (WATE) over (ABCE) (For.) 285: Hope Orr (WATE) over Autum Gauer (ABCE) (Fall 1:35).
Harrisburg 24, Aberdeen Central 24
106: Avery Bendewald (ABCE) over (HARR) (For.) 113: Madyson Gillen (ABCE) over (HARR) (For.) 120: Regina Stoeser (HARR) over Allison Neitzel (ABCE) (Fall 1:11) 126: Ula Martin (ABCE) over (HARR) (For.) 132: Sammie Reil (HARR) over jasmine Maas (ABCE) (Fall 3:09);
142: Emerson Skuodas (HARR) over Lin Paw Jone (ABCE) (Fall 5:02) 154: Rhiannen Heimdal (HARR) over Katrina Gibson (ABCE) (Fall 0:16) 170: Double Forfeit 190: Double Forfeit 285: Autum Gauer (ABCE) over (HARR) (For.).
