Four Britton-Hecla wrestlers earned spots on the podium and the Braves placed sixth in a 17-team field at a tournament in Webster on Saturday.
Two local grapplers were crowned division champions. Bryce Hawkinson improved his season mark to 13-1 and claimed the 150-pound title, while 215-pounder Tucker Hardy boosted his season record to 12-3 on the way to his championship.
Carter Grobe placed second in the 120-pound bracket and stands at 4-9 on the year, while Ben Suther was fourth in the 175-pound division and stands at 14-6.
“Webster is a fairly big tournament for us and this is the best we’ve done in the seven years I’ve been coaching,” said Coach Josh Hawkinson. “I was happy to see us put that many team points up (100) and finish sixth against that many teams.”
Both of Britton-Hecla’s champions won their titles in dominating fashion. Hawkinson posted a 15-6 major decision in the final match and also scored a pair of 10-0 major decisions and a pin. Hardy pinned all four of his opponents and needed just a total of three minutes and 35 seconds to get the job done. His title match lasted only 28 seconds, he won the semifinal in 38 seconds, and needed just 1:20 and 1:09 to get the sticks in his first two outings.
This week the local matmen will face some of their toughest competition of the regular season when they travel to Casselton,ND, for the Central Cass Tournament on Friday and Saturday. Teams from Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota will be participating.
“We only see most of the kids in that tournament once a year and our kids have six minutes to figure them out,” said Hawkinson. “It’s a lot like going to the state tournament and good experience for the kids to try to figure out how to beat an opponent during the match. That’s not only from the wrestlers’ standpoint but for the coaches, too.”
Hawkinson is hoping to have Colton Chapin back for the weekend tournament. He has been sidelined for the first part of the season with a knee issue.
TEAM SCORES: Clark-Willow Lake 195, Groton Area 147.5, Miller 145, Sisseton 144, Deuel 131.5, Britton-Hecla 100, Garretson 99, Sully Buttes 79.5, Webster Area 59.5, Sioux Valley 57, Mobridge-Pollock 32, Warner-Northwestern 24, Hamlin 23, Ipswich-Bowdle 12, Baltic 10, Ortonville, MN 4, Hanson County 0.
106 POUNDS: Lincoln Kilker (BH) pinned by Chance Miller (IB) 1:25; won by medical forfeit over Wyatt Hagen (GA); lost dec. to Kyson Sundberg (SV) 18-7
120 POUNDS: Carter Grobe (BH) pinned Rennick Wagner (SV) 1:42; dec. Chase Costello (GAR) 19-6; First place match: pinned by Cooper Pommer (CWL) 1:05
126 POUNDS: Jade Tisher (BH) pinned by JD Chavez (MILLER) :25; pinned by Lincoln Krause (GA) 1:45
144 POUNDS: Max Suther (BH) lost by tech fall to Reed Gray (SISS) TF – 1.5 2:00 (19-4); pinned by Damian Severson (CWL) 3:55
150 POUNDS: Bryce Hawkinson (BH) dec. Malachi Anderson (SISS) 10-0; pinned Andrew Davis (BAL) 1:33; dec. Walker Zoellner (GA) 10-0; First place match: dec. Tate Everson (HAM) 15-6
165 POUNDS: Dashel Davidson (BH) pinned Gile Rud (SV) :49; lost by tech fall to Brock Bonte (Garretson) TF-1.5 2:56 (17-1); pinned by Justin Muehler (SISS) 4:25
175 POUNDS: Ben Suther (BH) won by forfeit; pinned by Taylor Snaza (SISS) 3:42; pinned Mato DeNoyer (CWL) :56; pinned Watt Hardt (SV) 1:56; dec. Justin Rohrbach (IB) 11-1; Third place match: pinned by Taylor Snaza (SISS) 2:49
190 POUNDS: Liam Paxton (BH) pinned by Josh Kannegieter (CWL) :50; dec. Westin Switzer (HC) 9-6); pinned by Isaac Nelson (WA) :43
215 POUNDS: Tucker Hardy (BH) pinned Martin Welch (GAR) 1:09; pinned Axton Gates (MP) 1:20; pinned Charlie Frost (GA) :38; First place match: pinned Matthew Angiolelli (WA) :28
Temperature: 31°F Town: Britton, SD
Pressure: 1019 hPa
Wind: 17 mph
