by Oran Sorenson, Assistant Coach
While one year ago the Tri Valley Invitational was cancelled because of inclement weather, this year it got off the ground with just a few glitches.
The tournament was right at the limit of the twelve teams allowed by the SDHSAA to be present in one gym, and the total number of participants had to be voluntarily trimmed just a bit to stay under the 114-athlete cap. This was accomplished by not inviting unattached participants to be filled in where there were open spots as has been the practice in recent years to get younger wrestlers a bit more experience.
With the limitations, Garretson would put nine Blue Dragons on the mat, with five going on to earn medals.
Garretson’s highest place winner was Braxten Rozeboom who finished runner-up at 132. Braxten, a junior, has a way of lulling his opponent into a state of uncertain expectations then hits them with some type of throw and he ends up on top and soon it is over. While there is certainly a degree of debate by coaches and others whether or not this high-stake approach, or a steady reliance on sound technique will produce longer range positive results, it has been certainly replayed many times over and over.
Nonetheless, Rozeboom, unseeded in the event, knocked off both the second and third seeded wrestlers to reach the finals. It can be entertaining as both victories came with pins, the first in the second period over his opponent from Winner and the second over his opponent from Hamlin was in the third. Undefeated and highly ranked Chase Varilek of Kimball-White Lake would show which approach works best for him as he used solid technique to quickly dominate with a :46 second fall in the finals.
Our next highest finisher was sophomore Jayden Richter who took home the bronze in the 220 class, and who was also unseeded. Jayden would lose his first match 8-6 to Levi Wieman of Parker, who we had also lost to earlier in the season. Richter would turn the tables in the consolation bracket where he would earn three pins in a row. His first two victories came over opponents from Sisseton and Bon Homme-Scotland. But his sweetest victory of the night would come in the consolation finals where he would come from behind to pin the very same wrestler he lost to in round one.
Three Blue Dragon juniors would finish fourth, Jayse Miller at 126, Tayson Swatek at 145, and Gabe Johnson at HWT. Miller, second seeded in his class, would be upset by two tough wrestlers, Andrew Even of Parker and Lucas Lenz of Kimball-White Lake. Swatek’s path to the medal round was earned when he would recover from a first round fall first with a hard earned 7-3 decision and then an injury default. He would fall in the consolation finals by pin to his opponent from Bon Homme-Scotland. Johnson was seeded fourth and finished fourth. His nicest match of the day was another hard-earned decision over an opponent from Lennox. In the consolation finals he would be pinned by state ranked Geoff Dunkelberger of Parker.
At 138 lbs. senior Trevon Cross was seeded fourth but was unable to place. After a first-round major decision and then a loss, he earned one pin in the wrestle backs but fell in what is sometimes called the “blood round,” where if you win you go on to the consolation finals or if you get beat your day is over. Three other Blue Dragons stepped onto the mats Saturday always gaining good experience, but not able to garner a medal. At 152 lbs. 8th grader Carsten Rozeboom participated, in the 160 class it was junior Adam Hulscher, and at 195 was another 8th grader Martin Welch.
The Blue Dragon wrestlers would finish the day 7th in the pool of 12 teams with 73 points, putting them ahead of Miller/Highmore-Harold, A-division Lennox, Flandreau, Hamlin, and Sisseton. But far behind 2nd state ranked champions Winner with 238 points and runners up Kimball/White Lake with 226.5 points. Host Tri Valley would finish one spot above our local boys with 76 points.
Braxten Rozeboom placed 2nd, Jaden Richter placed 3rd, Jayse Miller, Gabe Johnson and Tayson Swatek placed 4th.
