Mitchell High School senior wrestlers Ethan Parr and Robert McCardle both advanced to the semifinal round at the Rapid City Invitational wrestling meet on Friday.
Mitchell had nine wrestlers compete in the event, which features 30 teams from three different states.
"For the most part, I'm pretty happy with how it went," Mitchell head coach Travis Carpenter said. "We started a little slow, but the kids did good bouncing back. Seven of the nine kids all won matches, so I am happy with how they competed."
McCardle, wrestling at 285 pounds, pinned Sioux Falls Washington's Alex Lorenzini and Phillip's Geoffrey Devries in the first two rounds. McCardle later won a 5-2 decision over Rapid City Central's Spencer Holt. He will face Aberdeen Central's Sam Schaunaman today.
"Robert and Ethan did a great job of wrestling to get themselves in the semis," Carpenter said. "Landon (Neugebauer) lost a close overtime match in the quarterfinals, and unfortunately he has to wrestle (Mitchell's) Briggs Havlik in the consolation round in order for one them to place."
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Both Neugebauer and Havlik were competing at 138 pounds for Mitchell.
Parr (152) pinned Brant Thomson (Bismarck, N.D.), won a 5-3 decision over Logan Wagoner (Gillette, Wyo.) and will face off with Phillip's Nick Donnelly in the semifinals.
As far as what McCardle and Parr have to do in order to continue winning at the event, Carpenter said he wants to see both his seniors create action in the match.
"The farther you go in a tournament like this, the tougher it gets," Carpenter said. "They have to go out and be offensive. We've talked about not waiting for the opponent and going at them."
Powell advances to semis for Cubs
Chamberlain's Collin Powell (106) will take on Philip's Hunter Peterson in a semi-final match today at the Rapid City Invitational.
The Cubs' Spencer Kirkpatrick (126) and Nick Claussen (220) each lost in the quarterfinal round.
