South Dakota team goes 1-5 at junior national duals

By Journal staff | Sunday, July 06, 2008

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Team South Dakota came up just short in its bid to have a team place in its first-ever trip to the USA Wrestling Junior Freestyle National Duals.  Twenty-one states making up 23 very tough teams battled it out from Wednesday to Friday to see whose freestyle wrestlers were the best in the nation.

Team South Dakota went 1-5 on the weekend, defeating a Michigan team that finished eighth in the Greco-Roman competition on Monday and Tuesday.

“We went down to gain some experience for Fargo first of all, and we accomplished that,” Team South Dakota chairperson Ray Ringstmeyer said of the 2008 Greco-Roman and Freestyle season with the 2008 Accelerade Cadet & Asics/Vaughan Junior National Championships July 18-26 in Fargo. “We were hoping to do better as a team, but any time you give up 15-20 forfeit points against competition like this, our chances to win any duals were between slim and none.  To beat a very good Michigan team was very rewarding to our wrestlers, it made them feel like they belong here, and they really do.”

Huron wrestler Dustin Walraven went unbeaten at 135 pounds for South Dakota. Sturgis’ Josh Keszler (125) went 4-2, Seth Lange (119) went 3-3 and Huron’s Cord Glanzer (145) and Canton’s Jeremiah Peterson (130) each went 2-2.

Other wrestlers on the team were: Clayton Steinmetz (Hot Springs), Jordan Redmond (Milbank), Colter Steinmetz (Hot Springs), Parker Swanson (Canton), Cole Romey (Hot Springs), Jesse Docken (Winner), Carl Serck (Alcester), Jayd Docken (Winner) and Charlie Fox (Sioux Falls).

The team was coached by Augustana College wrestlers Sid Bice (Winner), and Casey Mouw (Sioux Center, IA).