RAPID CITY – While the wins didn’t come as easily or as often as they did on the opening day, the Aberdeen Central wrestling program still put six individuals on the podium at the Rapid City Invitational, which wrapped up Saturday at the Monument.

Central ended up with a pair of fourth place finishers, one fifth place, two sixth places and an eighth place.

“When you get that deep in that tough of a tournament, you’re going to run into some pretty good kids,” said Central coach Donnie Bowden. “Not that we don’t have good kids, but we ran into some stiff competition. Just didn’t flow as well as it did (Friday).”

Ridley Waldo (157) and Owen Ward (190) brought home Central’s highest individual finishes, each placing fourth in their respective weight classes. Jackson Dargatz (126) finished in fifth place, while Mason Backous (132) and Grayden Timm (175) were sixth. Esten Foss (120) placed eighth.

Bowden said even though victories weren’t plentiful, the early-season competition is still a valuable tool for his team.

“It’s all about the experience, right?” Bowden said. “Every time we go out and wrestle, it’s a learning experience, and hopefully we get better every time.”

As a team, the Golden Eagles finished in ninth place out of nearly 50 team in attendance.

The Golden Eagles will be back in action Tuesday, hosting Pierre in an Eastern South Dakota Conference dual before heading to Madison Saturday.

“(Pierre) has another quality team,” Bowden said. “They always seem to reload. … It should be a really interesting dual.”

113: Bailey Gillen

Cons. Round 6 – Tyce Dunn (Sturgis Brown) over Bailey Gillen (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 4-3)

120: Esten Foss 

Cons. Round 6 – Esten Foss (Aberdeen Central) over Cooper Monson (Sheyenne) (MD 8-0)

Cons. Round 7 – Owen Serck (Beresford/Alcester-Hudson) over Esten Foss (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 6-0)

7th Place Match – Lucas Stirling (Thunder Basin High School) over Esten Foss (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 1:57)

126: Jackson Dargatz 

Semifinals – Karson Vessells (West Central) over Jackson Dargatz (Aberdeen Central) (MD 12-4)

Cons. Semis – Maverick Gallup (Kelly Walsh) over Jackson Dargatz (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 6-5)

5th Place Match – Jackson Dargatz (Aberdeen Central) over Nick Dobitz (Hettinger/Scranton) (MD 12-3)

132: Mason Backous 

Semifinals – Shea Richter (Watertown) over Mason Backous (Aberdeen Central) (MD 17-3)

Cons. Semis – Parker Graveman (Sturgis Brown) over Mason Backous (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 2:39)

5th Place Match – Kayden Egeberg (Bismarck) over Mason Backous (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 6-1)

157: Porter Lozenski 

Cons. Round 6 – Keanu lee (O`Gorman) over Porter Lozenski (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 2:33)

157: Ridley Waldo 

Semifinals – Gage Lohr (Watertown) over Ridley Waldo (Aberdeen Central) (TF 19-3 5:28)

Cons. Semis – Ridley Waldo (Aberdeen Central) over Keanu lee (O`Gorman) (Dec 6-4)

3rd Place Match – Conner Giedd (Canton) over Ridley Waldo (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 8-3)

175: Grayden Timm 

Semifinals – Rece Knight (Gering) over Grayden Timm (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 3-2)

Cons. Semis – Ethan Hague (Kelly Walsh) over Grayden Timm (Aberdeen Central) (Inj. [time])

5th Place Match – Grant Larson (Lennox) over Grayden Timm (Aberdeen Central) (M. For.)

190: Owen Ward

Semifinals – Hunter Kunz (Hot Springs) over Owen Ward (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 2:59)

Cons. Semis – Owen Ward (Aberdeen Central) over Ayden Bohannon (Williston) (MD 15-3)

3rd Place Match – Caleb Paetz (Bismarck) over Owen Ward (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 6-5)