Wildcats boys tackle second place at region meet

Nine Custer Jr./Sr. High school boys wrestling team members qualified for state at the South Dakota High School Activities Association Region 4B Tournament at Hill City High School Feb. 21.
Overall, the Wildcats placed second as a team with 192 points, which was an unexpected victory according to head coach Jared Webster. 
“The boys had a good week. I always wish we could get more in, but overall, I’m very pleased,” said Webster. “About every match was a good match.”
Cole Scott placed second in the 106 weight class and scored 22 team points.
Scott received a bye in the championship round one. In the quarterfinal, Scott won by fall over Wace Kammerer of Lead-Deadwood at 1:56. Scott won by injury default over Logan Smith of Philip/Kadoka Area/Wall in the semifinal. Then, in the first place match, Tommy Studt of New Underwood won by medical forfeit over Scott. 
Myles Woodward placed fourth in the 113 weight class and scored 14 team points.
Woodward received a bye in the championship round one. In the quarterfinal, Woodward won by decision 5-4 over Nate Gallardo of St. Thomas More. Cannin Snyder of Philip/Kadoka Area/Wall won by fall over Woodward at 0:39 in the semifinal. In the consolation semi, Woodward won by fall over Max Keller of Lead-Deadwood at 0:51. Then, in the third place match, Jeff Knight of Stanley County won by fall over Woodward at 3:48.
Relic Bailey placed fourth in the 120 weight class and scored 15 team points.
Bailey received a bye in the championship round one. In the quarterfinal, Bailey won by fall over Jerrick Walker of Stanley County at 5:02. Ruger Smokov of Bennett County won by tech fall 18-0 over Bailey in the semifinal. In the consolation semi, Bailey won by major decision 13-0 over Layton Ringstmeyer of Hot Springs. Then, in the third place match, Retro Benson of Lemmon won by tech fall 15-0 over Bailey.
Riley Trout placed third in the 126 weight class and scored 18 team points.
Trout received a bye in the championship round one. In the quarterfinal, Trout won by fall over Sutton Peterson of Lemmon at 3:03. Shay Weber of Philip/Kadoka Area/Wall 31-8 won by fall over Trout at 5:10 in the semifinal. In the consolation semi, Trout won by fall over Gunner Schreiber of Stanley County at 0:34. Then, in the third place match, Trout won by decision 9-5 over Jaxson Turbiville of Harding County.
Ayden Dooley placed fourth in the 132 weight class and scored 13 team points.
In the quarterfinal, John Ryder Weiss of Hot Springs won by decision 6-3 over Dooley. Dooley won by fall over Rio Rislov of Philip/Kadoka Area/Wall at 2:14 in the consolation round one. In the consolation semi, Dooley won by medical forfeit over Revyn Floyd of Harding County. Then, in the third place match, John Ryder Weiss of Hot Springs won by major decision 14-3 over Dooley.
Bodie Vanderboom placed sixth in the 138 weight class and scored 11 team points.
In the championship round one, Vanderboom won by fall over Gideon Fees of Hot Springs at 1:49. Coy Eddy of New Underwood won by decision 9-3 over Vanderboom in the quarterfinal. In the consolation round two, Vanderboom won by fall over Sidney Morgan of Timber Lake at 2:28. Vanderboom won by decision 7-6 over David Fees of Faith in the consolation round three. In the consolation semi, Rhyder Harris of Bennett County won by major decision 11-2 over Vanderboom. Then, in the third place match, Jace Vroman of Harding County won by tech fall 17-0 over Vanderboom.
Riley Scott placed first in the 144 weight class and scored 28 team points.
R. Scott received a bye in the championship round one. In the quarterfinal, R. Scott won by fall over Charles White Buffalo of McLaughlin at 0:37. R. Scott won by fall over Emmett Edwards of St. Thomas More at 1:26 in the semifinal. Then, in the first place match, R. Scott won by fall over Tel Gropper of Philip/Kadoka Area/Wall at 1:36. R. Scott is currently seeded third in the state. 
Henry Bell placed fifth in the 150 weight class and scored 10 team points.
In the quarterfinal, Dain Alldredge of Hot Springs won by fall over Bell at 1:58. Bell won by forfeit over McLaughlin in the consolation round one. In the consolation semi, Lyle Noel of Bennett County won by fall over Bell at 1:56. Then, in the fifth place match, Bell won by fall over Braylon Conroy of Mahpiya Luta at 2:43.
David Lewis placed third in the 157 weight class and scored 15 team points.
In the quarterfinal, Rayler Fitch of Philip/Kadoka Area/Wall won by fall over Lewis at 3:54. Lewis won by fall over Antonio Kills In Water of Mahpiya Luta at 1:48 in the consolation round one. In the consolation semi, Lewis won by decision 8-3 over Shay Smith of Harding County. Then, in the third place match, Lewis won by fall over Talon Krolikowski of Bennett County at 4:58.
Blaise Arp placed third in the 165 weight class and scored 15 team points.
In the quarterfinal, Arp won by fall over Coy Ludemann of Stanley County at 1:59. Oakley Menzel of Philip/Kadoka Area/Wall won by fall over Arp at 2:20 in the semifinal. In the consolation semi, Arp won by decision 7-5 over Brayden Secrest of Harding County. Then, in the third place match, Arp won by major decision 18-6 over Jordan Risse of Bennett County.
Carter Kern placed fifth in the 175 weight class and scored 11 team points.
Kern received a bye in the championship round one. In the quarterfinal, Levi Berndt of Harding County won by major decision 16-6 over Kern. Kern received a bye in the consolation round two. In the consolation round three, Kern won by fall over Ajey Rutherford of Stanley County at 2:16. Dean Nathan of Hot Springs won by fall over Kern at 1:36 in the consolation semi. Then, in the fifth place match, Kern won by fall over Jacoby Carry Moccasin of McLaughlin at 4:02.
Zayden LaPlaca placed second in the 285 weight class and scored 20 team points.
In the quarterfinal, LaPlaca won by forfeit over Stanley County. LaPlaca won by fall over Javier Cruz of Mahpiya Luta at 0:58 in the semifinal. Then, in the first place match, Wyatt Zeigler of Mobridge-Pollock won by decision 9-4 over LaPlaca.
The Wildcats are now heading into their final week of the wrestling season with the South Dakota High School Activities Association Boys State Championships in Sioux Falls Feb. 26-28. 
“I want to see as many bring home a medal as they can and see if they can climb the ladder,” said Webster. “It’s been a great season for these kids. I thought we were really young. They’ve exceeded my expectations for the year and stepped up really well.”