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Mar. 23—SIOUX FALLS — There were a total of 1,596 wrestlers in action at the South Dakota Wrestling Coaches Association youth wrestling state tournament March 20-22 at the Sioux Falls Arena.
Grapplers from the Mitchell area came away with a haul of medals and several appearances on the championship podium. Leading the charge for Mitchell were two standout second-place performances. In the 14-and-under, 120-pound boys division, Micah Bennett battled his way to the state finals before falling in the championship bout to Watertown's Jonah Anderson. On the girls side, Elsie Lauritsen put on a dominant display for Mitchell to take home first place in the eight-and-under, 83-pound bracket, while Keena Lauritsen advanced all the way to the title match before dropping a hard-fought decision to Pierre's Olivia Deffenbaugh at 110 pounds in the 10-and-under division.
Mitchell's Benson Wagner (14U, 70-pound boys division) finished in third place, as did Wesley Byrd (8U, 40-pound boys division). Mitchell also had fourth-place finishers with Iris Lorensen (8U, 47-pound girls division) and Paxton Puepke (8U, 44-pound boys class).
The Puepke name appeared twice on the leaderboard for Mitchell, as Paxton's success was mirrored by Payzen Puepke, who took sixth place in the six-and-under, 42-pound boys division. Benson Wagner took third and Brandon Wagner earned a sixth-place finish in the 14-and-under, 115-pound boys division.
Aliyana Espinosa (10U, 110-pound girls bracket) wrestled her way to sixth place, while Santiago Espinosa (12U, 175-pound boys class) secured seventh. Rounding out the top-eight finishers for Mitchell were Oaklee Lanners (8U, 57-pound girls bracket) and Gabe Hilbrands (12U, 60-pound boys division), as each of them secured sixth-place finishes in their respective divisions. In the 10-and-under, 104-pound boys bracket, Jacobi Wright ended his tournament with a pin over Emmett Voorhees of Hill City in just 54 seconds to take seventh place.
Here is a list of all of the top area finishers that placed first or second in the 2026 South Dakota Wrestling Coaches Association youth wrestling state tournament March 20-22 at the Sioux Falls Arena:
Girls 6U
37 — Second place: Brenlyn Moody of Mount Vernon/Plankinton/Corsica/Stickney.
43 — First place: Rayna Kloucek of Bon Homme.
67 — First place: Karter Burdette of Winner.
Girls 8U
40 — First place: Zoey Behrens of Hanson.
44 — Second place: Harley Koupal of Burke.
47 — First place: Vera VandenHoek of Platte/Geddes.
50 — Second place: Lydia Heumiller of McCook Central/Montrose.
61 — Second place: Hattie Kokes of Bon Homme.
83 — First place: Elsie Lauritsen of Mitchell.
HWT — First place: Jordee Hjelm of Andes Central; Second place: Selah Voorhees of Canistota.
Girls 10U
55 — Second place: Elsie Konechne of Platte/Geddes.
77 — Second place: Isabella Alarcon of American Outlaws Wrestling.
84 — Second place: Molly Manas of Scotland.
110 — Second place: Keena Lauritsen of Mitchell.
125 — Second place: Suttyn Bergin of Andes Central.
Girls 12U
60 — First place: Tessa Vandenhoek of Platte/Geddes.
72 — First place: Braelyn Stirling of Winner.
90 — Second place: Adeline Blau of Marion/Freeman.
110 — First place: Ellie Bult of Bon Homme; Second place: Alaska Foht of Marion/Freeman.
120 — First place: Peyton Runyon of Bon Homme.
HWT — Second place: Sophie Kerner Andersson of Burke.
Girls 14U
75 — Second place: June Abbey of Hanson.
83 — Second place: Rowan Wenger of Gregory.
112 — First place: Ava Brown of Mount Vernon/Plankinton/Corsica/Stickney.
Boys 6U
49 — First place: Noah Kocer of Wagner.
53 — First place: Abram Veskrna of Gregory.
HWT — First place: Everett Hoffman of McCook Central/Montrose.
Boys 8U
53 — First place: Aa Petersen of American Outlaws Wrestling.
61 — First place: Wesley Tegethoff of Platte/Geddes.
70 — Second place: Jase Dobesh of Hanson.
91 — First place: McCrae Nickels of Pony Hills (Wessington Springs).
Boys 10U
50 — Second place: Brecken Jensen of Pony Hills (Wessington Springs).
53 — First place: Bridger Clarke of Howard.
63 — Second place: Jory Heinrich of American Outlaws Wrestling.
72 — Second place: Ashton Preheim of American Outlaws Wrestling.
89 — First place: Karsten Storms of Winner.
96 — First place: Lucchese Helkenn of Winner.
113 — First place: Leo Hoffman of McCook Central/Montrose.
123 — First place: Denver Rinehart of Chamberlain.
134 — Second place: Rage Kepler of Gregory.
HWT — First place: Kharis Dion of Andes Central.
Boys 12U
127 — Second place: Riley Walloch of Scotland.
HWT — First place: Liam Lane of Gregory; Second place Samuel Ulrich of Andes Central.
Boys 14U
70 — Second place: Zane Vasquez of Burke.
85 — Second place: Bridger Stirling of Winner.
120 — Second place: Micah Bennett of Mitchell.
130 — Second place: Thomas Krcil of Wagner.
140 — First place: Carter Coleman of Lyman County.
150 — Second place: Boston Myers of Kimball.
180 — First place: Tucker Tjeerdsma of Bon Homme; Second place: Kreyton Karstens of Howard.
215 — First place: Dustin Johnson of White Lake.
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Grapplers from the Mitchell area came away with a haul of medals and several appearances on the championship podium. Leading the charge for Mitchell were two standout second-place performances. In the 14-and-under, 120-pound boys division, Micah Bennett battled his way to the state finals before falling in the championship bout to Watertown's Jonah Anderson. On the girls side, Elsie Lauritsen put on a dominant display for Mitchell to take home first place in the eight-and-under, 83-pound bracket, while Keena Lauritsen advanced all the way to the title match before dropping a hard-fought decision to Pierre's Olivia Deffenbaugh at 110 pounds in the 10-and-under division.
Mitchell's Benson Wagner (14U, 70-pound boys division) finished in third place, as did Wesley Byrd (8U, 40-pound boys division). Mitchell also had fourth-place finishers with Iris Lorensen (8U, 47-pound girls division) and Paxton Puepke (8U, 44-pound boys class).
The Puepke name appeared twice on the leaderboard for Mitchell, as Paxton's success was mirrored by Payzen Puepke, who took sixth place in the six-and-under, 42-pound boys division. Benson Wagner took third and Brandon Wagner earned a sixth-place finish in the 14-and-under, 115-pound boys division.
Aliyana Espinosa (10U, 110-pound girls bracket) wrestled her way to sixth place, while Santiago Espinosa (12U, 175-pound boys class) secured seventh. Rounding out the top-eight finishers for Mitchell were Oaklee Lanners (8U, 57-pound girls bracket) and Gabe Hilbrands (12U, 60-pound boys division), as each of them secured sixth-place finishes in their respective divisions. In the 10-and-under, 104-pound boys bracket, Jacobi Wright ended his tournament with a pin over Emmett Voorhees of Hill City in just 54 seconds to take seventh place.
Here is a list of all of the top area finishers that placed first or second in the 2026 South Dakota Wrestling Coaches Association youth wrestling state tournament March 20-22 at the Sioux Falls Arena:
Girls 6U
37 — Second place: Brenlyn Moody of Mount Vernon/Plankinton/Corsica/Stickney.
43 — First place: Rayna Kloucek of Bon Homme.
67 — First place: Karter Burdette of Winner.
Girls 8U
40 — First place: Zoey Behrens of Hanson.
44 — Second place: Harley Koupal of Burke.
47 — First place: Vera VandenHoek of Platte/Geddes.
50 — Second place: Lydia Heumiller of McCook Central/Montrose.
61 — Second place: Hattie Kokes of Bon Homme.
83 — First place: Elsie Lauritsen of Mitchell.
HWT — First place: Jordee Hjelm of Andes Central; Second place: Selah Voorhees of Canistota.
Girls 10U
55 — Second place: Elsie Konechne of Platte/Geddes.
77 — Second place: Isabella Alarcon of American Outlaws Wrestling.
84 — Second place: Molly Manas of Scotland.
110 — Second place: Keena Lauritsen of Mitchell.
125 — Second place: Suttyn Bergin of Andes Central.
Girls 12U
60 — First place: Tessa Vandenhoek of Platte/Geddes.
72 — First place: Braelyn Stirling of Winner.
90 — Second place: Adeline Blau of Marion/Freeman.
110 — First place: Ellie Bult of Bon Homme; Second place: Alaska Foht of Marion/Freeman.
120 — First place: Peyton Runyon of Bon Homme.
HWT — Second place: Sophie Kerner Andersson of Burke.
Girls 14U
75 — Second place: June Abbey of Hanson.
83 — Second place: Rowan Wenger of Gregory.
112 — First place: Ava Brown of Mount Vernon/Plankinton/Corsica/Stickney.
Boys 6U
49 — First place: Noah Kocer of Wagner.
53 — First place: Abram Veskrna of Gregory.
HWT — First place: Everett Hoffman of McCook Central/Montrose.
Boys 8U
53 — First place: Aa Petersen of American Outlaws Wrestling.
61 — First place: Wesley Tegethoff of Platte/Geddes.
70 — Second place: Jase Dobesh of Hanson.
91 — First place: McCrae Nickels of Pony Hills (Wessington Springs).
Boys 10U
50 — Second place: Brecken Jensen of Pony Hills (Wessington Springs).
53 — First place: Bridger Clarke of Howard.
63 — Second place: Jory Heinrich of American Outlaws Wrestling.
72 — Second place: Ashton Preheim of American Outlaws Wrestling.
89 — First place: Karsten Storms of Winner.
96 — First place: Lucchese Helkenn of Winner.
113 — First place: Leo Hoffman of McCook Central/Montrose.
123 — First place: Denver Rinehart of Chamberlain.
134 — Second place: Rage Kepler of Gregory.
HWT — First place: Kharis Dion of Andes Central.
Boys 12U
127 — Second place: Riley Walloch of Scotland.
HWT — First place: Liam Lane of Gregory; Second place Samuel Ulrich of Andes Central.
Boys 14U
70 — Second place: Zane Vasquez of Burke.
85 — Second place: Bridger Stirling of Winner.
120 — Second place: Micah Bennett of Mitchell.
130 — Second place: Thomas Krcil of Wagner.
140 — First place: Carter Coleman of Lyman County.
150 — Second place: Boston Myers of Kimball.
180 — First place: Tucker Tjeerdsma of Bon Homme; Second place: Kreyton Karstens of Howard.
215 — First place: Dustin Johnson of White Lake.
Continue reading...
