16 Mitchell

Dec. 6—MITCHELL — As the new wrestling season commences in South Dakota high schools, top talents from the Mitchell area return to the mat with aspirations to enhance their impressive credentials.

The region boasts elite competitors across Class A, Class B, and girls categories, many of whom have secured multiple placements and titles in state tournaments.

Here is a review of 16 notable returning wrestlers likely to spearhead the march towards the state tournament set for Rapid City, organized here in alphabetical order by last name:

Wyatt Anderson, junior, Parkston: Anderson has made steady improvements in his Class B state tournament placements, reaching third place at 157 pounds last season. Over three years, he holds a record of 109-39, finishing last year with a commendable 39-8.

Danny Borja, junior, Mitchell: Borja stands out as the top female wrestler for both years of the program at MHS, achieving two fifth-place finishes in the state tournament at 120 pounds. Her winning record exceeds 30 matches in both years, with a two-year tally of 72-17.

Gavin Braun, senior, Kimball/White Lake/Platte-Geddes: With a remarkable record as a Class B state tournament finalist for three straight years, Braun has placed as runner-up in consecutive weight classes of 120 and 126 pounds. He captured a state championship at 106 pounds in 2022 and has an impressive 128-16 record over the last three years.

Alexis Bryant, junior, McCook Central/Montrose: Already a three-time state place-winner prior to last season, Bryant claimed her inaugural girls state title at 114 pounds last season. Since the 2021-22 season commenced, Bryant has achieved a record of 91-23, winning at least 29 matches each season.

Rocky Clark, sophomore, Mitchell: Clark was the sole freshman to earn a podium finish among Class A 285-pound wrestlers last season, achieving fourth place with a record of 36-14. With two of the three heavyweights who outperformed him now graduated, Clark, the Region 3A champion, is set to rise further in his sophomore year.

Jhett Eklund, senior, Burke/Gregory: In his junior year, Eklund secured his first Class B state tournament placement, finishing third at 190 pounds and concluding the season with a 40-11 record. He represents one of two 190-pounders featured in this list, amassing a total of 99 match victories in the past three years.

Holden Havlik, senior, Wessington Springs/Woonsocket/Wolsey-Wessington: Havlik made a strong comeback last season, having placed eighth at 170 pounds in 2021 for Kimball/White Lake/Platte-Geddes but missing the state tournament qualifications in 2022 and 2023. Upon his return, he finished as the runner-up at 215 pounds, achieving a season record of 26-2.

Peyton Hellmann, senior, Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon: According to USA Wrestling’s rankings from Nov. 14, Hellmann is positioned fourth nationally at 135 pounds and is seeking her fifth state title as she enters her senior season. She achieved the state championship at 138 pounds last season with a perfect 42-0 record, winning 39 of those matches by fall—leading all female wrestlers statewide. She is a two-time winner of the Mitchell Republic girls wrestler of the year.

Karson Keiser, senior, Winner Area: With two consecutive Class B state tournament placements to his name, Keiser secured third place at 138 pounds last season. Over the past couple of years, his record stands at 92-18. He has been an integral part of five winner area dual teams competing in the state championships.

Gannon Knebel, junior, Wagner: Knebel transitioned from 160 pounds in 2023 to 190 pounds last season, also elevating his Class B state tournament spot from seventh to second. He has a cumulative record of 75-16 during those two years, including a remarkable 36-2 last season.

Lucas Lenz, senior, Kimball/White Lake/Platte-Geddes: A two-time top-five qualifier in the Class B state tournament, Lenz was the runner-up at 165 pounds last season and is one of only two 165-pound wrestlers featured here. He boasts an overall record of 91-19 over the last three seasons, including two campaigns with over 40 wins.

Iden Myers, senior, Kimball/White Lake/Platte-Geddes: Myers captured the runner-up position at 144 pounds in the Class B state tournament with an impressive record of 44-2, marking his second top-four finish in a row and third in four years. His record over the last two seasons is 83-11.

Weston Remmers, senior, Howard: Aspiring for a sixth podium finish as a senior, Remmers, a five-time Class B state tournament competitor, achieved a record of 32-4 and took home third place at 165 pounds last season, which marked his first year with Howard. Remmers’ varsity career record is 153-39, dating back to his time at McCook Central/Montrose.

Rylan Robbins, freshman, Winner Area: A two-time Class B state tournament placer at 106 pounds during his first two varsity years, Robbins narrowly lost in the championship match last season with a close 3-2 score. This second-place finish follows his sixth-place achievement in 2023, elevating his overall record to 82-17.

Britney Rueb, junior, Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon: Ranked as the No. 28 girls wrestler nationally at 130 pounds by USA Wrestling, Rueb has reached the state finals four times, securing three championships. After finishing as the runner-up in 2023, Rueb bounced back to win the 120-pound title last season with a stellar record of 28-2. Over the past three years, she holds an overall record of 97-6, with her previous titles earned at 113 pounds in 2022 and 112 in 2021.

Trystan Traupel, senior, McCook Central/Montrose: As he begins his senior year, Traupel boasts four consecutive Class B state tournament podium finishes, including a third-place finish at 120 pounds last season. Throughout these four years, he has participated in exactly 200 varsity matches, securing victory in 172.