The Anatomy of a Dual - Govs Defeat Aberdeen 34-27

On any given evening, there are a number of factors that can contribute to winning an important conference dual match-up in the ESD.  Earning bonus points, fending off bonus points, staying healthy, and depth in the line-up to allow a coach to bump wrestlers at key weights just to name a few.  However, for the past few years the Pierre Governor and Aberdeen Golden Eagle ESD dual have come down to one essential element: winning the coin-toss to start the dual.  If you read my blog post after the Golden Eagle victory last year, even the novice wrestling fan can come to appreciate how the requirement to show at critical swing weights can change the outcome of the dual. The match-up tonight didn't disappoint, as the Governors came into the dual evaluating a number of possible scenarios for thier lineup, with many of their preferred strategies needing Aberdeen to show at 106lbs, and then every other weight class throughout the remainder of the dual. Head coach Shawn Lewis indicated “Duals are all about getting the proper match-ups.  We knew beforehand the match-ups that we would like as they move their lineup around frequently.  Winning the coin flip allows us to determine the match-ups at the weight classes that we thought were key.”

Jace Bench-Bresher finishes a takedown on Aberdeen's Ethan Allen in their 113lbs match.  Bench-Bresher went on to earn the major decision 14-4 in the second match of the dual.

After the Governors won the opening toss, Aberdeen was required to check in first to begin the dual and presented #6 ranked Brendon Salfrank at 106lbs.  The Governors were short Hayden Shaffer due to illness, and sophomore Will Van Camp filled in, but lost by fall late in the first period.  Jace Bench-Bresher approaching the technical fall in the 113lb match against Ethan Allen, finished with a 14-4 victory to bring the Governors within two points with the major decision.  With Lincoln Turman coming off knee surgery just five days ago, the Governors had limited options at the 120lbs weight class, having weighed in both Turman and Daniel Tafoya in order to assess the wrestler that Aberdeen would submit to the table. If #2 ranked Jacob Moore reported, then Tafoya would wrestle for the Governors, but the Golden Eagles bumped up 113lb junior varsity wrestler Brock Martin allowing Turman the opportunity to wrestle.  Turman secured a :16 second pin to put the Governors in the lead which they would retain for the remainder of the dual.  Jacob Moore came out to wrestle Jack Van Camp, and following an impressive outing by Van Camp the third period concluded with a 9-8 victory by Moore to secure the decision for the Golden Eagles and bring the dual within one point.  

Cade Hinkle defends again the shot from Garrett Mitzel on his way to a 7-0 victory at the 138lbs weight class.

# 1 ranked William Turman secured an early first period pin over Logan Beadle at 132lbs, followed by a solid 7-0 victory by Cade Hinkle at 138lbs over Garrett Mitzell to firm up a 19-9 lead for the Governors.  At the 145lb weight class, #1 ranked Michael Lusk earned the major over Austin Cihak with a 18-8 victory, which was followed by a 5-4 victory for Aberdeen's Will Jarrott over Barry Browning at 152lbs.  Tied up 4-4 with less than :20 second left, Browning was hit with his second stalling call to generate the critical one point victory for Jarrott resulting in a 23-12 lead for the Governors.  Force to check in first at 160lbs, Aberdeen advanced #1 ranked Colin Haar who faced Logan Meyer as he could fill in as an alternate at either 160 or 170lbs for the Governors.  Despite keeping the gap close at the end of the first period, Meyer lost by fall to Haar in the second.  “We as a coaching staff felt that this dual was going to be won or lost by one match,” said assistant coach Travis Heasley.  “We needed the ones that our kids were supposed to win, and the ones that were in tough matches not to give up bonus points.  For the most part we did that.  Two matches that could really turn the dual for us were Jack Van Camp at 126lbs vs. #2 in the state at 120lbs, and Barry Browning against another ranked wrestler at 152lbs.  I felt both wrestled well and Jack had a great chance at an upset.  I felt that as a team we wrestled the best we have all year.” 

Stepping in against # 1 ranked Collin Haar of Aberdeen, Logan Meyer works to fight off a leg attack during the first period of the 160lbs match. 

Lewis bumped Austin Senger up to 170lbs to face Dillon Stoebner and scored an important takedown at the edge of the match as time expired in the third to win 15-4 and secure the major decision.  This then pushed Maguire Raske to 182lbs where he faced Brock Baker, and despite giving up the considerable size advantage was able to pull out the 4-2 victory and extending the Governors lead to 31-18. With three weight classes remaining and still an opportunity for the Golden Eagles to secure the victory with bonus points, Gage Gehring pulled out the critical 10-1 major decision over Alex Hopfinger at 195lbs and put the dual out of reach.  “The dual went pretty much as planned down low due to winning the coin flip,” said Lewis.  “We made a move at 160, bumping kids up from there.  Those match-ups we knew would be key to win 170 through 195.  Those ultimately sealed the deal.  Wrestling up a weight class is tough but Raske and Senger proved they were tougher.”

Austin Senger elevates Dillon Stoebner during thier 170lbs match during the closing seconds of the 2nd period.  Senger went on to secure the major decision 15-6.

At 220lbs, Gunnar Gehring lost by pin against Noah Fullmer bringing the dual within ten points. In the heavyweight match, Pryce Dyk squared off against #3 ranked Kaden Johnson.  In their two previous match-ups, Dyk lost 3-1 at the Watertown duals, and then a 3-1 overtime loss in the quarterfinals of the Rapid City Invitational.  Tonight, Dyk suffered a similar fate as Johnson secured a late takedown as time expired in the second period to take a 2-1 lead. He followed that up with an escape early in the third to produce a 3-1 victor and bring the Golden Eagles within seven.  However as the dual came to a close the Governors were able to generate the important ESD victory to bring their conference record to 1-1 and still be in the hunt for an ESD title. In reflecting on the victory, Lewis noted “Staying in the hunt for the ESD was goal number one tonight.  It makes every dual from this point forward a must win.  If we would have taken a loss we would have been out of the hunt, and may have looked for match-ups in duals rather than a focus of winning first.” 

Maguire Raske works to turn Brock Baker in the 182lb matchup, which Raske went on to win 4-2.  

Over the past six years, Governor wrestlers have become accustomed to entering every dual with an opportunity for a team victory.  This has required many to sacrifice for the team to secure the dual win.  In some instances, wrestlers are bumped from winnable matches against opponents at their designated weight classes and walk onto the mat with a primary goal of keeping the match close.  Heasley noted that “I think the wrestlers approach it with a team first mentality.  In duals we have had so far this year we have needed to shift some wrestlers, and we haven’t heard one complaint about being bumped.  They go out and try to do their job every time.” The Governor wrestling team has earned a much needed break as they will be out of action until January 5^th when they travel to the Bismarck Rotary in North Dakota.  A year ago, the team returned from a short Christmas break to begin preparing for their invitation to The Clash. Individual performances for each of the Governor wrestlers tonight include:

• 106lbs - #6 Bendon Sulfrank won by fall over Will Van Camp
• 113lbs - Jace Bench-Bresher won by major decision over Ethan Allen 14-4
• 120lbs - #1 Lincoln Turman won by fall over Brock Martin 
• 126lbs - #2 Jacob Moore won by decision over Jack Van Camp 9-8
• 132lbs - #1 William Turman son by fall over Logan Beadle 
• 138lbs - #8 Cade Hinkle won by decision over Garrett Mitzel 7-0
• 145lbs - #1 Michael Lusk won by major decision over #6 Austin Cihak 18-8
• 152lbs - #5 Will Jarrott won by decision over #4 Barry Browning 5-4
• 160lbs - #1 Collin Haar won by fall over Logan Meyer
• 170lbs - #3 Austin Senger won by major decision over Dillon Stoebner 15-6
• 182lbs - Maguire Raske won by decision over Brock Backer 4-2
• 195lbs - Gage Gehring won by major decision over Alex Hopfinger 10-1
• 220lbs - Noah Fullmer won by fall over Gunnar Ghering
• 285lbs - #3 Kaden Johnson won by decision over #7 Pryce Dyk 3-1

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Second Place Finish for Governors at Elk-Point Jefferson

Coming off an impressive team victory at the Rapid City Invite last week, the Governor Wrestling team traveled to the Elk-Point Jefferson Tournament on Saturday to face Class B #1 ranked Canton and a number of other regional teams from Iowa and Nebraska.  Nursing a number of injuries and illness, the Governors were short three Rapid City Invite finalists in L. Turman, Lusk and Bench-Bresher, yet finished in second in Elk-Point with a total of 207 points behind Canton which racked up 291 points with six individual champions.  Attending the tournament for the first time in 2014, the Governors won team titles at that initial entry and again in 2015.  The tournament was cancelled last year due to weather, but the event serves as an opportunity for the Governors to compete against some of the top ranked wrestlers from the B's.  Head coach Shawn Lewis indicated, "As a coach, I feel it is my job to make sure we get to see the best competition and a variety of opponents.  With the make up of our schedule, the EPJ tournament provides us the opportunity to see some Iowa, Nebraska, and solid class B schools.  I also helped start this tournament at the beginning of my coaching career and enjoy seeing our kids compete in it."  Despite being slightly shorthanded, the Governors still produced one champion in Maguire Raske, three additional finalist (Van Camp, W. Turman & Browning), and seven other wrestlers in the top six at the tournament.  

Coming in with the #2 seed at 170lbs, Maguire Raske advanced into the finals with a tech fall over Derek Anderson (Hinton, IA), and then a 7-4 victory over Laubach (Canton) in the semifinals.  Facing #5 ranked Collin Becker (Dakota Valley) in the championship match, Raske found himself down 3-0 in the second period but came out on top off a scramble situation and secured the pin to win his first varsity tournament.  After the match Lewis said "Maguire finally wrestled up to his potential this weekend. It is scary to think he is only a freshman and is one of the hardest workers on our team.  He has really made efforts the last couple of weeks to push himself and fix his mistakes.  Him winning his first championship is only one of many to come for him."  

Three other Governors advanced to the finals along with Raske.  At 126lbs, Jack Van Camp secured victories by fall against Garvin (Elk Point) and Murtha (Parkston), but then lost in the finals to #1 ranked, and returning state champion, Kellyn March (Canton).  After a first round bye, Barry Browning won by pin over Kohler (Parkston) in the quarterfinals and then produced a commanding 7-0 victory over #7 ranked Eldeen (Parker).  In the finals, Browning eventually lost a 5-2 decision against #3 ranked Scott Peterson (Canton).  "Despite finishing as runner-up, Barry looked good in his process," said Lewis. "He continues to get better every week, and his fast paced style is starting to click and his offense is electric.  Barry is lightening quick and he is starting to trust himself to use that on the mat."  One of the most highly anticipated matches of the weekend pitted a pair of three time state champions in William Turman and Caden Lamer (Tri-Valley).  In route to the finals, Turman won by tech fall over Salker (West Sioux, IA) and then a pair of first period pins against Troia (Millard North, NE) and Swatek (Elk-Point).  Lamer came out on top after a scramble late in the first period and Turman trailed for the remainder of the match.  A number of late shots in the third period could not generate a much needed takedown to tie the score, and Turman suffered his first loss of the season by a 5-3 decision.  When reflecting on the matchup Travis Heasley, assistant coach, noted "This match between Will and Lamer certainly lived up to its billing.  I think the biggest takeaway I took out of it is that Will wrestles to win every time.  He doesn't wrestle not to lose and he wasn't afraid to try something new against the best competition in the state.  I know as a coaching staff we really appreciate that kind of competitiveness."

Hayden Shaffer had another solid performance over the weekend with a third place finish.  Despite a win by pin over Hueser (Elk Point) in the quarterfinals, Shaffer lost to Riley Weber (Parkston) in the semifinals but returned with a 8-1 win in the consolation wrestle-backs and produced a second period pin against Issac Crownover (Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon) to finish the tournament.  After a 2-2 finish at the RC invite, Cade Hinkle rebounded with a third place finish in Elk-Point.  A quarterfinal win over Schuller (West Sioux, IA) then produced a matchup against #2 ranked Dominesse (Canton) in the semifinals.  Despite a 4-1 lead late in the second period, Hinkle lost by pin.  Hinkle finished strong with a pin in the wrestle backs and a 8-0 major decision in the consolation finals against Schuller (West Sioux, IA). In one of the most competitive weight-classes, Austin Senger faced #1B ranked Shaeden Scheidt (Canton) in the semifinals and lost a 5-0 decision (Iowa state champion John Henrich secured the #1 seed).  On the backside, Senger then won by major decision and then by 8-4 decision against Crownover (Bon Homme) to finish third.  Two additional Governors finished third including Gage Gehring and Pryce Dyk.  Gehring lost in the semifinals, but returned with a 9-1 major decision to advance into the consolation finals where he defeated Lesser (Millard North, NE) by pin.  Despite a close 5-2 loss against Marquez (West Sioux, IA), Dyk earned six bonus points for the Governors with three pins including his final match against Shiney (Millard North, NE) to finish third.  

Filling in for an injured Michael Lusk, junior Lee Snyder finished fourth overall.  Just one of two Governor's with an opening round match, Snyder won by pin against Langley (Elk Point) then was knocked back to the wrestle-backs following a 8-7 loss to Stene (Beresford).  Following three wins in the consolation side of his bracket, Snyder faced Stene again, but lost 4-0 to finish fourth.  Lastley, Gunnar Gehring finished 6th overall following a 9-2 loss in the quarterfinals to Baldwin (Canton).  A :14 second pin over Gengler (Hinton, IA) in the wrestle-backs advanced Gehring into the placing rounds but he fell short in his final two matches. 

This week the Governors will be preparing for one last competition prior to the holiday break as they travel to Aberdeen for a critical ESD dual against the Golden Eagles. Lewis concluded, "We will focus on getting ourselves ready for Aberdeen over the next three days.  We all have individual match-ups and are very familiar with the Golden Eagles.  It will also be a focus of mental preparation as that was lacking in our performance in Elk-Point.  Getting sicknesses to run their course and get them out of our room would be helpful."  Individual performances for each Governor wrestler over the weekend include:

• 106 - Hayden Shaffer - 3rd (3-1)
• 126 - Jack Van Camp - 2nd (2-1)
• 132 - William Turman - 2nd (3-1)
• 138 - Cade Hinkle - 3rd (3-1)
• 145 - Lee Snyder- 4th (4-2)
• 152 - Barry Browning - 2nd (2-1)
• 160 - Austin Senger - 3rd (3-1)
• 170 - Maguire Raske - 1st (3-0)
• 182 - Garrett Leesman - DNP (0-2)
• 195 - Gage Gehring - 3rd (3-1)
• 220 - Gunner Gehring - 6th (1-3)
• 285 - Pryce Dyk - 2nd (3-1)

Governors Make it Three Straight at Rapid Invite

This past Friday and Saturday, the Governor Wrestling program headed west to compete at the Rapid City Invitation following a disappointing fifth place finish at the Watertown Dual Tournament last weekend. Having set the tournament team point record in 2015 (and then exceeding it last year), uncertainty abound as to whether Pierre had the horsepower to compete with the best teams in the region.  Despite both entering the tournament tied for third in the team rankings, Pierre and Rapid City Steven would battle back and forth every round until the final HWT matches.  A pin by Pryce Dyk in his seventh place match helped closed the deal for Pierre helping them earn their third straight Rapid City Invitation team title.  After the second round, the Governors found themselves in third place with 72 points just 9.5 behind Stevens.  However, as the quarterfinal round concluded the team garnered the lead with 114 points generated from five Governors advancing into the semifinals (Bench-Bresher, Turman, Turman, Lusk and Senger).  Although matched-up closely with Stevens who also had five semifinalists, the Governors were successful in advancing four into the finals compared to only three for Stevens.  However, twelve Stevens' wrestlers secured wins to ensure a top 8 finish compared to only nine Governors allowing them to take a 197 to 194 lead going into the final round.  As the dust settled, the Governors produced enough wins stemming from bonus points (tournament high of 29 pins) to win 214 to 211, and maintain their reign as tournament champions.  When reflecting on the victory over the weekend head coach Shawn Lewis noted "This week our kids were more mentally prepared.  They had a chip on their shoulder after last weekend and wanted to prove to themselves and everyone else that this team has what it takes in order to make a run at a state title.  Couple that with getting a few kids healthier, and the result speaks for itself." 

The Pierre Governor Wrestling team takes their place on the award stand after winning their third straight Rapid City Invitational.

Lincoln Turman won his third straight Rapid City Invitation with a 3-0 victory over #2 ranked Jacob Moore from Aberdeen.  In route to the finals, Turman pinned Centore (Douglas) and Bissonnette (Hot Springs) in the opening rounds and concluded with a major decision over Bauder (Mitchell), and a close 1 point victory over Powell (Chamberlain) in the semifinals.  The win over Moore resulted in Lincoln becoming the first Governor wrestler to win three individual championships at this event.  "Lincoln becoming the first Governor to win three RC titles is something that I never thought about," said Lewis.  "You just don't have time to think about that stuff when you embrace the one match at a time mentality.  That is something that Lincoln does very well.  He makes sure he is prepared to go into battle each and every time out there and in every position.  As offensive as he is, he is even harder to score on.  Mentally and physically, no one is more prepared than Lincoln."

Lincoln Turman ties up Aberdeen's Jacob Moore as time expires in their championship match.  Turman went on to win 3-0 and earned his third straight tournament title. 

Immediately following Lincoln's victory at 120lbs, William Turman earned his second Rapid Invite title with a close 4-3 victory over returning state champion Spencer Stockman.  Turman had previously won this event in 2014 at 106lbs, but lost to three time North Dakota state champion Kyle Burwick (Hettinger, ND) the past two years.  Similar to his brother, William earned twenty-nine team points including 2 pins in the opening rounds, a major over Morrison (RC Central), and a 9-5 win over Lemus (Laramie, WY) in the semifinals.   

William Turman secures a reversal over Spencer Stockman (Stevens) during their championship match.  Turman finished the match with a 4-3 victory. 

Two other Governors advanced to the finals on Saturday including Michael Lusk who has previously ended his last two RC Invites on top of the podium.  In route to the finals, Lusk defeated Hagen (Hot Springs) and Preble (RC Central) in the opening rounds before earning the major decision over Jacobs (Sturgis) in the semifinals.  Despite taking the lead early in the finals match against #1 North Dakota ranked Devin Steidler (Bismarck, ND), Lusk fell behind 4-3 on a takedown late in the third period and was unable to garner an escape to tie the match as time expired.  Jace Bench-Bresher retained his undefeated season into the finals coming in as a sixth seed in the tournament.  He racked up bonus points in his first three matches with two pins and a major decision before defeating Williams (Lennox) 7-2 in the semifinal bout.  Bench-Bresher faced unseeded Reese Osborne (Sheridan, WY) in the final, but lost 6-2 to finish in the runner-up position.  Osborne had pinned his way into the finals having knocked off the #3 and #4 rated wrestlers in South Dakota.

Michael Lusk works to take down Kody Hagen (Hot Springs) in their opening match.  Lusk earned the 8-6 victory and finished as runner up at the event. 

Austin Senger also advanced to the semifinals where he faced off against Briggs Havlik (Mitchell) where he lost a 3-1 decision resulting from a takedown by Havlik as time expired in the third period.  Despite the loss, Senger returned in the consolation side of the bracket and finished his final two matches with pins over Scheett (Legacy HS, ND) and Durham (St. Thomas More) to add to his three previous pins at the tournament.  Overall, Senger generated ten bonus points for the Governors over the two days, and matched company with Spencer Sarringar to become only the second Governor to place five times at this event.  When reflecting on the slight setback for two of his seniors, Travis Heasley, assistant coach, stated "Michael and Austin will be right at the top at the end of the year.  They are both ruthless competitors and know what it takes to win.  Losses this weekend will just fuel them for the rest of the season." 

Despite a 1-3 record last week, Hayden Shaffer excelled in his second weekend in the Governor singlet placing fifth overall.  After a bye in the opening round, Shaffer lost to #1 ranked Eli Fischer (Milbank) and proceeded to win by pin or major decision into the final round.  By tournament end, Shaffer had racked up nine bonus points resulting from four pins and one major decision.  Heasley noted "Hayden has not had it easy, over half of his matches this year have been against top five kids.  In practice we have been working on some small things to get him better on his feet, and I felt this weekend we saw him trying some of those things.  When he is on top he is great at breaking them down and looking for a pin.  Hayden is a kid every coach wants on their team because he constantly wants to get better.  He is always asking how to do something better and will drill it until he's got it.  He will just keep getting better and better." Jack Van Camp also produced a number of significant wins at the tournament including a second round victory over #5 ranked Daynon Huber (Huron).  Following a loss to eventual champion Kyle Burwick (Hettinger, ND) in the quarterfinals, Van Camp added an additional pin to his first round win and a major decision before losing 4-2 in the fifth place match to Dylan Anderson (Natrona, WY).

Jack Van Camp scores the reversal late in his match against #5 ranked Daynon Huber (Huron) to secure an 8-4 victory.  Van Camp went on to finish 6th at the event. 

Finishing out the placers for the Governor's include Barry Browning (152lbs) and Pryce Dyk (285).  Browning was defeated 7-3 against Nate Allen (Stevens) in the second round, yet returned with two pins and a 9-6 decision over Colton Jackson (Douglas) before facing Nate Allen again in the wrestle-backs.  After a 4-2 loss, Browning secured 7th place with a 3-1 victory over Tanner Skaare (RC Central).  Dyk opened the tournament with a pin over YellowWolf (SF Washington), but fell to Kaden Johnson (Aberdeen) as time expired in sudden victory 3-1.  Dyk returned to pin Caleb Dagel (Roosevelt) and concluded the tournament with a second round pin over Marcus Glick (Thunder Basin) to lock the team victory for the Governors with the win and bonus points. 

Despite not placing at the event, the team title would have been unattainable without individual points earned by the remaining Governor wrestlers.  Cade Hinkle won by fall over his first two opponents before going 2-2 at the event.  Gage Gehring also won by pin in the opening round before losing to the top North Dakota wrestler at his weight (Kaylor - Legacy).  In the wrestle backs he generated a pin, before losing to Evan Hehr (Spearfish) in the third round.  Freshman Maguire Raske advanced to the quarterfinals with two opening round pins, before losing in the closing seconds of that match to Isaac Anderson (Hettinger, ND).  In the wrestle-backs Raske lost his final match 9-1 against Riley Mitchell (Thunder Basin-Gillette, WY).  At 220lbs, Gunnar Gehring won in the opening round before losing to Shraiber (Natrona, WY).  In the wrestler-backs he generated bonus points with a pin before suffering his final loss to Waylon Marshall (Todd County).  Finally, James Lees competed at 182lbs for the Governors going 0-2 on Friday.  Three additional Governors competed as unattached wrestlers including Will Van Camp (0-2), Lee Snyder (2-2), and Logan Meyer (2-2).

Cade Hinkle locks in a front cradle against Chance Davis (Legacy) in the wrestle-backs on Saturday.  Hinkle finished 2-2 at the tournament. 

When reflecting on the promising elements from the team's performance Lewis noted " Hayden Shaffer placing 5th as an 8th grader was great to see.  He has had a gauntlet of matches to start the year.  Jace Bench-Bresher making the finals.  He just keeps improving and his offensive attacks on his feet are strong." This coming weekend the Governors will travel to Elk Point where they will compete against the top Class B talent in the state, including a loaded Canton team that is currently rated #1 in that class.  The tournament will produce a number of significant match-ups including #1 ranked William Turman and Caden Lamer, both of whom have generated three state championships over the past three years. Overall performance for each Governor wrestler this past weekend includes:

• 106 - Hayden Shaffer - 5th (5-2)
• 113 - Jace Bench-Bresher - 2nd (4-1)
• 120 - Lincoln Turman - 1st (5-0)
• 126 - Jack Van Camp - 6th (4-3)
• 132 - William Turman - 1st (5-0)
• 138 - Cade Hinkle - DNP (2-2)
• 145 - Michael Lusk - 2nd (4-1)
• 152 - Barry Browning - 7th (4-2)
• 160 - Austin Senger - 3rd (6-1)
• 170 - Maguire Raske - DNP (2-2)
• 182 - James Lees - DNP (0-2)
• 195 - Gage Gehring - DNP (2-2)
• 220 - Gunner Gehring - DNP (2-2)
• 285 - Pryce Dyk - 7th (4-2)

Governors Finish 3-1 at Watertown Duals

After winning three straight Class A Wrestling titles, and five over the last six years, Governor wrestling fans have come to hold high expectations for their team at the beginning of every season.  With these high expectations, the Governor program kicked off the 2017-18 season on Saturday at the annual Watertown Dual tournament.  Solidified by six experienced seniors in Lincoln Turman, Michael Lusk, Barry Browning, Austin Senger, Logan Meyer and Pryce Dyk, and three other returning state qualifiers the Governors lost a key matchup against Watertown in the opening round, then rallied to finish 3-1 on the day against two other top five programs.  The team was without William Turman, Garrett Leesman, and Gunnar Gehring who are expected to return to action in the coming weeks.  

Two time returning state champion Michael Lusk works to turn Garrett Mitzel during the final dual against Aberdeen.  Lusk went on to earn the first period pin to finish 3-0 on the day.

In their opening dual, the Governors wrestled a solid Watertown Arrow team which also served as the ESD matchup for the year.  In his first outing in a Governor singlet, Hayden Shaffer faced off against #2 ranked Ty Altholff and lost a 9-5 decision.  This was followed up by a major decision for Jace Bench-Bresher over Ben Althoff, and a technical fall for Lincoln Turman against Mason Stoick.  With the 9-3 lead, the Governors suffered three straight losses at 126 through 138lbs. With William Turman sitting out to recover from knee surgery, Tyson Johnson filled in at 126 and lost by tech fall in his match-up with #5 ranked Robert Coyle.  Up a weight class, Jack Van Camp lost a 9-3 decision against Peyton Johnson, and despite holding a lead late into the 3rd period, Cade Hinkle suffered a pin with time expiring.  Two time returning state champion Michael Lusk brought the Governors back within five with a 9-3 win over Jake Werner, but Watertown regained a eight point gap with a 9-3 victory for Nathan Tuttle over Barry Browning.  

For the remainder of the dual, the two teams traded victories with a pin by Austin Senger at 160lbs, then a 3-2 loss by Maguire Raske against Sam Stroup.  Logan Meyer lost by pin against Jayden Hartford, yet those points were recouped with a pin for Gage Gehring over Ledgend Thorson at 195lbs.  Lincoln Stahl won by pin over Wesley Harsma late in the first period as he stepped in to fill the 220lb spot for Gunner Gehring due to injury, and the dual concluded with a 7-2 loss for Pryce Dyk against #2 ranked Dane Stahl.  As the dust settled, the Governors suffered their first dual loss at the Watertown Invite during the past two years and start off the ESD season with a 38-24 loss.  In reflecting on the initial outing for the team, Governor head coach Shawn Lewis noted "We wrestled like our overall team is currently, 'inexperienced.' We had many highs and lows, at times looked great, and at times looked bad.  That comes with inexperience.  Those things will need to work themselves out soon."

Gage Gehring elevates Ledgend Thorson during their 182lb match in the first dual against Watertown.  Gehring eventually secured the win with a third period pin. 

When reflecting on the performance of the Governors opening dual, assistant coach Travis Heasley stated, "I think as a team we wrestled flat and didn't have the drive we needed to win close matches.  We had a couple of matches we were in control and allowed our opponent to get back into the match and win.  We have a few that are wrestling some heavier weights than they are used to, and it will take a little time to figure out how to wrestle those weights.  I know that against Watertown, 170 was a match we needed, as well as 132 and 138.  However, there were other places we left points that we needed.  The dual was a wake-up call for a few and a learning experience for others."  

  Barry Browning secures a take down against Watertown's Nathan Tuttle during their 152lb match.  Browning finished the day with a 2-2 performance for the Governors. 

During the second round, the Governors squared off against Harrisburg, earning wins at the first four weight classes resulting in a 20-0 lead.  Shaffer secured his first Governor win with a pin over Kayden Kummer, followed up by a major decision for Bench-Bresher over Hirschkorn 10-2.  Lincoln Turman won by fall over Blakney, and Van Camp majored Dylan Hage 11-3.  Daniel Tafoya stepped in at 132lbs and was pinned by Jacob Hanssen, followed a loss by fall for Hinkle against Nolan Hoback.  The Governors then traded a series of wins over the next four weight classes starting with a major decision for Michael Lusk over Quinton Abrahamson, and a last second loss for Browning against Mason Shoenhard 4-3.  Austin Senger defeated Ryan Meyer 5-1 at 160lbs, followed by a pin for Nick Schirado over Logan Meyer.  Maguire Raske shifted up to 182lbs to earn a tech fall over Gulbranson to maintain a 31-21 lead for the Governors.  However with two pins for Harrisburg for Tassler against Gehring, and Warzecha over Harsma the dual came down to the HWT match between two rated opponents in Sam Detert and Pryce Dyk.  Down 1-0 going late into the third period, Dyk was able to hit a Peterson roll from the bottom to secure Detert on his back and generate the pin for the Governors resulting in a 37-33 victory.  Following the win Lewis stated "Pryce solidified himself as a contender at HWT as he battled three really rough heavyweights today.  He was in every single match and did a bunch of great things.  If he keeps working as hard as he has been, stays focused on the end goal, and trusts his coaches, he will be in the mix with a handful of heavyweights vying for medals come February."

Pryce Dyk earns the critical pin against Sam Detert of Harrisburg to secure the 37-33 victory over Harrisburg.  Dyk finished the day with a 2-2 record overall. 

To conclude pool play, the Governors wrestled Milbank who put their first points on the board with a 8-3 victory for Eli Fischer over Shaffer in the 106lbs matchup.  The Governors then proceeded to put up 54 unanswered points until Isaac Fischer defeated Logan Meyer 5-2 in the 182lbs weight class.  Bench Bresher, Turman, Van Camp, Johnson, Hinkle, Lee Snyder, Browning, Senger and Raske each earned either pins or forfeits in their matches.  Tanner Kettwig defeated James Lees 5-2 to generate the final 9 points for Milbank, as Gehring and Dyk both finished with forfeits resulting in a 66-9 victory.  As the Governors were wrestling Milbank, the Watertown Arrows were defeated by Harrisburg resulting in a three way tie in the pool with three teams finishing 2-1.  In the other pool Huron, Aberdeen, and Mitchel also each finished 2-1 and the tournament directors went to criteria to determine where teams would advance for the placing round.  Total team points were used, and the Governors finished with 127, followed by 132 by Watertown, and 135 for Harrisburg. As a result, the Governors finished third in their pool and were set to wrestle Aberdeen for 5th in the placing round.  Harrisburg went on to tie with Mitchell in the championship match which was eventually awarded to Harrisburg based on criteria. 

Hayden Shaffer catches Harrisburg's Kayden Kummer in a cradle during the opening match of the dual.  Shaffer eventually secured the pin in the first period. 

The fifth place dual came down to two teams who have won six of the last Class A team titles.  Brenden Salfrank started Aberdeen on the board with a pin over Shaffer.  Bench-Bresher then defeated Ethan Allen 7-1 and Lincoln Turman pinned Martin in the first period to create a 9-6 lead.  Jacob Moore then pinned Johnson at 126lbs, and Van Camp generated the first period pin over Beadle to increase the Governors lead 15-12.  The Governors came out on top for the next four matches with first period pins for Hinkle, Lusk and Browning followed by a 5-3 win by Senger over Will Jarrott to extend the lead to 36-12.  The Golden Eagles countered with a 9-5 win by Collin Haar over Raske at 170, and a tech fall for Dillon Stoebner over Meyer at 182lbs.  Gage Gehring earned the first period pin over Hopfinger and Aberdeen generated the final nine points with a forfeit to Fullmer, and a 5-1 win by Kaden Johnson over Dyk at HWT.  

Austin Senger works to topple Aberdeen's Will Jarrott during their 160lb match-up.  Senger won 5-3 to generate a 36-12 lead for the Governors. 

Overall the Governors had four wrestlers that finished the day undefeated in Bench-Bresher, Lincoln Turman, Michael Lusk and Austin Senger.  Despite being a state qualifier at 126lbs last year, Bench-Bresher looked natural at his more ideal weight of 113lbs. Heasley, indicated, "I thought he wrestled great on his feet and stuck to his game and controlled the action.  He got into some bad positions on top but recovered and continued fighting."  

Jace Bench-Bresher drives to take down Ethan Allen during their 113lb match in the final dual against Aberdeen.  Bench-Bresher won a 7-1 decision in the match. 

This coming week the Governors will travel to Rapid City to compete at the highly competitive Rapid City Invitation.  The tournament includes 37 teams from both A and B programs across Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota.  In practice this week Lewis noted "We will focus on staying in better positions throughout the matches.  Our offense will be priority number one.  We have to take the things we do well and refine them until they are unstoppable."  The Governors have five returning place winners from last year’s Rapid City Invite including 6th place finish by Cade Hinkle, a 4th place finish for William Turman, runner-up for Austin Senger, and two time returning Rapid City Invite champions in Michael Lusk and Lincoln Turman.  

Lincoln Turman works to pin Brock Martin during their 120lbs match.  Turman won by fall and finished 4-0 on the day. 

The Governors will look to get back to their winning ways as they attempt to repeat as team champions at the event this coming Friday and Saturday. The overall performance for all Governor wrestlers during varsity action on Saturday includes:

• 106 - Hayden Shaffer - 1-3
• 113 - Jace Bench-Bresher - 4-0
• 120 - Lincoln Turman - 4-0
• 126 - Tyson Johnson/Daniel Tafoya - 0-4
• 132 - Jack Van Camp - 2-2
• 138 - Cade Hinkle - 2-2
• 145 - Michael Lusk - 3-0
• 152 - Barry Browning - 2-2
• 160 - Austin Senger - 4-0
• 170 - Maguire Raske - 2-2
• 182 - Logan Meyer - 0-3
• 195 - Gage Gehring - 3-1
• 220 - James Lees/Wesley Harsma - 0-3
• 285 - Pryce Dyk - 2-2

Governors Bring Home Their 3rd Straight Class A Title

Fans for the Governor Wrestling program have come to have high expectations when it comes to the Class A State Tournament competition.  Over the past five years, the Governors have been fortunate to bring home four championship and one runner-up trophy, along with twenty state finalist that were able to win nine individual state championships.  After this weekend's competition these impressive numbers can increase to five team titles, including three over the past three years, and thirteen state champions across twenty-four final appearances.  The Governors locked up the team title late on Saturday as nine of the thirteen qualifiers advanced into the placing round after competition on Friday, with all nine placing sixth or higher following the conclusion of the final round of action. 

The Governor Wrestling team poses with their State Championship trophy at the conclusion of the State Class A Tournament (photo courtesy of SDPBS)

At the conclusion of the first round things looked tight for the team race as the Governors established a 3.5 point lead over Sturgis.  That lead increased to 11.5 points after the second round wrestle backs as seven Governors advanced to the semifinals, and two others won in the wrestle backs to secure a spot on the podium.  A solid performance throughout the morning and early afternoon on Saturday allowed the gap to widen considerably and the Governors needed only one or two wins to ensure that Sturgis or Aberdeen Central could not mount a comeback during the closing round.  When the dust finally settled, the Governors had won seven of their nine closing bouts including all four championship matches and outscored Aberdeen Central 181.5 to 144.5 to win yet another State Class A title.  "Our overall performance during the state tournament was great," said head coach Shawn Lewis.  "It was filled with challenges as every state tournament is.  We had a bunch of kids battling sickness but pushing through it.  Friday we wrestled a bit tight, but as the tournament continues and matches got tougher we responded by wrestling our best.  When the tournament got tougher so did we."

Lincoln Turman advanced to the semifinals with a 5-0 win over Max Donovan from Chamberlain and then defeated Eli Kadoun from SF Roosevelt 6-2 to earn his second trip to the state finals.  Following his semifinal match, Turman was transported to the ER as he struggled to overcome flu-like symptoms.  After an IV to re-hydrate Turman faced off against #2 ranked Lucas Anglin who challenged him in two tight 2-0 and 3-1 matches earlier this year.  Scoreless after the first period, Turman escaped in the second period and then fought off attacks from Anglin for the three remaining minutes of the match to win 1-0 and repeat as a Class A State Champion following a 46-0 campaign at 106lbs last year.  "Not seeing Lincoln all day we were unsure of the condition he was in," said assistant coach John Wayne Kalda.  "We all saw how he felt after his semifinal match, which in itself was a gutsy performance.  When he did make it back he obviously wasn't himself.  He wasn't active. But there was a moment about five minutes before his match started where a switch flipped and he all of a sudden had a little bounce in his step.  Was it Adrenaline, IV's, determination to not let this opportunity to slip away?  No clue, but whatever it was we could tell good things were going to happen."  

Lincoln Turman works to earn an escape against Vermillion's Lucas Anglin during their championship match.  Turman was able to secure the 1-0 lead to repeat as Class A Champion (photo courtesy of SDPBS).

His twin brother William Turman won by pin over Robert Coyle from Watertown in the quarterfinals, then secure a 13-0 major decision against Collin Powell from Chamberlain.  Advancing to his third straight state finals, Turman competed against #1 ranked Cody Bevier from RC Stevens who had given him two of his four losses on the year.  Similar to the 113lb finals, a scoreless first period led to an early escape in the second period.  Bevier chose down in the third and William Turman rode him out to win his third Class A State title with a 1-0 victory. After the match Lewis indicated "Going into the finals match Will knew he had to try and dictate where the match was wrestled and maintain his positioing from his feet.  Bevier has a great double leg attack and is really fast.  Making him wrestle at a lower level and his attacking from that position took his best offense away.  From that point on it gets pretty simple, score from the bottom and ride tough.  Game plan executed to perfection! This win came from a completely different position than his other two as he was coming in from the underdog position throwing caution to the wind an attacking.  Some people are are good enough to win one, he has now found a way to win three.... and he still has another year to go."

William Turman defends on his feet against RC Steven's Cody Bevier during the 120lb finals.  Turman won 1-0 to earn his third straight Class A title (photo courtesy of SDPBS). 

At 132lbs, Michael Lusk secured a semifinal berth with a 4-1 win over Cully Olson from Sturgis, where he won 5-2 against Chipper Shillingstad from Huron.  Lusk's finals appearance was his third as he faced the #1 rated Tyson Stoebner from Lennox who had narrowly defeated him at the Yankton Invitation just before regions.  Lusk scored a takedown in the second period, which Stoebner countered with two escapes to take the match into overtime.  Following a scoreless sudden victory period, Lusk escaped in the second overtime and was able to ride out Stoebner in the final :30 seconds to win his second Class A State Championship for the Governors.  "If I had to use one word to describe Michael's championship match it would be 'Methodical,' said Kalda.  "Our boys do such a good job executing a game plan in the big time matches.  Michael is not the kind that's going to get in and hammer a kid, but he's got quickness and a knack for putting himself in good situations.  He's developed a style of his own where he wears on a kid with shot after shot and never really gives them an opportunity to get offensive.  There was a lot of respect in that match last night on both ends, which a lot of people take for granted sometimes in this sport."

Michael Lusk works to take down Lennox's Tyson Stoebner during their finals match.  Lusk went on to win a 3-2 victory following the third overtime period (photo courtesy of SDPBS). 

Spencer Sarringar scored bonus points in each of his matches with a 9-0 major decision over Mathais Thompson from RC Central in the quarterfinals and a 10-0 major over Carson Max from Mitchell in the semifinals.  During his second straight finals appearance, Sarringar fell behind with a takedown by Harrisburg's Logan Warzecha in the second period, but then scored a reversal including nearfall as time expired to jump out to a 6-2 lead.  Warzecha chose down in the third period, but Sarringar proved too tough on top and won his families first Class A Title at the 4:37 mark. Lewis noted after the conclusion of the match, "Seeing Spencer win a State Championship was a dream come true.  Very few people get to wrestle for a championship in their last match and even fewer win that match. Spencer has been a staple in the varsity lineup for five years and worked very hard."  

Spencer Sarringar stretches out Harrisburg's Logan Warzecha just before pinning him in the third period of their championship match (photo courtesy of SDPBS). 

Three Governors finished in the top four for their respective weight classes, including Austin Senger who advanced to the semifinals with a 11-7 decision over Cooper Voorhees from RC Stevens where he faced off against #1 ranked Tyler Waterson.  Despite a 7-0 loss to the eventual three time state champion (five time finalist), Senger returned to the wrestle backs where he pinned Kyle Tulowetzke from Watertown and then demonstrated that he deserved the #3 seed at the state meet with a commanding 7-1 win over Madison's Bailey Mennis.  

Austin Senger looks toward the Governor faithful after pinning Watertown's Kyle Tulowestzke.  Senger finished 3rd overall placing for the fourth time as a Governor.

Governor senior Aric Williams pinned SF Roosevelt's Josh Cid in the quarters then lost a heart breaker to Noah Guse of Madison as he fell behind 6-0 early and battled back to a 10-7 loss.  In the wrestle backs, Williams pinned Jackson Pletten for Brandon Valley and then defeated frequent rival (future SDSU teammate) Riley McSherry, 6-3 to finish his Governor career placing third.  "Emotions after Aric's loss were hard," said Lewis.  "We knew his goal of winning a Championship were gone.  We as coaches couldn't show it or let him see it because we ultimately had to get him refocused on another goal, which was to get third as his team needed him to.  We had to remind him to go out the way he deserved to and he did that.  He did what Aric always did and that was to work his butt off for himself and his team."  Following a 7-1 loss to Tate Gatzke from Belle Fourche in the quarterfinals, Lucas Stoltenburg won his first two wrestle back matches before securing a major upset over #3 rated Mason Wickhurst from Watertown to advance into the third place match.  There he lost again in a 1-0 match against Gatzke to finish fourth in his last match in a Governor singlet.

Aric Williams works to turn Madison's Noah Guse during their semifinal match.  Williams finished third overall having place three times as a Governor.

Levi Stoltenburg pinned his first two opponents on Friday including a :38 second fall over Sam Detert from Harrisburg in the quarterfinals.  In the semifinals Stoltenburg lost by pin against #1 ranked Joel Carpenter and then a tight 7-6 loss against Marshal Simons from Huron had him wrestling for fifth.  In his final match, Stoltenburg pinned Brody Surrell from Vermillion in :44 seconds to finish fifth overall.  Lastly, Ty Paulsen earned a quarterfinal bid with a first round pin, then lost in overtime to returning state champion Eddie Miller from Brookings.  Two overtime victories in the wrestle-backs then resulted in a 7-0 loss to Ryan Parker.  Paulsen then lost by fall to Watertown's Dane Stahl to finish sixth to conclude his career.

Ty Paulsen hangs on to Aberdeen's Austin Maunu during their overtime match at 285.  Paulsen finished 6th overall improving upon his 8th place finish during his junior season for the Governors.

Five underclassman also qualified for the state tournament and earned much needed experience if the Governors are to compete for a title again next season.  Freshman Jack Van Camp earned points for the team after pinning Oakley Blakeman in the opening round, but then fell to eventual champion Jacob Wood from Strugis in the quarterfinals, and Beau Beavers from SF Lincoln in the wrestle-backs.  Freshmen Jace Bench-Bresher lost his opening round match, then a tight 6-3 loss against RC Centrals Tristen Jacobs.  As an 8th-grader, Maguire Raske lost 6-4 against Watertown's Nathan Tuttle in the first round, then was eliminated with a 10-5 loss to Jarred Hodges from Madison.  Finally, Sophomore Garrett Leesman lost by pin to returning state finalist Tate Coon from Brookings, and then 7-1 against Jake Anderson of Milbank during his final match. "There are plenty of things these guys can take with them from not placing," said Kalda.  "But the key is, can they carry them over the next nine months to the first day of practice and use it as motivation to get better.  We like our guys to set big goals and high expectations.  Sometimes it doesn't work out, and those that can use it to drive and motive them the following year will be that much better and find themselves on the podium."

"Losing these five seniors is personally going to be tough," said Lewis.  "They have always been there, every day since I have been here.  Imagining a day or practice without them is hard to do."  In addition to the loss of five senior wrestlers, the Governors will find themselves without longtime assistant manager Haley Dorschner who has served in this role for the past four years. "Haley has been one of the hardest workers on this team for the last four years, yet most people never see it," said Lewis. "Her work has been done in the countless hours of TrackWrestling and Hudl applications.  It has also been in making cookies, keeping coaches sane, and mentoring the next group of managers.  She has been a true fan of wrestling and all our wrestlers."  

Despite the loss of five senior place winners, the Governors will return four juniors who have each competed in the state finals, along with four other state qualifiers.  Earning this experience is important and Kalda noted "You would ideally like for all kids to be ready that first day of the tourney, but there is a pretty big shock and awe factor when you step on the mat in front of 8-10,000 fans.  The other is to take those losses and learn from them. They need to be willing to see what they did wrong and work on correcting it.  Of the four that didn't place, they are young and things will certainly be interesting if they take this approach."  The Governors will also see Cade Hinkle and Gage Gehring who each saw considerable varsity experience this year along with HWT Price Dyk who placed at three tournaments as an unattached wrestler for the Governors.

"The Green Mile" for the Governors

For those that have seen the Tom Hank’s film The Green Mile, the guards of the prison featured in the film described the confines of the death row facility as the “Green Mile” because of its green colored walls.  The phrase “dead man walking” was then used for those inmates as they made their way to the electric chair.  Days leading into the 2016 Class A Wrestling Tournament, Panic Button wrote a complementary blog regarding the Governor’s four sophomores who were in contention of winning individual state titles.  The article pondered whether anyone could overtake the Governor’s title hopes assuming they could get through the “Murderers Row” that confronted them in the first four weight classes.  Although only sophomores, Lincoln Turman, William Turman, Michael Lusk and Austin Senger had already earned considerable credential for their age with Lincoln entering the tournament with a 42-0 record ranked #1, William as a returning state champion, and Lusk and Senger both having already earned final appearances during the previous two years.  While the name was fitting as teams struggled to regain momentum after these four racked up points in the finals of most tournaments (and in dual competition), one might consider whether a more fitting name for this governor foursome may be “The Green Mile,” since over the past two seasons they have metaphorically helped put away numerous teams.   Together these four will bring a combined 150-14 record into the Class A State Tournament this weekend in Sioux Falls.

Austin Senger, Lincoln Turman, William Turman, and Michael Lusk pose together after the 2016 State Class A Wrestling Tournament. 

This foursome has a rather lengthy history together over the past decade.  Traveling and competing at local tournaments in Lyman, Kakoda, Highmore and Sturgis quickly turned into road trips each season to wrestle together in Omaha, Cedar Falls, Kansas City and Denver.  Early on the group was separated by less than five to seven pounds making for formidable practice partners, and plenty of opportunities to compete against each other on the weekends.  In their early years Michael Lusk traditionally ended up on top, with Austin finding moments of success during matchups that would be ten-fold in a given year.  Lincoln Turman never lost to William, and their days of competing ended early after a victory by Lincoln in overtime determined which of the two would advance and compete at the AAU State Tournament.  As they grew many in the community recognized the considerable talent among this group, yet also lamented the fact that an impact for Governor wrestling teams would only come at the point that they could spread out in weight.  If asked to comment on the significance of the picture below, the answer would certainly depend on your perspective.  To the casual fan, one can’t help but be impressed by having three straight state titles at 106lb, 113lb, and 120lbs during the state tournament last year from the same program.  From a different vantage point one has to ponder how tough Austin Senger is as a wrestler if this outcome could only be achieved once he grew into the 126lb spot opening the path for all four to finally make the Governor varsity lineup.

Lincoln Turman, William Turman and Michael Lusk each pose with their championship brackets following the conclusion of the 2016 Class A State Wrestling Tournament. 

During their 8^th grade year, Austin, Michael and William began the year competing for the 106lb which was won by Senger during the wrestle-offs before the season.  Oddly enough, Lincoln Turman lost out on the 113lb spot after losing to Aric Williams, the weight he now competes at in 2017.  Senger went on to have an impressive 8^th grade year advancing into the finals at the state tournament in 2014.  In the years that followed, he finished 7^th at 120lbs and then 3^rd overall last year.  In both tournaments, Senger lost in overtime in quarterfinal matches that would have been averted in an environment where seeding would have occurred.  Senger brings a 37-5 record into the state tournament and will compete as the 4^th seed and if successful in the first two rounds will square off against #1 ranked Tyler Waterson from Spearfish who is seeking to cap off his high school career with a fifth straight finals appearance. When commenting on the nature of the wrestle-offs that occurred between these four wrestlers in the two years that followed, assistant coach John Wayne Kalda noted, “It would take to many words to describe how these four battled.  People go to duals and tournaments to see matches of that caliber, and as coaches we got to experience them on a weekly basis.  What’s frustrating about that situation is you know a potential finalist will not be making the trip with us.  But it’s also exciting at the same time because you know that sometime down the line things will work out and they will all be in the lineup.  And we are now experiencing that.

Austin Senger works to turn an opponent at The Clash earlier this year in Rochester, MN. 

During his freshman year William Turman took over the 106lb spot for the Governors and went on to win his first state title with a victory over Watertown’s Tim Lawrence in 2015.  Turman achieved a 44-2 record in his first year in the varsity spot, and followed that up with a second state title during his sophomore year with a 4-1 victory over Crieghton Klinkhammer from Brandon in 2016.  This weekend Turman will enter the state tournament with a 41-4 record and the #2 seed with a goal of making the finals for the third straight year to compete against #1 ranked Cody Bevier.  The two have met three times this year with Bevier winning 3-1 and 3-2 in the first two head-to-heads, but Turman winning 1-0 during their match at the Yankton Invitational championship match. 

William Turman squares off against Carson Klinkhammer during their dual against Brookings earlier this year. 

Michael Lusk and Lincoln Turman battled for a varsity spot at 113lbs their freshman year, and while Turman won out in a series of 1 point victories early in the season, Michael Lusk secured the spot the week prior to the Mitchell Invite where he knocked off a highly ranked Stas Sutera in the finals.  “Wrestle-offs at any level are great for a team,” said Kalda.  “They lead to competition in the practice room, and that makes all wrestlers involved just that much better.  A lot of their success can be contributed to wrestling each other on a day-to-day basis.”  The transition was a significant one for the Governors as Lusk went on to make the finals at 113lbs that year and the advancement points proved influential in securing a one and one-half point victory over an Aberdeen Central team that was projected to walk away with the team trophy.  Last year Lusk entered the state tournament with a 40-1 record and went on to win his first state title over Wesley Weischedel from Lennox in a 3-2 overtime victory.  Lusk enters this year’s state tournament with a 30-4 record and again with the #1 seed and will have important matches against Shillingstad/Dahlen in the semifinals, and Stoebner/Klinkhammer if he is able to make it back to his third straight finals match.

Michael Lusk attempts to secure a takedown at The Clash in Rochester, MN earlier this season.

Lincoln Turman became the last of this foursome to secure a varsity spot during the group’s sophomore season.  Relegated to watching his brother William win a state title from the corner, Lincoln committed to returning the next year with an intent of wrestling the 106lbs spot with a goal of ensuring that all four could be the linchpin for a successful team title.  Turman entered the season ranked #1 and went on to finish with an undefeated 46-0 record and a championship win against Jacob Wood from Sturgis in the 106lb finals.  “Seeing Lincoln winning a State Championship and doing it in the dominating fashion that he did was total satisfaction as a coach” said head coach Shawn Lewis.  “You have a kid who has been behind others who have been in the state finals for the last two years, bounced in between weight classes before making the sacrifice to get to 106lb which finally allowed Lincoln to reach his goal.  The amount of sweat, blood and tears that he had put into it all became worth it.  Seeing an athlete put as much into it as he did was again one of the most satisfying things to see as a coach.  Then watching his emotion pour out after making a dream of his come true topped it all off.” This year Turman has only one blemish on his record bringing a 42-1 record into the state tournament where he is seeded #1 with a goal of making the finals again for the second straight year.  In his way are Eli Kadoun from SF Roosevelt as a possible semifinal match, and then a talented Lucas Anglin from Vermillion who has given up only one takedown the entire season. 

Lincoln Turman works to maintain control on top against a Bismarck Century opponent during The Clash in Rochester, MN. 

The Governors will need these four wrestlers to wrestle consistently this weekend if they are to bring back another state championship for the third straight year to the capital city.  Wrestling begins on Friday at 10:00, with the 2:45 session on Friday afternoon being broadcast on PBS for those unable to make the trip to Sioux Falls.  Finals are expected to begin at 6:00 on Saturday evening with coverage on local PBS stations. 

True Family Affair for Governor Wrestling Program

South Dakota has a rich history in the sport of wrestling where a long line of brothers have been influential in building dominant programs for their respective communities.  The Wallman's from Freeman kicked off a winning tradition as Troy and Kirk began winning state titles in the mid-1980's which extended through the mid-1990's when their younger brother Cory finally graduated.  More recently, the Glanzer's from Huron helped elevate their program as Cord began making state tournament appearances for the Tigers in the early 2000's, and the presence of a Glazer made for solid Huron teams until both Cain and Chet graduated just a few years ago.  While it is evident that this trend isn't restricted to the sport of wrestling, it's not uncommon for many opposing teams to wonder when the time will come when they can travel to Kimball, Tri-Valley, or Aberdeen and finally avoid match-ups against the Blasius, Lamer or Moore brothers that seem to anchor their teams for more than a decade.

The Governor seniors, four of which cap off a long line of successful wrestlers in the Governor Wrestling Program for more than 10 years.

At the conclusion of the 2017 Class A State Wrestling tournament, the Pierre Governor Wrestling program will be missing the presence of three wrestling families that have established a commanding presence and helped lay the foundation for teams that have won four of the last five state titles. "When you look back to the beginning, of the rise of the Governors, during the Coach Noyes era these families were there," said assistant coach John Wayne Kalda.  "They understand the heart and soul of what it takes to compete at that next level.  And if others are willing to listen they are not afraid to share and give some insight.  They will be missed, but true wrestling fans like them usually can't stay away for too long."

For the Sarringar family in particular, Friday will mark the 12th straight state tournament appears for a member of their family dating back to 2006 when Tyler Sarringar competed for the Governors at 106lbs and made five straight appearances before placing 5th as a senior at 152lbs in 2010. Tyler went on to wrestle for DWU, advancing to the NAIA National tournament all four years.  The following year Kyle Sarringar made his first trip to the big dance where finished he finished 4th at 145lbs, and helped secure a 4th place team finish for the Governors. During the next two years, Kyle twice placed third as he joined six other seniors who helped the Governors win back-to-back state titles in 2012 and 2013. Included on that 2013 team was Spencer Sarringar who placed 4th at 106lbs, who was able to join Kyle on the award stand at the end of the tournament. "Since it was my first high school state tournament, he gave me a lot of support," said Spencer Sarringar about his opportunity to compete with Kyle.  "I think I was probably less nervous because he was competing with me.

This Sarringar brother tandem was a focus of an earlier Gov Wrestling Blog that forced fans to consider the outcome of a dual against the 2013 and 2016 Governor Wrestling teams.  Spencer and Kyle Sarringar would have faced off against each other at the 182lbs weight class with this particular blogger projecting an overtime win by Spencer.  The jury is still out on the projected winner of that match-up. Since the 2013 season, Spencer has placed 8th, 3rd and was a runner-up last year and currently ranked #1 in Class A at 195lbs where he has yet to lose to a South Dakota opponent.  About why he chose wrestling as the particular path he pursued in the winter, Spencer Sarringar concluded "When I was really young, I would go to youth tournaments to watch them wrestle.  When I was old enough, I started wrestling since I was going to the tournaments anyway.  If they had played basketball in their younger years, I might not have started wrestling at all."  

Spencer Sarringar with his holder brothers Kyle (immediate right), and Tyler (far right) along with parents Bill & Joanne and sister Nicole. 

Also during this time, the Governor teams were aided by four Stoltenburg wrestlers who have each contributed considerable team points over the past 11 years.  Beginning with Josh Stoltenburg who first advanced to the state tournament his freshman year in 2008 where he finished 5th.  Josh followed that up with two 7th place finishes his junior and senior year ultimately helping the Governors place 5th in 2010 and 4th in 2011.  Josh also overlapped with his younger brother Caleb Stoltenburg during his final two seasons as he placed 6th and 4th during his freshmen and sophomore seasons. Caleb became the only Governor to advance into the finals his Junior year when the Governors earned their first state title since 1974.  The following year, Caleb finished his career as a Governor with a runner-up finish helping to secure the back-to-back titles. While the final two brothers did not overlap with Caleb, Lucas and Levi Stoltenburg have each maintained roster stops for the Governors over the past three years with Lucas placing 8th in both 2015 and 2016, and Levi finishing 8th last year.  Both Lucas and Levi Stoltenburg enter their final state tournament rated 4th and 5th respectively. 

For the past two years Ty Paulsen has anchored the Governor wrestling line-up at the 285lbs weight class and returns to State coming off a 8th place finish last year. Paulsen is current rated 6th at this weight class in the final rankings.  Its difficult for many to conceptualize how the 6'5" Paulsen could be related to former Governor Dusty Paulsen who won a State Championship his senior year in 2011 at 125lbs.  Dusty had previously finished 4th as a junior on the 2010 Governor team that also made the podium with a 5th place finish following almost a decade long drought of placing as a team. Dusty went on to wrestle at DWU and earn NAIA All-American honors during his wrestling career at that institutions, and has served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Governors for the past two years. "It will be tough when you think ahead to not seem them at every dual or tournament in the future," said assistant coach John Wayne Kalda.  "Each of these families have vested a lot of time to this program not only in support of the high school, but still are involved in the youth.  They care a lot about the success not only of their son but others as well, and want to see the program continue on the same path it is now."

Ty Paulsen (center) is flanked by Faye and Kevin Paulsen and his older brother Dusty (right) after the 2016 State Class A Tournament. 

Finally, Aric Williams will enter the Class A State Tournament this weekend as the #2 rated wrestler at 145lbs and looks to finish his career on the podium for the third time.  Williams placed 6th as a freshman at 113lbs, and then 5th last year at 138lbs.  As a freshman, Aric competed alongside his older brother Alec who was a two time state qualifier for the Governors which included a roster spot at the 152lb weight class when they won the 2013 state tournament.  Together Aric and Alec helped the Governors to a runner-up finish in 2014 where they outperformed a Sioux Falls Roosevelt team that was expected to finish in the runner-up spot that year.  When asked to reflect on the opportunity to wrestle with his older brother, Aric Williams noted "I wanted us both to place that year, and when I won in the wrestle backs to advance I was ready to watch him do it to.  However, when I watched him lose his match to place I was heartbroken, and from that day on I knew I was going to win a state championship for him." Fortunately for the Governors, the wrestling team can count on at least five more years of William's brothers as current 7th graders Nathan and Noah have visions of their own state championship runs. 

Aric Williams poses with his twin brothers Noah and Nathan, and older brother Alec following his championship in Brookings. 

"Having brothers in the program is a special thing," said Lewis when reflecting on the loss to the Governor Wrestling program from three of these families.  "It gives them someone else in the room or at home that understands what they do and what it takes.  Sometimes it even gives them a practice partner or another coach.  They support, council, and help one another.  It also makes for some interesting competition points."  Fortunately for the Governors this family connection will not end this year.    Will Van Camp looks to compete alongside his twin brother Jack as they finish out their high school career for the next three years, and Garrett Leesman has two years before the string of Leesman brothers concludes as he fills in for older brothers Skyler and Wyatt who graduated in 2016 and 2015 respectively.  Lincoln and William Turman will finish off their prep careers next year, but will have their younger brother Gabe to fill any gap for five more years.

Lincoln and William Turman pose with their parents Shelly and Paul, and younger brother Gabe, at the conclusion of the 2016 Class A Wrestling Tournament.