RAPID CITY — Redfield Area is poised to make another run at a strong finish in the Class B State Wrestling Tournament, which begins Thursday and runs through Saturday at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

The Pheasants, who finished third in last year’s Class B final standings, have 12 wrestlers qualified to compete in this year’s event.

“I feel very fortunate that we are getting the opportunity to finish the wrestling season,” Redfield Area coach Wade Schlotter said. “In November, the state tournament didn’t seem like a reality, but here we are.”

Canton is the defending Class B champion from a year ago, while Winner Area was second. Rather than focusing on where his team might finish in the standings, Schlotter said his team is more focused on things it can control heading into the season-ending event.

“I try not to have set ‘expectations’ but do expect our kids to represent our community by giving their best effort,” he said.

Leading the Pheasants into the state tournament will be senior Bradyn Robbins, who is currently 44-1 at 138 pounds.

“He’s been a two-time finalist and is hoping to put it together this year,” Schlotter said.

Also pushing for strong finishes for Redfield Area will be junior Mason Fey at 145, senior Dylan Whitley at 160, and junior Corbin Schwartz at 182.

Fey, a junior, posted a 44-3 mark this season. He was fourth as a freshman and finished fifth last season.

Whitley, who was fourth last year, carries a 30-3 mark into this year’s tournament. He also owns a victory this season against the No. 1 wrestler at 160.

Schwartz was fifth last year and has gone 38-5 this season at 182.

“The top five in the weight class have all beaten each other,” Schlotter said of the 182 weight class.

Other returning state placers for Redfield Area are sophomore Mason Whitley at 113 (fifth last year) and freshman Grady Fey at 220 (eighth last year).

Also competing in this year’s event for the Pheasants will be sophomore Brady Rissetter at 106, Junior Jacob Fehlman at 120, sophomore Keaton Rohlfs at 126, senior Cullen McNeil at 170, and junior Sean Domke at 195, and sophomore Gavin Nichols at 285.

Redfield Area also qualified to compete in the Class B State Dual Championships, which will be held in conjunction with the individual championships. The Pheasants will face McCook Central/Montrose in the opening round.

“They beat us 35-30 in a dual in January, so we are looking to get to change that result this time,” Schlotter said.

Other opening-round matchups for the Dual Tournament are Winner against Lyman, Canton against Howard and Kimball/White Lake/Platte-Geddes against Wessington Springs/Woonsocket/Wolsey-Wessington.

The winners in the dual tournament will advance to the semifinals, while the losers will be eliminated. The winners in the semifinals will advance to wrestle for the title, while the losers in the semifinals will meet for third place.

Quinten Christensen of Wessington Springs/Woonsocket/Wolsey-Wessington is the top-seeded wrestler, entering the tournament at 285. The junior has put together a 34-1 record this season.

Also qualifying for WS/W/W-W this season were senior Tyler Eddy at 182, sophomore Keegan Haider at 152, sophomore Joey Hoverson at 132 and freshman Kayden Carter at 113.

Haider finished fourth in last year’s tournament.

Qualifying this year for Clark/Willow Lake were junior Gunnar Kvistad at 120, sophomore Chase Chambers at 145, junior Lucas Kannegieter at 170, junior Gage Burke at 182, and junior Avery Nichols at 285.

Kvistad was second last year and went 36-3 this season, while Burke was third last season and is 35-3 this season. Kannegeiter was fifth last season and put together a 32-8 campaign this season.

Kingsbury County has seven wrestlers qualified for this year’s tournament, led by seniors Alec Dobson at 138, Matthew Steffensen at 145 and Kain Gilligan at 220. Dobson was fifth in last year’s tourney.

Also qualifying this season for the Knights were eighth-grader Gannon Gilligan at 106, freshman Sheldon Belderston at 120, sophomore Dylan Zell at 126 and junior Nate Kersting at 182. Zell finished seventh last season.

Eighth-grader Kellan Hurd went 38-6 this season to qualify at 113 pounds for Miller/Highmore-Harrold. He will be joined by sophomore teammate Tate Hoffman, who was 37-11 at 170.

Girls
Competing in the Class B Girls’ State Tournament, which will be held for the first time this year will be Reganne Miles of Iroquois/Doland, Kyla Logan of Iroquois/Doland, and Abi Reil of Clark/Willow Lake.