Class ‘B’ grapplers head to state meet

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RAPID CITY — Clark-Willow Lake senior Caleb Orris is looking to close his high school wrestling career with back-to-back state championships during the Class B State Wrestling Tournament, which is slated for today and Saturday at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.
Orris went 47-0 last season to win the title at 170 pounds. He has put together a 43-0 record this season at 182 and will enter the tournament as the top seed.
Joining Orris at the state tournament for the Cyclones will be senior Brandan Gehrke, who is 42-13 at 160; senior Landon Werdel, who is 31-5 at 170; freshman Gage Burke, who is 35-6 at 152; freshman Lucas Kannegieter, who was 33-13 at 120; freshman Gunner Kvistad, who is 40-18 at 106; and eighth-grader Chase Chambers, who is 29-14 at 132.
Burke was fifth last year, whie Werdel was eighth.
Redfield Area will also have seven wrestlers at the state tournament.
Senior Barrett Wren, who was second last year, will lead the Pheasants into the season-ending event. He has put together a 30-3 record this season at 195.
Also qualifying for Redfield Area were  senior Drew Masat, who is 21-10 at 182; senior Carsten McNeil, who is 31-5 at 138; junior Riley Whitley, who is 32-3 at 106; sophomore Bradyn Robbins, who is 22-2 at 120; sophomore Dyland Whtley, who is 25-6 at 160; and freshman Mason Fey, who is 34-4 at 145.

Riley Whitley was fifth last year for the Pheasants at 106.
Wessington Springs/Woonsocket/Wolsey-Wessington and Kingsbury County will each be sending five wrestlers to the Class B tourney.
Tate Haider was eighth last year for Wolsey-Wessington, who joined forces with Wessington Springs/Woonsocket this season. The senior is 34-6 this season at 138.
Also qualifying for WS/W/W-W were senior Rylie Stevens, who is 27-20 at 195; junior Seth Tebay, who is 23-19 at 170; eighth-grader Joey Hoverson, who is 35-18 at 106; and eighth-grader Keegan Haider, who is 33-6 at 113.
Qualifying for Kingsbury County were senior Connor Hoffman, who is 16-17 at 220; senior Monte Albrecht, who is 35-14  at 152; junior Gavin Holland, who is 27-11 at 182; sophomore Alec Dobson, who is 27-6 at 132; and eighth-grader Dylan Zell, who is 30-15 at 113.
Sunshine Bible Academy will have three wrestlers in the state tournament. Qualifying for the Crusaders were junior Teigan Clark, who is 19-5 at 145; junior Iver Paul, who is 19-9 at 132; and sophomore Everett Paul, who is 18-10 at 120.
Also reaching the Class B Tournament were Miller/Highmore-Harrold teammates Blade Forman and Regan Bollweg.
Forman is a senior, who was 18-9 this season at 126, while Bollweg is a sophomore, who was 36-10 this season at 195.
Canton is the defending Class B champion. Clark-Willow Lake was sixth and Redfield Area, which was Redfield-Doland last season, was ninth.
Wrestling will begin at 10 a.m. Today. The second session is scheduled to begin with the Parade of Athletes at 2:45 p.m., with the first-round wrestlebacks and quarterfinals to follow. The second-round wrestlebacks will close the second session.
Wrestling will begin with the semifinals and third-round wrestlebacks at 10 a.m. Saturday, with the fourth-round wrestlebacks to follow.
The final session will begin with the placing matches at 4 p.m. The championship match introductions are slated for 6:15 p.m., followed by the title matches at 6:30 p.m.