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. 

Governors Earn Region 3A Title and Advance 13 to State

The Governor wrestling program inched closer to their season goal of securing a third straight State Class A championship as they traveled to Mitchell on Saturday to compete at the Region 3A tournament.  The Governors held true to their  other tournament performances this year by securing a second straight Region 3A title as they generated 237.5 points to outpace #3 ranked Aberdeen Central by 39.5 points.  Overall the team advanced nine wrestlers to the finals generating six individual champions.  In total thirteen Governors will advance to compete at the State Class A tournament in Sioux Falls this Friday and Saturday.  Following the victory head coach Shawn Lewis noted, "We are really close to the level we need to be at moving into state.  We wrestled the best as a team that we have all year at Regions.  We are close to peaking and next weekend we will be at that point.  It is a building up process and we are ready."  

The Governor Wrestling team strikes a familiar pose as they take the team picture following their Region 3A victory. 

The Governors first champion on the day was Lincoln Turman who advanced into the finals with a first period pin over Huron's Tyson Lien and then faced Daymon Steuck from Aberdeen Central in the finals.  Despite a first period pin against Steuck in their previous meeting, Turman secured the major decision with a 10-0 win in route to his second straight region title.  William Turman won by pin over Spencer Titus from Aberdeen in the semifinals, then earned a 5-0 victory over #3 ranked Collin Powell of Chamberlain to secure his third straight region championship.  At 132lbs Michael Lusk defeated Aberdeen's Will Jarrott by major decision 14-4 in their semifinal match, and then closed out a 13-8 win in a high scoring match-up with Huron's Chipper Shillingstad who had defeated Lusk earlier this month in the ESD dual.  The win by Lusk helped to ensure the #1 seed at the state tournament this coming weekend. "Michael Lusk winning the rubber match against Shillingstad will prove to be key come state seeding," noted Lewis.  "Michael needed that one, and he demonstrated his ability as a very technical wrestler as the battle of styles between him and Shillingstad continue to be fun to watch."  

William Turman works to turn the corner against Chamberlain's Collin Powell during their championship match.  Turman went on to win his 3rd straight Region 3A title with a 5-0 victory.

Austin Senger put up a dominant performance at 138lbs on his way to a fourth straight Region 3A championship with first period victories over Sutton Carpenter from Mitchell and Austin Cihak from Aberdeen.  In total Senger wrestled for less than 2:23 minutes at the tournament.  Aric William's path to the finals came through a first period pin against Matthew Katz from Huron, and he then won by tech fall late in the third period against Barry Browning from Mitchell.  Similar to the achievements of Lusk and William Turman, the victory in the finals signaled a third straight region championship for Williams. Finally, Spencer Sarringar won the 195lb weight class in a loaded field with the #1, #3 and #4 wrestlers in the state each vying for important seeding criteria.  Sarringar won by fall over Jacob Rieger from Huron in 1:02, then majored #4 ranked Jake Flakus from Aberdeen 10-2. Sarringars other region championship had previously been his eighth grade year when he competed at 106lbs for the Governors.

Austin Senger works to turn Aberdeen's Austin Cihak during their championship match.  Senger won his fourth straight Region 3A title with a first period pin in the finals. 

In addition to these six Governor wrestlers, Jace Bench Bresher, Lucas Stoltenburg and Levi Stoltenburg each advanced to the finals but were unsuccessful in their title bids.  Despite receiving the #3 seed Bench Bresher won an exciting semifinal match against Mitchell's Logan Sparks 11-7. "Classic case of who wants it more," said assistant coach John Wayne Kalda.  "Jace has everything on his side except for the size right now.  He put together a great match to where he didn't let that size difference come into play."   He then lost by pin in the finals against #3 ranked Victor Padilla from Aberdeen Central.  Lucas Stoltenburg edged out Wyatt Larsen from Huron in a 2-0 victory, then injury defaulted to Aberdeen's Braiden Nelson in the finals.  Levi Stoltenburg won by pin in :22 in the opening round, and then a :29 second pin in the semifinals against Zeb Parson's from Mitchell.  During the finals Stoltenburg eventually lost by fall against Marshal Simons from Huron.

Jace Bench Bresher secures back-points against Mitchell's Logan Sparks during their semifinal match.  The win helped secure a runner-up finish for Bench-Bresher.

Of the four remaining Governors that advanced by placing at the region tournament, all secured victories in their consolation championship matches.  Jack Van Camp lost in the semifinal against #1 ranked Jacob Moore 12-4, then came out on top in an important match against Michell's Kyler Bauder 8-2 despite having lost to Bauder during their most recent match-up at the Yankton Invitational.  "Jack really helped himself out by having a great regional tournament and beating Bauder for 3rd and 4th gave him a tie in the series and the last win," said Lewis.  "That should set him up nicely for State and give him the confidence he needs to place."  Maguire Raske was knocked back following a 6-2 loss against #2 ranked Trent Francom from Huron, but then despite two earlier losses this year Raske scored a takedown late in the third period to win against Briggs Havlik from Mitchell 5-4.  "Maguire Raske proved to everyone he can wrestle with anyone," commented Lewis.  "Beating Havlik should put him in at a favorable seed and since he tied the series, the last win gives him the criteria he needs."  Garrett Leesman lost to the eventual region champion Kyle Foote from Mitchell in the semifinals, and then defeated Cole Brewer from Cheyenne-Eagle Butte/Dupree in the wrestle-backs and then finished third following an injury default against Huron's Nick Christensen.  Finally, Ty Paulsen was defeated in the semifinals against Abredeen's Austin Maunu 5-1, but then secured pins during his final two matches closing out with a :37 second victory over Mitch Schladweiler from Mitchell. 

Maguire Raske works to return Mitchell's Brigg's Havlik during their 3rd place match. Raske went on to win 5-4 to secure the victory. 

Gage Gehring lost his opening match against Remington Rossow from Chamberlain, but despite a win in the wrestle backs, Gehring lost 8-1 against #2 seeded Cole Dockter from Milbank who had been upset in the semifinals.  The loss hindered his ability to advance to compete at the state tournament.  Reflecting on Gehring's performance on Saturday, Lewis said "For someone who doesn't qualify it is a hard conversation to have as coaches.  Ultimately I know that they feel that they let the team down.  We as coaches have to remind them that sometimes in life things don't always go as planned.  It is now what you do from here.  You made the people around you better by pushing yourself and you made this team what it is.  He just has to remember that the work put in this season may not come to fruition until this time next year."  The individual performance results for each Governor wrestler over the weekend included:

• 106lbs - Jack Van Camp - 3rd (3-1)
• 113lbs - Lincoln Turman - Champion (3-0)
• 120lbs - William Turman - Champion (3-0)
• 126lbs - Jace Bench Bresher - 2nd (2-1)
• 132lbs - Michael Lusk - Champion (3-0)
• 138lbs - Austin Senger - Champion (2-0)
• 145lbs - Aric Williams - Champion (3-0)
• 152lbs - Maguire Raske - 3rd (3-1)
• 160lbs - Garrett Lessman - 3rd (3-1)
• 170lbs - Gage Gehring - DNP (1-2)
• 182lbs - Lucas Stoltenburg - 2nd (2-1)
• 195lbs - Spencer Sarringar - Champion (2-0)
• 220lbs - Levi Stoltenburg - 2nd (2-1)
• 285lbs - Ty Paulsen - 3rd (2-1)

The six individual champions for the Governor's pose with their brackets following the Region 3A tournament including William Turman, Michael Lusk, Spencer Sarringar, Aric Williams, Austin Senger and Lincoln Turman.

For the closing week of practice "first and foremost we start looking at first round match-ups and adjusting where we need to," said Kalda.  "But this week is also about getting the attitudes and focus adjusted to the weekend before us.  Getting technique dialed in, working through every possible situation that they might encounter.  We know what our team goals are but that will come as long as we are reaching our individual goals, that where we start this week."  The Governors depart for Sioux Falls on Thursday morning with competition beginning at 10:00 on Friday morning at the Sanford Premier Center.  

Governors Take Down #1 Millard South at Yankton Invitational

It is difficult to suggest that the 2015-16 Governor Wrestling season was anything but successful, but when many coaches, wrestlers and parents reflect back on last years campaign many point to one significant blemish on a rather impressive run to a second straight Class A title.  With team titles in Watertown, Rapid City, Elk-Point Jefferson, Bismarck, Mitchell and Brookings, the Governors traveled to Yankton last year to face-off against returning Nebraska Class A champions from Omaha's Millard South.  Despite sending five wrestlers to the finals, producing three champions, and nine other place winners, the Governors were edged out of the team title by one and one-half points against a formidable Millard South team.  In the weeks that followed, Millard South went on to win their second consecutive state team title, and the Governors repeated as Class A Champions.  

Fast forward to this past weekend, these two top ranked teams from South Dakota and Nebraska squared off again at the Yankton Invitational with the Governors goal of eliminating any such blemish on this years tournament record.  Overall, seven Governor wrestlers advanced to the finals, resulting in four individual champions in Lincoln Turman, William Turman, Aric Williams, and Spencer Sarringar and secured the team title in the closing rounds with a 232 point victory over Millard South who scored 224.5 total points.  At the conclusion of the tournament head coach Shawn Lewis reflected on the teams continued success noting, "Beating Millard South was a want and not a need for our team.  They are two time defending Nebraska State Champs and expected to three peat.  We have been either banged up or not at full strength the last two years at Yankton and this year was the same story."  Governors were without Levi Stoltenburg who missed due to illness.  

The Governor Wrestling program earned a significant team victory over Nebraska Omaha's Millard South with four champions, three runner-up and six other top eight finishers.

In route to his championship match #1 ranked Lincoln Turman defeated #3 ranked Eli Kadoun from SF Roosevelt 14-1, and then faced-off against #2 ranked Lucas Anglin from Vermillion.  Following a scramble during the second period, Turman scored a takedown to extend a 3-0 lead, and then eventually won 3-1 as Anglin worked to score from his feet late in the third period.  William Turman avenged two earlier losses during semifinal and final matches.  In the semifinals W. Turman won 1-0 over #2 ranked wrestler in Class B, Kaleb Crownover from Bon Homme and then produced a similar 1-0 victory over #1 Class A ranked Cody Bevier who had secured victories over Turman at the Rapid City Invitational and Bismarck Rotary earlier this year.  "Beating Bevier was again a want more than a need," said Lewis.  "He has seeding criteria over us for State and so the end result wouldn't have changed that. Essentially we believe that Will can beat anyone, and this match was important for Will to prove it to himself.  Seeing him smile and the confidence that it restored made the long trip to Yankton worth it." Both matchups against Anglin and Bevier are likely again at the Class A State Tournament approaches in three weeks. 

Lincoln Turman works to pin Alex Vacha from Millard South during his quarterfinal match.  Turman went on to repeat as Yankton Invitational champion. 

Number two ranked Aric Williams defeated Wagner's Colton Frei by pin in the second period during the semifinals and then scored a reversal late in the third period to regain the lead against Lennox's Cole Halouska to win his fourth straight individual tournament championship this year 4-3 victory. Important state tournament seeding criteria continued to play out during the tournament.  "Williams beating Halouska for a second time will help him come State time, and the same for Sarringar with the win over Guthmiller," said Lewis.  Retaining his #1 ranking Spencer Sarringar wrestled a close 5-0 match against #3 Carson Max from Mitchell in the semifinals where he then faced Madison's Nate Guthmiller who Sarringar narrowly defeated 2-1 last week during the championships in Brookings.  Following a feet-to-back takedown to conclude the first period with a 4-0 lead, Sarringar went on to produce another nine unanswered points as he amassed a 13-0 lead before pinning Guthmiller early in the third period.  When reflecting on the performance by Sarringar in the finals, assistant coach John Wayne Kalda noted "If I had to use one word to describe Spencer right now it would be 'overpowering.' He's hitting moves this year with a lot of force and it just wears on his opponents.  He's at a whole different level right now, and yesterday presented a slightly different scenario for what we needed him to do for the team.  In order to secure the team title we needed points, and if there is anyone that we want in that position it is him.  It just goes to show what he's really capable of and can get done on the mat."  The win resulted in Sarringar's fifth individual title in tournament competition this year, and he has retained an unbeaten record against South Dakota wrestlers (having only lost a 7-4 match against the #9 ranked wrestler in the country during The Clash). 

Three other Governor wrestlers advanced to the finals and finished in the runner-up position. Michael Lusk earned the second seed and again faced off against Class B #1 ranked Stas Sutera who he had narrowly defeated 2-1 during the Mitchell Invitation three weeks ago.  Lusk put on a dominant performance on his feet taking Sutera down three times, with one to his back for a 8-4 victory.  In the finals against Class A #2 ranked Tyson Stoebner, Lusk appeared to have secured a 3-2 win but was taken down by Stoebner with two seconds remaining.  "Michael losing to Stoebner will make things interesting at 132," said Lewis. However, no matter where Michael gets put in the state brackets he has the potential to win." Lucas Stoltenburg won by pin in :43 seconds during the semifinals against SF Roosevelt's Joey Otta, but lost 14-7 to Millard South's Josh Wiedner during the championship match to finish second.  Similarly, Ty Paulsen won by an 8-5 decision over Lennox's Thomas Fischer to lose by major 8-0 against Dakota Valley's Ryan Parker.

Lucas Stoltenburg drives Quinlan Merrill Douglas forward during their opening round match.  Stoltenburg eventually secured the pin in :50 seconds.

The Governors also placed five other wrestlers at the Yankton Invitational.  At 106lbs Jack Van Camp finished eighth after losing to Wagner's Lance Soukup 4-1 in the quarterfinals.  Van Camp finished with a 3-2 loss against SF Roosevelts Riley Hollingshead who has defeated him three times this year with slim one point margins.  Austin Senger advanced to the semifinals and lost 3-2 against Bailey Mennis from Madison who he had defeated by pin at the Brookings invitational last week.  Senger won by pin in the consolation semifinals and then defeated Voorhees from RC Stevens 3-0 to finish third overall.  At 152lbs Maguire Raske finished 5th following a quarterfinal loss to Colton Jackson from Douglas, but then defeated Madison's Jarred Hodges 9-5 to finish with a 4-2 record on the day. After a first round win, Garrett Leesman lost in the quarterfinals but then defeated an important region opponent in Kyle Foote by major 18-4 in route to a sixth place finish overall.  Lewis noted about Leesman's success in Yankton that "Garrett continues to pile on quality wins both for state and regions with his victory over Foote, as well as Christensen during the Huron dual on Thursday."  

Garrett Leesman attempts to pin Douglas's Branson Taylor during their quaterfinal match.  Leesman went on to finish 6th overall in Yankton. 

In his third straight week in varsity action, Pryce Dyk finished fourth overall wrestling as an unattached wrestler for the Governors in Yankton. Dyk earned an opening round pin over Jake Mayville from Millard South before losing a 3-2 decision to Tri-Valley's Austin Leuning.  In the wrestle backs, Dyk then went on to pin three straight opponents before wrestling Leuning again in the consolation finals, but eventually lost 3-1 in sudden victory overtime.  At the conclusion of the event, Dyk earned the "Pinners Award" for the most pins in the least amount of time.  

Pryce Dyk turn's Millad South's Jake Mayville during his first round match.  Dyk went on to secure four pins during the tournament and winning the "Pinners Award" for his effort. 

"Pryce is really wrestling confident and with a purpose, and is in a good place right now," said Kalda. "He's pushing himself in the room to get better and is setting some real good goals for himself. When you start to put those two things together good things are going to happen.  We know he would rather be in the varsity lineup but is making the most of the situation."  The complete results for the Governor wrestlers over the weekend include:

• 106lbs - Jack Van Camp - 8th (2-3)
• 113lbs - Lincoln Turman - Champion (3-0)
• 120lbs - William Turman - Champion (4-0)
• 126lbs - Jace Bench Bresher - DNP (0-2)
• 132lbs - Michael Lusk - Runner-Up (3-1)
• 138lbs - Austin Senger - 3rd (4-1)
• 145lbs - Aric Williams - Champion (4-0)
• 152lbs - Maguire Raske - 5th (4-2)
• 160lbs - Garrett Leesman - 6th (3-3)
• 170lbs - Gage Gehring - DNP (1-2)
• 182lbs - Lucas Stoltenburg - Runner-Up (3-1)
• 195lbs - Spencer Sarringar - Champion (3-0)
• 285lbs - Pryce Dyk - 4th (4-2)
• 285lbs - Ty Paulsen - Runner-Up (3-1)

Individual Governor champions in Yankton include William Turman, Spencer Sarringar, Aric Williams, and Lincoln Turman. 

Lewis concluded that, "It is a hard time in the season as you start to focus on larger goals.  We did, as a team, what we needed to in order to beat a very tough opponent.  Credit to our kids for stepping up short handed.  It was a good test and reminder that we need points out of everyone to be successful late in the season."  The Governors will conclude their regular season with an ESD dual in Harrisburg on Friday evening.  They will then be in action again the following week as they travel to Mitchell for the Region 3 tournament with a goal of sending their full line-up to the Class A State Tournament in Sioux Falls. 

Governors Defeat Huron Tigers 57-13 in Final Home Dual

Although the high school wrestling season doesn't come to an end for another four weeks, around the state during the next two weeks senior wrestlers are experiencing the opportunity to compete in front of their home crowds one last time.  For the five current Governor senior wrestlers, the home ESD dual last night against Huron presented one last chance to strap on the kelly green singlets and compete in front of the Governor faithful.  "Senior night is always special," said head coach Shawn Lewis.  "It is the first time you come to the realization that your season is coming to a close.  You want them to be at their best as many memories come flooding in.  As you hope you have done everything you can to make them a better person."  The five Governor seniors in Aric Williams, Lucas Stoltenburg, Levi Stoltenburg, Spencer Sarringar and Ty Paulsen each finished their final home appearance in style with victories which propelled the Governors to a 57-13 win over an aggressive Huron Tiger team.

Governor Varsity seniors who competed at their final home dual at Riggs include Aric Williams, Lucas Stoltenburg, Ty Paulsen, Levis Stoltenburg, and Spencer Sarringar.

Jack Van Camp and Lincoln Turman helped open a 12-0 lead with first period pins against Lucas Hofer and Tyson Lien, and William Turman extended that to 18 after Huron forfeited at 120lbs and shifted Daynon Huber to 126lb to wrestle Jace Bench-Bresher.  Huber secured the Tiger's first points with a 9-3 decision, with the win serving as a prelude to a rematch of the Rapid City Invitational championship between #1 ranked Michael Lusk and #5 Chipper Shillingstad.  Shillingstad scored first with a counter to a shot from Lusk and closed out the first period with a 5-0 lead following a takedown and backpoints from a feet-to-back scoring opportunity.  For the time remaining, Lusk earned four takedowns to finally take back the lead with six seconds remaining, but was reversed in the closing seconds resulting in a 10-13 loss in an action-packed match.  "That match had everything a fan could want," said assistant coach John Wayne Kalda.  "For us as coaches it was an emotional roller coaster.  What's exciting about this level of wrestling is that one little slip, one little let down could ultimately cost you a match.  And we need to be focused every time we do step on the mat for a full six minute, because the guy across the mat is looking for one thing which is to knock us off.  You can bet that Huron is going to bring their best so for the novice fan it doesn't get any better than that."  

Michael Lusk squares off against Chipper Shillingstad during thier 132lbs match-up.  Shillingstad secured the 13-10 victory following a late reversal in the closing seconds of the match.

Following the match Austin Senger and Aric Williams extended the Governor lead by another 12 points with pins over Nathan Sowle and Mathew Katz. Trent Francom closed the gap against slightly with a major decision of 10-0 against Maguire Raske, then the teams traded wins at 160lb and 170lbs with Garrett Leesman winning by pin over Nick Christensen and Travis Kleinsasser defeating Gabe Gehring 8-2.  Lewis noted when reflecting back on a few of the key match-ups that "Leesman beating Christiansen will almost guarantee him a second or third seed at regions.  Christensen is a former state place winner and getting a win over a quality kid like that should be a great confidence boost for Garrett."

Aric Williams works to pin Natthew Katz during thier 145lbs match-up.  William's went on to secure the fall in 1:30 of the first period).

From that point forward the Governors scored 21 points to close out the dual with a 6-2 win by Lucas Stoltenburg over Wyatt Larsen, and pins by Spencer Sarringar over Jacob Rieger and Levi Stoltenburg who pinned Marshal Simons in the second period to overcome a 8-1 deficit.  "Levi pinning Simons will lock up the number one seed for the region tournament," said Lewis.  "They will most likely see one another again in the finals.  Stoltenburg does a great job of finishing matches and putting opponents away.  He did that tonight and being down early and not giving up shows a ton of heart and determination.  Levi also not wrestling at 100% shows his dedication to this team and his desire for wanting to lay it all out there on Senior night." At the conclusion of the dual Ty Paulsen won by forfeit.   and Levi beating Simmons will be important matches when it comes to region seeding."  Individual results for each of the matches included:

• 106lbs - #7 Jack Van Camp won by pin over Lucas Hofer (0:44)
• 113lbs - #1 Lincoln Turman won by pin over Tyson Lien (1:19)
• 120lbs - #2 William Turman won by forfeit
• 126lbs - #7 Daynon Huber won by decision over Jace Bench-Bresher (9-3)
• 132lbs - #5 Chipper Shllingstad won by decision over Michael Lusk (9-3)
• 138lbs - #2 Austin Senger won by pin over Nathan Sowle (4:29)
• 145lbs - #2 Aric Williams won by pin over Matthew Katz (1;30)
• 152lbs - #2 Trent Francom won by decision over Maguire Raske (10-0)
• 160bls - Garrett Leesman won by pin over Nick Christensen (1:29)
• 170lbs - Travis Kleinsasser won by decision over Gage Gehring (8-2)
• 182lbs - #4 Lucas Stoltenburg won by decision over Wyatt Larsen (6-2)
• 195lbs - #1 Spencer Sarringar won by pin over Jacob Rieger (0:30)
• 220lbs - #4 Levi Stoltenburg won by pin over Marshal Simons (2:31)
• 285lbs - #7 Ty Paulsen won by forfeit.  

Levi Stoltenburg sprawls against Huron's Marshal Simons, and went on to win by fall during the second period despite a 8-1 deficit in the match.

When reflecting back on the evening Lewis concluded that "This group of seniors has been a long time coming.  They are a tight knit group that has really stuck together through the years.  Seeing them grow up out on the wrestling mat and in the classroom has been a pleasure.  They are a real laid back crew that likes to have a lot of fun but also win." As there assistant coach for the last three years Kalda also found the evening to be bittersweet.  "There's a lot of good memories with this group of kids," said Kalda.  "It's fun to sit back and think about this tough road they have traveled as these guys have been around each other for a lot of years with some good stories.  I hate to see it come to an end, but we as coaches are proud of how they have developed and the men they have become.  We like to think we had a little bit to due with that development."  The Governors will be back in action on Saturday as they travel to Yankton for their Invitational.