GETTYSBURG The Sioux Valley Cossacks will send three wrestlers to this years SDHSAA Class B State Wrestling Tournament after Tate Steffensen, Dubhlainn Vermeulen and Owen Vandeweerd qualified at the Region 1B Wrestling Tournament at Gettysburg High School on Saturday afternoon.
Steffensen was the regional champion at 132 pounds after winning all three of his matches at the tournament. Steffensen defeated Britton-Heclas Bryce Heitkamp in 53 seconds during the quarterfinals and won by a 12-1 major decision over Clark/Willow Lakes Logan Foster to reach the championship. After winning by a 13-0 major decision over Hamlin/Castlewoods John Yonker for the championship, Steffensen will enter the state tournament with a 44-5 record.
Vermeulen finished fourth at 126 pounds despite being pinned by Groton Areas Walker Zoellner 30 seconds into his quarterfinal match. Vermeulen won his next two matches to qualify for state pinning Sully Buttess Ryley Sprinkel and Clark/Willow Lakes Damian Severson at 3:40 of the consolation semifinals before he was pinned by Zoellner at 2:13 of a rematch in the third place match. Vermeulen has a 13-25 record on the season.
Vandeweerd finished fourth at 285 pounds and opened the tournament with a 4-1 decision over Groton Areas Gavin Englund in the quarterfinals. Vandeweerd lost to Redifelds Grady Fey by fall at 1:05 of the semifinals but defeated Warner/Northwesterns Brayden Satter by fall at 2:37 of the consolation semifinals to earn his spot in the state tournament.
After dropping a 3-0 decision to Britton-Heclas Tucker Hardy in the third-place match, Vandeweerd is 41-6 on the year.
The Class B state tournament will begin with first-round matches beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls.
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