If either team was hoping for separation in tonights semifinal session of wrestling, they left the dome Friday night disappointed.  Minot and Bismarck High remain deadlocked at the North Dakota state individual tournament  The Demons hold a .5 point advantage on their rivals to the north 169-168.5.  Valley City, who put three wrestlers into tomorrow’s finals, is thirteen points ahead of West Fargo for third.  Minot edged Bismarck High with six finalists to Bismarck’s five, none more important for the Magi that 120 pound 5 seed Corey Hooker. Hooker scored the upset of the tournament when he upended Bismarck defending state champion and #1 ranked Laken Boese.  Boese hadn’t been beaten by a Class A North Dakota opponent all season, and was ahead 2-0 entering the second period when Hooker found a left side hi-crotch for two points and two near fall.  From there, Hooker planted Boese on his back on an attempted grandby roll and scored the fall.

Minot 220 Hunter Swartwout seems back to form, as he defeated Mandan’s Adam Boehm and advanced to the finals from the six seed.  He will wrestle Bismarck’s Chase Dockter in the finals.  Bismarck and Minot will wrestle in two other finals that could have dramatic team implications.  At 170, Bismarck’s #1 Parker Wahl will face off with Minot’s Creighton Rudolph, and Minot 2X state champion Brody Armstong will wrestle Adam DeBoer at 132.  Minot’s other finalists are Eli Huff (285) and Kelby Armstrong (106).  Bismarck will roll into the finals with 2X state champion Ryan Ripplinger, and undefeated Devin Steidler.  Though Minot has more finalists, Bismarck has the Magi edged in wrestle back competitors 7-4.