If Class B wrestling fans were looking for a reason to get excited about the state tournament, they got it Saturday at the East/West in New Salem.  New Salem/Almont, who led their home event until the final bout of the consolation rounds, were edged by defending state champion Lisbon 191.5-188. The East/West played out exactly as the state tournament is likely to, with New Salem holding a lead after the semifinal round and Lisbon clawing back with wins on the wrestleback side.  The 26 point cushion New Salem built by putting six into the finals became a 2.5 point deficit when Lisbon 285 Ben Shearer pinned Killdeer’s Curtis Hall to grab third place and a coveted five team points. The tournament was then decided in the finals, where each team crowned three champions.  Boeden Greenley and Caleb Nielsen extended Lisbon’s team lead to 12.5 points with finals victories at 106 and 113 respectively.  Greenley, who remains undefeated on the season, scored the maximum possible six team points with a first period pin over Carrington’s Matthew Duchscherer.  Nielsen then won a 9-3 decision over #2 ranked Gunnar Mogen of Velva.  Should Lisbon go on to win the state team title, the move of Greenley to 106 and Nielsen to 113 will be a big reason why.  Greenley has been nothing short of dominant since making the move down and remains undefeated.  Nielsen hasn’t lost since making 113 for the first time last weekend at the Storhaug Invitational.  From there, it was New Salem’s turn for some finals victories.  Two-time state champion Clay Gerhardt defeated Hillsboro’s Luke Leshuk by 9-1 major decisions, bringing the Holsteins to within 7.5 with the bonus point victory.  At 132, NS/A state chapion Tayt Wolding got out to a fast start with a 6-0 first period against Oakes senior Coy Awender, but Awender made the score 6-6 entering the third with a furious comeback.  In the end, Wolding proved too much and won the bout 9-7.  New Salem/ Almont then grabbed their final lead of the tournament -just half a point- when 145 Chauncey Dittus defeated South Border’s Mark Jochim 6-2. With only half a point separating the two teams, Lisbon’s #1 ranked Jordan Sours took the mat against NS/A’s Josh Irwin in what was the only finals bout pitting the two teams against one another.  Irwin scored the first takedown, but Sours took control from there and won 4-2.  Sours’s win was the final victory for either team, and ultimately locked the East-West title for Lisbon.

Don’t forget about third place South Border, who fnished 22 points behind second place Lisbon but has the firepower to close the gap by state tournament time.  The Mustangs placed seven wrestlers and crowned two champions in 170 Jake Herr and 285 Riley Molter.  Herr handed state champion Nathan Weigel his first in-state loss of the season with a 5-2 decision, and Molter remained undefeated after defeating Norther Lights senior Max Defender int he Ultimate Tie Breakers.

Hettinger/Scranton’s Kyle Burwick became just the third five-time East/West champion when he scored a third period technical fall over Carrington freshman Brecken Lura.  Burwick joins New Salem’s Mark Pazdernik and South Border’s Blake Bosc has the only five timers,

In a battle of the top ranked wrestlers at 138, Rugby’s Riley Zachmeier backed his #1 ranking with 9-3 victory over Carrington’s Lucas Geiszler.  Zachmeier is 39-1 on the season.

Napoleon’s Garrett Jangula won his third East-West title with a 5-4 decision over Bowman County/Beach senior Clayton Mattern.  Jangula did not compete at the East-West last season after winning the title in 2016 and 2017.

Hillsboro/Central Valley state champion Mark Hastings ran into a serious test in New Salem/Almont freshman Isaiah Huus.  Hastings and Huus battled to a 1-1 third period before Huus gave up a point for stalling.  That point was the difference in a 2-1 bout.

Coy Spooner of Des Lacs/Burlington continued his dominance of the 195 pound weight class with an 11-2 major decision of Lisbon’s Gavin Reinke.  Spooner remains undefeated at 28-0.

Bowman County/Beach’s Beau Jeffers scored four pins en route to the title at 220 pounds.  Jeffers pinned Adam Morman of New Salem/Almont in 2:43 and remains undefeated against North Dakota competition this season.

Team Scores
1	Lisbon	191.5
2	New Salem-Almont	188.0
3	South Border	166.5
4	Bowman County	134.0
5	Velva	133.0
6	Napoleon	118.0
7	Carrington	115.0
8	Hettinger-Scranton	94.5
9	Oakes	94.0
10	Bishop Ryan	86.0

106

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Boeden Greenley of Lisbon
• 2nd Place – Matthew Duchscherer of Carrington
• 3rd Place – Marshall Lindgren of South Border
• 4th Place – Gus Bombach of Killdeer
• 5th Place – Conner Harvey of Bishop Ryan
• 6th Place – Isaiah Carruth of Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm
• 7th Place – Mason Mellmer of Beulah-Hazen
• 8th Place – Wyatt Engwicht of New Salem-Almont

1st Place Match

• Boeden Greenley (Lisbon) 34-1, 8th. over Matthew Duchscherer (Carrington) 32-7, Fr. (Fall 1:19)

3rd Place Match

• Marshall Lindgren (South Border) 24-10, 8th. over Gus Bombach (Killdeer) 32-17, 7th. (Fall 4:06)

5th Place Match

• Conner Harvey (Bishop Ryan) 32-12, 7th. over Isaiah Carruth (Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm) 22-10, 7th. (Fall 0:37)

7th Place Match

• Mason Mellmer (Beulah-Hazen) 15-25, 8th. over Wyatt Engwicht (New Salem-Almont) 24-21, Fr. (Dec 9-2)

113

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Caleb Nielsen of Lisbon
• 2nd Place – Gunnar Mogen of Velva
• 3rd Place – Jakob Hudson of Northern Lights
• 4th Place – Treston Lura of Carrington
• 5th Place – Cody Irwin of New Salem-Almont
• 6th Place – Gavin Dalley of Hettinger-Scranton
• 7th Place – Dawson Sessing of Stanley
• 8th Place – Gannon Ledoux of Bishop Ryan

1st Place Match

• Caleb Nielsen (Lisbon) 26-7, Jr. over Gunnar Mogen (Velva) 31-5, So. (Dec 9-3)

3rd Place Match

• Jakob Hudson (Northern Lights) 27-12, So. over Treston Lura (Carrington) 28-12, So. (SV-1 5-3)

5th Place Match

• Cody Irwin (New Salem-Almont) 19-7, Fr. over Gavin Dalley (Hettinger-Scranton) 26-13, Fr. (Dec 4-0)

7th Place Match

• Dawson Sessing (Stanley) 15-16, Sr. over Gannon Ledoux (Bishop Ryan) 20-18, So. (Dec 4-2)

120

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Clay Gerhardt of New Salem-Almont
• 2nd Place – Luke Leshuk of Hillsboro-Central Valley
• 3rd Place – Alex Madrigal of Bowman County
• 4th Place – Grant Schneider of South Border
• 5th Place – Conner Andress of Hettinger-Scranton
• 6th Place – Cristian Lagunes of Williams County
• 7th Place – Grayson Pease of Deslacs-Burlington
• 8th Place – Justin Germundson of Stanley

1st Place Match

• Clay Gerhardt (New Salem-Almont) 37-2, Jr. over Luke Leshuk (Hillsboro-Central Valley) 24-11, Jr. (MD 9-1)

3rd Place Match

• Alex Madrigal (Bowman County) 4-1, Sr. over Grant Schneider (South Border) 19-12, Jr. (Dec 6-0)

5th Place Match

• Conner Andress (Hettinger-Scranton) 27-18, Fr. over Cristian Lagunes (Williams County) 24-12, So. (Dec 7-5)

7th Place Match

• Grayson Pease (Deslacs-Burlington) 10-12, Jr. over Justin Germundson (Stanley) 15-13, So. (Dec 7-0)

126

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Kyle Burwick of Hettinger-Scranton
• 2nd Place – Brecken Lura of Carrington
• 3rd Place – Jon Schockley of South Border
• 4th Place – Braetyn Yanish of Velva
• 5th Place – Matt Anderson of Hillsboro-Central Valley
• 6th Place – DJ Martian of Bowman County
• 7th Place – Andrew Hoff of LaMoure
• 8th Place – Aden Jensen of Rugby

1st Place Match

• Kyle Burwick (Hettinger-Scranton) 45-0, Sr. over Brecken Lura (Carrington) 29-12, Fr. (TF-1.5 3:53 (19-4))

3rd Place Match

• Jon Schockley (South Border) 21-9, So. over Braetyn Yanish (Velva) 28-15, Sr. (Dec 8-4)

5th Place Match

• Matt Anderson (Hillsboro-Central Valley) 28-11, Sr. over DJ Martian (Bowman County) 9-11, Sr. (Fall 1:36)

7th Place Match

• Andrew Hoff (LaMoure) 19-14, So. over Aden Jensen (Rugby) 26-20, Fr. (Dec 2-0)

132

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Tayt Wolding of New Salem-Almont
• 2nd Place – Coy Awender of Oakes
• 3rd Place – Garrett Hebl of LaMoure
• 4th Place – Cade Warbis of Hettinger-Scranton
• 5th Place – Simon Sveum of Lisbon
• 6th Place – Tucker Strand of Bowman County
• 7th Place – Hugo Garcia of Williams County
• 8th Place – Cale Ibach of Deslacs-Burlington

1st Place Match

• Tayt Wolding (New Salem-Almont) 38-2, Sr. over Coy Awender (Oakes) 33-6, Sr. (Dec 9-6)

3rd Place Match

• Garrett Hebl (LaMoure) 29-9, 8th. over Cade Warbis (Hettinger-Scranton) 21-11, Fr. (MD 13-4)

5th Place Match

• Simon Sveum (Lisbon) 21-16, So. over Tucker Strand (Bowman County) 16-6, So. (Dec 8-7)

7th Place Match

• Hugo Garcia (Williams County) 16-16, Jr. over Cale Ibach (Deslacs-Burlington) 19-14, 8th. (MD 13-2)

138

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Riley Zachmeier of Rugby
• 2nd Place – Lucas Geiszler of Carrington
• 3rd Place – Hunter Schwab of Lisbon
• 4th Place – Brackin Awender of Oakes
• 5th Place – Dylan Tabor of Killdeer
• 6th Place – Lyle Lunday of Northern Lights
• 7th Place – Anton Carruth of Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm
• 8th Place – Ethan Hammons of New Salem-Almont

1st Place Match

• Riley Zachmeier (Rugby) 39-1, Sr. over Lucas Geiszler (Carrington) 30-7, Sr. (Dec 9-3)

3rd Place Match

• Hunter Schwab (Lisbon) 26-9, Jr. over Brackin Awender (Oakes) 28-11, Jr. (Dec 13-7)

5th Place Match

• Dylan Tabor (Killdeer) 27-15, Sr. over Lyle Lunday (Northern Lights) 8-5, Sr. (Fall 0:29)

7th Place Match

• Anton Carruth (Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm) 19-14, Fr. over Ethan Hammons (New Salem-Almont) 36-13, Fr. (M. For.)

145

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Chauncey Dittus of New Salem-Almont
• 2nd Place – Mark Jochim of South Border
• 3rd Place – Nolan Behrens of Napoleon
• 4th Place – Bransyn Yanish of Velva
• 5th Place – Weston Wahus of Deslacs-Burlington
• 6th Place – Ezra Weichmann of Hettinger-Scranton
• 7th Place – Jacoby Mattern of Bowman County
• 8th Place – Logan Sharpless of Bishop Ryan

1st Place Match

• Chauncey Dittus (New Salem-Almont) 37-1, Sr. over Mark Jochim (South Border) 24-5, Jr. (Dec 6-2)

3rd Place Match

• Nolan Behrens (Napoleon) 22-12, So. over Bransyn Yanish (Velva) 25-19, So. (Fall 1:22)

5th Place Match

• Weston Wahus (Deslacs-Burlington) 16-14, So. over Ezra Weichmann (Hettinger-Scranton) 27-19, Jr. (Dec 9-4)

7th Place Match

• Jacoby Mattern (Bowman County) 21-12, Jr. over Logan Sharpless (Bishop Ryan) 8-7, Sr. (M. For.)

152

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Jordan Sours of Lisbon
• 2nd Place – Josh Irwin of New Salem-Almont
• 3rd Place – Walter Winkler of Deslacs-Burlington
• 4th Place – Tate Hoggarth of Carrington
• 5th Place – Kaleb Beeter of Bishop Ryan
• 6th Place – Michael Thomas of Velva
• 7th Place – Brady Volk of Rugby
• 8th Place – Quinn Lindenberg of Napoleon

1st Place Match

• Jordan Sours (Lisbon) 29-0, So. over Josh Irwin (New Salem-Almont) 38-3, Sr. (Dec 4-2)

3rd Place Match

• Walter Winkler (Deslacs-Burlington) 25-6, Jr. over Tate Hoggarth (Carrington) 34-11, Jr. (Dec 3-1)

5th Place Match

• Kaleb Beeter (Bishop Ryan) 33-9, Sr. over Michael Thomas (Velva) 28-10, Jr. (Dec 5-1)

7th Place Match

• Brady Volk (Rugby) 32-20, Jr. over Quinn Lindenberg (Napoleon) 13-19, Jr. (MD 9-0)

160

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Jake Herr of South Border
• 2nd Place – Nathan Weigel of Napoleon
• 3rd Place – Ethan Carruth of Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm
• 4th Place – Gavin Wright of Hillsboro-Central Valley
• 5th Place – Zach Andersen of Killdeer
• 6th Place – Jaden Schmidt of Lisbon
• 7th Place – Jacob Ruggles of Bowman County
• 8th Place – Tristan Pekas of Hettinger-Scranton

1st Place Match

• Jake Herr (South Border) 27-3, Jr. over Nathan Weigel (Napoleon) 29-2, Sr. (Dec 5-2)

3rd Place Match

• Ethan Carruth (Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm) 30-8, Jr. over Gavin Wright (Hillsboro-Central Valley) 25-13, Jr. (Dec 4-3)

5th Place Match

• Zach Andersen (Killdeer) 37-9, So. over Jaden Schmidt (Lisbon) 19-18, So. (MD 9-1)

7th Place Match

• Jacob Ruggles (Bowman County) 26-15, Sr. over Tristan Pekas (Hettinger-Scranton) 21-21, 8th. (Fall 3:56)

170

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Garrett Jangula of Napoleon
• 2nd Place – Clayton Mattern of Bowman County
• 3rd Place – Bridger Mathern of Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm
• 4th Place – Marc Seyer of Oakes
• 5th Place – Bryce Selzler of Velva
• 6th Place – Cody Luck of Bishop Ryan
• 7th Place – John Tomjack of Killdeer
• 8th Place – Averey Dick of Lisbon

1st Place Match

• Garrett Jangula (Napoleon) 29-0, Jr. over Clayton Mattern (Bowman County) 35-5, Sr. (Dec 5-4)

3rd Place Match

• Bridger Mathern (Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm) 25-12, Jr. over Marc Seyer (Oakes) 25-10, So. (Fall 2:30)

5th Place Match

• Bryce Selzler (Velva) 17-5, So. over Cody Luck (Bishop Ryan) 31-12, Sr. (SV-1 14-12)

7th Place Match

• John Tomjack (Killdeer) 15-13, Jr. over Averey Dick (Lisbon) 15-15, So. (Fall 0:56)

182

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Mark Hastings of Hillsboro-Central Valley
• 2nd Place – Isaiah Huus of New Salem-Almont
• 3rd Place – Logan Sell of Oakes
• 4th Place – Levi Schwab of Lisbon
• 5th Place – Corbin Okeson of Bishop Ryan
• 6th Place – Beau Retzlaff of Carrington
• 7th Place – Elliot Dockter of Harvey-Wells County
• 8th Place – Dominick Harrison of Standing Rock

1st Place Match

• Mark Hastings (Hillsboro-Central Valley) 34-3, Sr. over Isaiah Huus (New Salem-Almont) 31-7, Fr. (Dec 2-1)

3rd Place Match

• Logan Sell (Oakes) 31-10, Jr. over Levi Schwab (Lisbon) 26-8, Sr. (TB-1 4-0)

5th Place Match

• Corbin Okeson (Bishop Ryan) 43-4, Jr. over Beau Retzlaff (Carrington) 21-18, So. (Fall 1:56)

7th Place Match

• Elliot Dockter (Harvey-Wells County) 20-15, Sr. over Dominick Harrison (Standing Rock) 24-11, Sr. (Fall 1:28)

195

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Coy Spooner of Deslacs-Burlington
• 2nd Place – Gavin Reinke of Lisbon
• 3rd Place – Peyton Grunefelder of Napoleon
• 4th Place – Colton Buskness of Carrington
• 5th Place – Wyatt Hanson of Velva
• 6th Place – Ethan Ellingson of Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm
• 7th Place – Mitch Stuber of Bowman County
• 8th Place – Kersey Harris of Bishop Ryan

1st Place Match

• Coy Spooner (Deslacs-Burlington) 28-0, Jr. over Gavin Reinke (Lisbon) 28-5, Sr. (MD 11-2)

3rd Place Match

• Peyton Grunefelder (Napoleon) 26-8, Jr. over Colton Buskness (Carrington) 36-10, Jr. (Dec 8-1)

5th Place Match

• Wyatt Hanson (Velva) 15-11, So. over Ethan Ellingson (Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm) 22-9, Jr. (Dec 3-1)

7th Place Match

• Mitch Stuber (Bowman County) 26-12, Jr. over Kersey Harris (Bishop Ryan) 18-10, Jr. (M. For.)

220

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Beau Jeffers of Bowman County
• 2nd Place – Adam Morman of New Salem-Almont
• 3rd Place – Collin Mertz of Harvey-Wells County
• 4th Place – Hunter Greenmyer of Oakes
• 5th Place – Jerimiah Jespersen of Velva
• 6th Place – Kaden Sago of Beulah-Hazen
• 7th Place – Hunter Wolf of South Border
• 8th Place – Trystin Horning of Northern Lights

1st Place Match

• Beau Jeffers (Bowman County) 39-4, Sr. over Adam Morman (New Salem-Almont) 30-7, Jr. (Fall 2:43)

3rd Place Match

• Collin Mertz (Harvey-Wells County) 29-10, Sr. over Hunter Greenmyer (Oakes) 32-17, Jr. (Fall 2:50)

5th Place Match

• Jerimiah Jespersen (Velva) 19-12, So. over Kaden Sago (Beulah-Hazen) 24-9, Sr. (M. For.)

7th Place Match

• Hunter Wolf (South Border) 18-15, Jr. over Trystin Horning (Northern Lights) 17-19, Sr. (Fall 0:32)

285

Guaranteed Places

• 1st Place – Riley Molter of South Border
• 2nd Place – Max Defender of Northern Lights
• 3rd Place – Ben Shearer of Lisbon
• 4th Place – Curtis Hall of Killdeer
• 5th Place – Keegan Henjum of Bishop Ryan
• 6th Place – Kutter Blumhagen of Velva
• 7th Place – Nate Boehm of Bowman County
• 8th Place – Andrew Miller of Napoleon

1st Place Match

• Riley Molter (South Border) 18-0, Sr. over Max Defender (Northern Lights) 25-7, Sr. (TB-1 2-1)

3rd Place Match

• Ben Shearer (Lisbon) 22-6, Sr. over Curtis Hall (Killdeer) 35-10, Sr. (Fall 1:59)

5th Place Match

• Keegan Henjum (Bishop Ryan) 28-8, Jr. over Kutter Blumhagen (Velva) 13-10, Sr. (Dec 4-2)

7th Place Match

• Nate Boehm (Bowman County) 24-14, Jr. over Andrew Miller (Napoleon) 18-12, Sr. (Fall 2:27)