RAPID CITY — A bid for a second straight state wrestling title is still on track for Huron senior Tyson Lien after the second day of the Class A State Tournament on Friday at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City.
Lien recorded his second technical fall of the tournament with a 15-0 decision against Tyler Rudebusch of Watertown at the 4:11 mark of their match in the quarterfinals at 182 pounds on Friday morning.
Lien then recorded a 10-2 major decision against Joe VanOverschelde of Mitchell in the semifinals to claim his spot in the title match.
Earning the other spot in the 182-pound championship match was top-seeded Gavin Gulbranson of Harrisburg with back-to-back pins.
Lien and Gulbranson, who is also a returning state champion, have met twice this season with each wrestler emerging with a victory.
The three other Huron wrestlers, who inked wins during the opening round on Thursday, secured spots in the placing rounds on Friday.
Sebastian Cardona reached the semifinals at 285 for the Tigers with a pin at 5:13 against Zach Brady of Vermillion in his opening match Friday. In the semifinals he suffered a loss by pin at 4:26 to top-seeded Navarro Schunke of Brandon Valley.
Sebastian Cardona will face the winner of a match between Tyler Dean of Watertown and Canyon Burkard of Chamberlain in the fourth round consolation, with the winner wrestling for third place.
Huron’s Lucas Hofer suffered a 10-6 setback against Mac Young of Watertown in the quarterfinals at 160 on Friday morning. He responded with a pin against Jace Jones of Harrisburg to earn a spot in the third round consolation today, where he will face Graydon Bakke of Rapid City Central.
Second-seeded Owen Warren of Brandon Valley pinned Tristan Cardona, who was wrestling at 220 for the Tigers, at 2:54 in their quarter-final match.
Cardona rebounded with a 5-1 decision against Gunner Ristau of Chamberlain and will face Eli Huot of Rapid City Stevens in the third round consolation today.
Moses Gross, who lost an ultimate tiebreaker in the opening round at 120 for Huron, recorded a 5-1 decision against Connor Peterson of Vermillion in his first match Friday. He was then edged 3-2 by Tucker Bahm of Yankton in the second round consolation match to end his tournament.
Nate Sprenkle of O’Gorman edged Huron’s Kaiser Ruth in a first round consolation match at 145 on Friday morning to end his tournament.
Heading into the final day of competition, Brandon Valley led the team standings with 166 points, while Rapid City Stevens was second at 144. Pierre and Watertown shared the third spot with 113 points each, while Sturgis was sixth at 82.5.
The third round consolation matches will begin at 10 a.m., today and be followed by the fourth round consolation matches.
The placing matches will begin at 3:30 p.m., with the championship matches to follow.
In the Class A State Girls’ Tournament, Ehler Klay and Htee Htoo will be wrestling for the Tigers in the consolation semifinals today.
Klay suffered a pin against Ariana Gomez of Dakota Valley at 2:27 in her opening match at 143. She rebounded with a pin at 2:30 against Abbie Culver of Sturgis to earn a spot in the consolation semifinals.
Htoo was pinned at 3:00 in her opening match at 143 by Hattie Baldwin of Pierre, rebounded with a pin at 2:57 against Clare Moe of Aberdeen Central.
Klay will face Madison Snyder of Sturgis, while Htoo wrestles Gomez. The winners advance to wrestle for third place.
Ae Si Lar will also wrestle in the consolation semfinals for Huron at 131. She was pinned at 1:01 in the opening round by Gianna Stangeland of Pierre, before rebounding with a pin in 21 seconds against Sydney Badwound of Spearfish.
Si Lar will face Melina Frank of Aberdeen Central in her match today, with the winner to wrestle for third place.
