SIOUX FALLS – Four Aberdeen Central wrestlers pushed their way into the semifinals, leading the Golden Eagles to a fourth place showing after the opening day of the Class A state wrestling tournament, which opened Thursday at the Denny Sanford Premier Center.

Mason Backous (126 pounds), Ridley Waldo (157), Grayden Timm (175), and Owen Ward (190) each won their opening two matches of the day, securing their spot in today’s semifinals.

“State tournament, there’s always going to be ups and downs,” said Central coach Donnie Bowden. “But we’re sitting OK, we were just hoping to get a few more in (to the semis).”

Paxton Ewing (113), Esten Foss (120), Will Allen (138) and Porter Lozenski (150) – all won their opening-round matches in convincing fashion before falling in the quarterfinals and dropping into the wrestlebacks.

Bowden said his team’s mindset will be an important factor in how today goes.

“Wake up and attack the day,” he said. “That’s what it’s going to be (Friday). After that first session, we’ll know who will be on the podium, who’s medaling. Then in the afternoon, we’ll see what place they’re going to be going for.”

Central holds the fourth spot with 54.5 points, a mere half-point ahead of fifth place West Central. Sturgis holds a commanding grip on the team scores with 198.

There were 18 area wrestlers who all worked their way into the semifinals of the State B portion of the tournament. That group includes Jace Edgar of Redfield at 106, Kayden Tchida of Sisseton at 113, Cash Edgar of Faulkton and Cade Gaikowski of Clark-Willow Lake at 120, Kaden Wookey of Clark-Willow Lake at 126, Talon Ping of Miller-Highmore-Harrold, and Ethan Folk of Sisseton at 132, Jacksen Carter of Wessington Springs-Woonsocket-Wolsey-Wessington, and Conner Zens of Redfield at 138, Haeden Jorgenson of Webster, Ethan Rearick of Wessington Springs-Woonsocket-Wolsey-Wessington, and Chase Hurd of Miller-Highmore-Harrold at 144, Bryce Hawkinson of Britton-Hecla at 150, Holden Hawkins of Sisseton, and Tate Everson of Hamlin-Castlewood at 165, Ben Suther of Britton-Hecla t 175, and Tristen Baloun of Faulkton, and Gavin Englund of Groton at 285.

Today’s wrestling begins this morning with the first and second-round consolation matches.

Aberdeen Central results

106: Henry Gillen

Champ. Round 1 – Colton Archer (Yankton) over Henry Gillen (Aberdeen Central) (MD 14-2)

113: Paxton Ewing

Champ. Round 1 – Paxton Ewing (Aberdeen Central) over Daniel Mason (Pierre T.F. Riggs) (TF 17-2 5:39)

Quarterfinals – Kaden Haakinson (West Central) over Paxton Ewing (Aberdeen Central) (TF 19-3 3:31)

120: Esten Foss

Champ. Round 1 – Esten Foss (Aberdeen Central) over Kadrian Moreno (Huron) (Fall 1:48)

Quarterfinals – Bentley Klinkhammer (West Central) over Esten Foss (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 3-2)

126: Mason Backous

Champ. Round 1 – Mason Backous (Aberdeen Central) over Sebastian Castillo (Beresford/Alcester-Hudson) (MD 14-5)

Quarterfinals – Mason Backous (Aberdeen Central) over Bode Minder (Pierre T.F. Riggs) (Dec 4-0)

132: Jackson Dargatz

Champ. Round 1 – Camden Tebay (Dell Rapids) over Jackson Dargatz (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 10-4)

138: Will Allen

Champ. Round 1 – Will Allen (Aberdeen Central) over Alex Siemonsma (West Central) (Fall 5:56)

Quarterfinals – Tyler Woodring (Tea Area) over Will Allen (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 1:02)

144: Jude Sumner 

Champ. Round 1 – Josiah Drummer (Sturgis Brown) over Jude Sumner (Aberdeen Central) (TF 21-4 5:51)

150: Porter Lozenski 

Champ. Round 1 – Porter Lozenski (Aberdeen Central) over Kruse Brennan (Chamberlain) (Fall 5:46)

Quarterfinals – Braden Shoemaker (Brandon Valley) over Porter Lozenski (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 9-4)

157: Ridley Waldo

Champ. Round 1 – Ridley Waldo (Aberdeen Central) over Trevor Cordell (Tea Area) (TF 15-0 1:08)

Quarterfinals – Ridley Waldo (Aberdeen Central) over Logan Johns (Harrisburg) (MD 10-0)

165: Kaylor Swenson

Champ. Round 1 – Dylan Johnson (Harrisburg) over Kaylor Swenson (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 1-0)

175: Grayden Timm

Champ. Round 1 – Grayden Timm (Aberdeen Central) over Theodore Volk (Spearfish) (Fall 0:53)

Quarterfinals – Grayden Timm (Aberdeen Central) over Landen Lewis (Watertown) (TF 18-0 3:10)

190: Owen Ward 

Champ. Round 1 – Owen Ward (Aberdeen Central) over Norman Wilson (Lakota Tech) (Fall 0:24)

Quarterfinals – Owen Ward (Aberdeen Central) over Lucas Chaparro (Huron) (Fall 2:55)