MITCHELL – The Aberdeen Central boys’ wrestling program put five wrestlers atop the podium en route to a second place finish in the team standings at the Region 3A tournament Saturday. All told, the Golden Eagles qualified 12 out of 14 wrestlers for next week’s Class A state tournament in Sioux Falls.

Central’s five champions came from nine wrestlers that reached the title match. Esten Foss (120 pounds), Mason Backous (126), Jackson Dargatz (132), Grayden Timm (175) and Owen Ward (190) each won their respective divisions. 

Paxton Ewing (113), Will Allen (138), Ridley Waldo (157) and Kaylor Swenson (165) all finished in second.

Central coach Donnie Bowden said his team had more ups than downs, which was a positive way to end the day.

“The key thing is that you advance,” Bowden said. “Then the second thing is you want to finish as high up on the podium as you can. So yeah, we’d like to see more of those first place medals. But realistically this is where we ended and it’s not a bad spot.”

Bowden pointed out that the team’s five region champions included two guys – Dargatz and Backous – who have missed some significant time due to injury this season, so seeing them come back to claim postseason success was satisfying.

“At the top of the lineup, Grayden and Owen just keep moving forward,” Bowden added. “And Esten, he just keeps continuing to impress.”

Henry Gillen (106), Jude Sumner (144), and Porter Lozenski (150) also earned tournament spots with their top-four finishes.

Those efforts put the Golden Eagles in second place in the team standings with 243.5 points, just back of perennial powerhouse Pierre, who won the event with 252 points.

The State A wrestling tournament will be held Feb. 26-28 at the Premier Center in Sioux Falls.

Aberdeen Central results

106 – Henry Gillen, Third Place

Quarterfinal – Henry Gillen (Aberdeen Central) 22-25 won by major decision over Dani Gonzalez (Madison) 13-19 (MD 10-0)

Semifinal – Noah Hofer (Huron) 19-12 won by decision over Henry Gillen (Aberdeen Central) 22-25 (Dec 12-5)

Cons. Semi – Henry Gillen (Aberdeen Central) 22-25 won by forfeit over Forfeit Forfeit () 0-3 (For.)

3rd Place Match – Henry Gillen (Aberdeen Central) 22-25 won by tech fall over Rowdy Schrempp (Cheyenne-Eagle Butte) 14-15 (TF-1.5 4:32 (16-1))

113 – Paxton Ewing, Second Place

Quarterfinal – Paxton Ewing (Aberdeen Central) 24-16 received a bye () (Bye)

Semifinal – Paxton Ewing (Aberdeen Central) 24-16 won by decision over Charles Aldana (Madison) 21-12 (Dec 8-7)

1st Place Match – Carter Nelson (Huron) 25-8 won by fall over Paxton Ewing (Aberdeen Central) 24-16 (Fall 0:42)

120 – Esten Foss, First Place

Quarterfinal – Esten Foss (Aberdeen Central) 31-9 won by fall over Carter Radel (Mitchell) 6-31 (Fall 0:45)

Semifinal – Esten Foss (Aberdeen Central) 31-9 won by fall over Nolan Wire (Madison) 31-14 (Fall 0:54)

1st Place Match – Esten Foss (Aberdeen Central) 31-9 won by injury default over Gable Uhrig (Pierre T.F. Riggs) 35-8 (Inj. 4:00)

126 – Mason Backous, First Place

Quarterfinal – Mason Backous (Aberdeen Central) 25-12 received a bye () (Bye)

Semifinal – Mason Backous (Aberdeen Central) 25-12 won by tech fall over Bode Minder (Pierre T.F. Riggs) 18-13 (TF-1.5 5:43 (16-1))

1st Place Match – Mason Backous (Aberdeen Central) 25-12 won by medical forfeit over Wyatt Pickard (Madison) 15-4 (M. For.)

132 – Jackson Dargatz, First Place

Quarterfinal – Jackson Dargatz (Aberdeen Central) 22-4 received a bye () (Bye)

Semifinal – Jackson Dargatz (Aberdeen Central) 22-4 won by tech fall over Alex Zwak (Madison) 23-17 (TF-1.5 3:24 (17-2))

1st Place Match – Jackson Dargatz (Aberdeen Central) 22-4 won in sudden victory – 1 over Noah Bennett (Mitchell) 31-11 (SV-1 9-6)

138 – Will Allen, Second Place

Quarterfinal – Will Allen (Aberdeen Central) 27-13 won by fall over Deegan Goodman (Chamberlain) 10-17 (Fall 1:14)

Semifinal – Will Allen (Aberdeen Central) 27-13 won by fall over Brady Meyer (Huron) 23-13 (Fall 4:45)

1st Place Match – Rowdy Menning (Pierre T.F. Riggs) 36-13 won by fall over Will Allen (Aberdeen Central) 27-13 (Fall 1:23)

144 – Jude Sumner, Fourth Place

Quarterfinal – Jude Sumner (Aberdeen Central) 14-13 won by decision over Patrick Iron Cloud (Todd County/White River) 22-17 (Dec 1-0)

Semifinal – Alex Oedekoven (Pierre T.F. Riggs) 44-1 won by tech fall over Jude Sumner (Aberdeen Central) 14-13 (TF-1.5 3:23 (18-0))

Cons. Semi – Jude Sumner (Aberdeen Central) 14-13 won by fall over Zach Dekle (Cheyenne-Eagle Butte) 5-12 (Fall 1:31)

3rd Place Match – Jade Wilkens (Madison) 30-9 won by decision over Jude Sumner (Aberdeen Central) 14-13 (Dec 8-4)

150 – Porter Lozenski, Third Place

Quarterfinal – Porter Lozenski (Aberdeen Central) 36-10 won by fall over Aiden Airheart (Huron) 1-20 (Fall 2:23)

Semifinal – Kruse Brennan (Chamberlain) 33-12 won by decision over Porter Lozenski (Aberdeen Central) 36-10 (Dec 10-5)

Cons. Semi – Porter Lozenski (Aberdeen Central) 36-10 won by fall over Mathew Peterson (Mitchell) 15-15 (Fall 1:34)

3rd Place Match – Porter Lozenski (Aberdeen Central) 36-10 won by decision over Levi Quam (Madison) 31-17 (Dec 6-1)

157 – Ridley Waldo, Second Place

Quarterfinal – Ridley Waldo (Aberdeen Central) 40-3 won by fall over Brylee Brennan (Chamberlain) 22-16 (Fall 1:49)

Semifinal – Ridley Waldo (Aberdeen Central) 40-3 won by fall over Teagan Lien (Huron) 18-9 (Fall 3:30)

1st Place Match – Caleb Hodges (Madison) 33-1 won by decision over Ridley Waldo (Aberdeen Central) 40-3 (Dec 10-3)

165 – Kaylor Swenson, Second Place

Quarterfinal – Kaylor Swenson (Aberdeen Central) 23-16 won by fall over Jordan Brave (Todd County/White River) 7-23 (Fall 0:18)

Semifinal – Kaylor Swenson (Aberdeen Central) 23-16 won by fall over Jerrod Larsen (Chamberlain) 27-16 (Fall 2:38)

1st Place Match – Porter Hunsley (Pierre T.F. Riggs) 42-7 won by fall over Kaylor Swenson (Aberdeen Central) 23-16 (Fall 0:53)

175 – Grayden Timm, First Place

Quarterfinal – Grayden Timm (Aberdeen Central) 36-7 won by fall over Giovani Rodriguez (Huron) 3-4 (Fall 0:40)

Semifinal – Grayden Timm (Aberdeen Central) 36-7 won by injury default over Adam Willis (Madison) 23-17 (Inj. 0:00)

1st Place Match – Grayden Timm (Aberdeen Central) 36-7 won by fall over Will Eilers (Pierre T.F. Riggs) 30-18 (Fall 3:05)

190 – Owen Ward, First Place

Quarterfinal – Owen Ward (Aberdeen Central) 36-5 won by fall over Jemal Boneshirt (Todd County/White River) 6-21 (Fall 0:15)

Semifinal – Owen Ward (Aberdeen Central) 36-5 won by fall over Brody Nielsen (Madison) 25-21 (Fall 1:40)

1st Place Match – Owen Ward (Aberdeen Central) 36-5 won by fall over Lucas Chaparro (Huron) 22-13 (Fall 2:58)

215 – Hunter Herceg

Quarterfinal – Ben Cardona (Huron) 11-8 won by medical forfeit over Hunter Herceg (Aberdeen Central) 13-18 (M. For.)

Cons. Round 1 – Mason Fosness (Mitchell) 7-22 won by medical forfeit over Hunter Herceg (Aberdeen Central) 13-18 (M. For.)