Parkston Trojans claim team title in 19-team tournament

SIOUX FALLS — The Parkston wrestling team was crowned champion at the Floyd Farrand Wrestling Tournament Saturday in Sioux Falls.

The Trojans placed 13 wrestlers in the 19-team, two-day tournament, which included eight Class A schools. Parkston had a team score 199.5 and was followed by Sturgis with 177.50 points, Canton with 151 points, Brookings with 145 points and Wagner with 132.5 points. For more results, see page B2.

Parkston had two individual champions in the tournament. Wes Dvorak claimed the 145-pound title, beating Canton’s Alex Davies 8-3 in the championship match.

“I was impressed with Wes,” Parkston coach Jared Digmann said. “He wasn’t feeling well Friday but came out with some wins over some good kids. His performance stood out to me.”

On his way to the title match, Dvorak beat Vermillion’s Regan Bye 3-2 in the quarterfinals and Wagner’s Austin Soukup, who Dvorak had yet to beat this season, 1-0 in the semifinals.

Brady Reiff won the 220-pound bracket, pinning Canton’s Ryley Ostbye in 29 seconds in the title match. Reiff is the only undefeated wrestler on Parkston’s team and pinned all of his opponents in the tournament.

“We want to find him more competition because he hasn’t had a tough match all season,” Digmann said.

Mitch Heisinger made the championship match at 152 but was defeated by Vermillion’s Brett Bye 5-3 in overtime.

Logan Mahoney (106), Blake Bietz (113), Myles Bialas (138) and Andrew Semmler all took third place. , Miles Semmler placed fifth in the 170-pound weight class and Dawson Semmler (120), Ethan Murtha (126) and Dillion Stadlman (160) took seventh place. Jake Weber was eighth at 132 pounds.

Digmann said despite winning the deep tournament, his team still can improve.

“I’m definitely not going to say I’m satisfied,” he said. “But we’re at a good spot as long as we keep improving.”

Wagner had three individual champions in Tyler Dion (138), David Kocer (160) and Dakota Zephier (182). Dion beat Howard’s Evan Donahue by major decision 10-1 in the final, Kocer pinned Watertown’s Jesse Forman in 3 minutes and 32 seconds in the championship match and Zephier defeated Watertown’s Triston Wirtjes 10-4 to give him the title.

Austin Soukup (145) took fourth place, Brady Soulek (152) was fifth and Trevor Lensing (170) finished in fourth.

Howard’s Luke Loudenburg won the 120-pound bracket, beating Watertown’s Brady Burghardt 7-3 in the final. Bailey Neises (113) lost to Sioux Falls Roosevelt’s Kahlen Morris 5-4 in the final to give him a second-place finish. James Jungwirth (170) also took second, losing to Brandon Valley’s Mason Bender 12-5 in the final.

Nick Pardy (182) took sixth place and Landon Hamilton (195) finished in eighth.

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