Watertown Dual Tourney

     The Aberdeen Central Golden Eagles started their season off in Watertown for the 8 team dual tourney. The weather was a factor this year preventing Pierre, Mitchell and Yankton from making the trip. Because of this they went to a 5 team round robin tourney so everyone still had 4 duals on the day. Although the weather reduced the crowd and changed the atmosphere for the fans, it did not affect the size of Aberdeen's crowd. In fact, this was one of the biggest Aberdeen crowds in recent memory to attend this tourney.
     Our first opponent was the Tigers from Huron who forfeited at 106 then got a pin at 113. Brock Martin at 120 totally manhandled Cole Oschner turning him 3 times before earning the tech fall near the end of the 3rd period. Huron forfeited 3 of the next 6 matches, the other 3 matches they got 2 falls and a decision. At 170 Will Jarrott sticks state qualifier Tyson Lien in 59 seconds to bring the team score to 29-21.  Dillon Stoebner stepped onto the mat against Blake Larsen. In what was a pretty exciting match to watch Dillon threw him two separate times for some big points before pinning him in the second period. Aberdeen then lost by decision then a pin before Kaden Johnson's pin at 285 against a gamely Kameron Christenson. Aberdeen won the dual 47-30 with the help of 3 falls and 4 forfeits plus a tech fall.
     Our next opponent was the undermanned Milbank Bulldogs. The fellow Region 3A school gave up 5 forfeits. Add to the fact we pinned them 6 times and you get a lopsided score of 69-7. Brenden Salfrank got things started quickly with a fall in 25 seconds. The next 4 matches saw us get two forfeits and a loss by a major and a regular decision. This would be the only team points Milbank would get. Junior Logan Beadle, wrestling at 138, showed some explosiveness before earning the 2nd period fall. Garrett Mitzel would follow with a 2nd period fall of his own before newcomer Samuel Calvert, who moved here from Alaska, earned a 10-3 decision over Dillon Schneck. A forfeit from the Bulldogs at 170 was followed by a fall in the first period from Dillon Stoebner when he glued Brodie Holtquist's shoulders to the mat at the 1:55 mark. Alex Hopfinger got a pin of his own over Toby Schneck in the first period before a forfeit at 220. Kaden Johnson finished off Milbank with our 6th fall of the dual pinning Jorge Calderona in 44 seconds.
     Next up was Harrisburg, of the nine matches we won 7 of them were via fall. The first one was at 106, Brenden pinned Logan O'Connor in 32 seconds. at 113 was Brenden's cousin Drew Salfrank, the 8th grader earned his first varsity win beating Soren Aadland 6-0. Brock Martin had another dominating performance besting Jagger Gribble by a major decision 14-2. Up next for the Eagles at 126 is Senior Jacob Moore. "Crash" was hoping they would send someone out to wrestle him since the two previous teams did not. He got his wish then pinned the unsuspecting freshman in 13 seconds. Harrisburg earned pins in the next 3 matches before Garrett Mitzel put an end to that with a pin of his own over Nathan Herrocks in the first period. Aberdeen would get pins in 4 of the remaining 6 matches. Senior Will Jarrott took it to Mason Schoenhard with a fall in 55 seconds. Senior Brock Baker pins Galvin Gulbranson. Alex Hopfinger sticks Avery Barnhart in 50 seconds followed by Kaden Johnson's pin at the 1:51 mark over Austin Abrahamson. The final score of the dual was 49-24.
     The last dual of the day was against the host team Watertown. In a match that featured 11 pins, 1 tech fall and 1 major the Arrows defeated the Golden Eagles 33-45. Junior Brenden Salfrank continued his pinning ways putting Connor Hansen's shoulders to the mat in a quick 21 seconds. The Arrows answered with pins at 113 and 120. Jacob Moore won by fall in the first period making the team score 12-12. Watertown won the next 5 straight matches to go up 39-12. Will Jarrott ended that winning streak by pinning state qualifier Sam Stroup in the 2nd period. A pin at 182 from Watertown then we get one of our own at 195 when Brock Baker pins Connor Wirtjes in the 2nd. Alex Hopfinger earned a 11-6 decision before Kaden Johnson got his 4th pin of the day over another state qualifier, Lincoln Stahl.
     Going 4-0 on the day was Salfrank earning one forfeit and 3 pins totaling 1:18 of mat time. Moore with 2 forfeits and two pins, Jarrott 1 forfeit and 3 pins and Kaden Johnson with 4 straight pins. At 3-1 was Martin, Baker and Hopfinger. All 3 of Baker's wins were by fall. Finishing 2-2 was 145 lb Dylan Schaunaman, 152 Garrett Mitzel (2 pins) and Dylan Stoebner also with 2 pins.
     There was also a JV tournament going on at the same time. We had several kids pick up wins and I saw a lot of good wrestling. Earlier in the week the middle school sent their 7th and 8th graders to Jamestown. Aberdeen had 2 kids go undefeated. Ayden Gisi and Rayden Zens. The next tourney for them is Pierre on Saturday while the JV goes to Faulkton on Saturday as well. As for the varsity, they make a trip across the state to Rapid City. Thursday they dual Rapid City Central and Sturgis then will be participating in the Rapid Invite over the weekend.
    
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