SALEM – Five Flandreau Flier wrestlers will pack their singlets, headgear and shoes to participate in the South Dakota High School Activity Association Class B State Wrestling Tourney this weekend in Rapid City.
Senior Karter Headrick, juniors Teague Bergjord and Justin Klein, sophomore Tyton Peters and freshman Zach Pederson all punched their tickets to the final wrestling tourney of the season.
And the Fliers took fifth as a team scoring 110 points. Powerhouse Canton won the Region 2B title with 295 points. Tri-Valley was second with 207, Elk Point-Jefferson was third, 138.5 and Parker came in fourth with 114.5 points.
“We had a goal to be top six in the region,” said Head Coach Cody Chamblin.
“Going in we had an idea where we could be sitting, but we needed help from everyone on the team,” he said.
“Everyone pulled their weight knowing what was on the line. They wrestled some of the best I have seen them all year as we ended only a few points from fourth.”
The team placing was the highest for the current Flandreau coaching crew led by Cody Chamblin and the highest for a Flier team since they placed fifth in 2014.
From each region, the top four placewinners in each weight division advance to state.
Headrick pinned his way to the title. He took first at 215 lb. with a 2:47 pin over Gabriel Martian of Howard.
“Karter will be looking to finish his senior season towards the top of that podium in Rapid,” said Chamblin.
Bergjord took third at 120 lbs. by winning 7-4 over Owen Bunde of Tri-Valley.
“Teague finished the day wrestling well to secure a spot for his second straight tourney appearance.”
Pederson notched his first state tournament appearance after being an alternate at last year’s meet.
At regions, he lost in the 132 lb. finals to Keaton Preheim of Marion/Freeman to take fourth.
“It will be nice to see Zach wrestle in Rapid,” said Chamblin. “He has the drive and can have a match with anyone.”
Klein, taking fourth at regions, will also make his first state tournament appearance. He lost 4-2 in the 175 lb. finals match to Gunner Ewing of Elk Point-Jefferson.
“Justin is in a highly talented weight class – at regions and at state.”
“He had an exciting match in the semis against the #3 kid in the state taking him down to the final seconds,” said Chamblin.

Peters (heavyweight) lost in the finals match to Luke Nehlich of Tri-Valley by a 34 second fall.
“He had some of the most exciting matches of the day,” said Chamblin.
“He showed that he wanted it. And wrestled the best I have seen this year. He’ll make his first state tournament after a few years away from the sport.”
Closing out the season for the Fliers were Aston Duncan, Emisal Bonilla, Gabe Frias, Dalin Billmeier, Asael Garreau, Preston Meyer, Hayden Pearson and Rhyder Behnke.
Chamblin also noted:
Frias placed 5th on the day. Billmeier had a great day and showed some of his best wrestling of the year going 2-2. He was just short of placing.
Bonilla got a nice win. Duncan, Behnke and Garreau all wrestled well but didn’t get a win. They still helped the team and showed improvement.
Due to prior injuries Meyer and Pearson did not wrestle at regions.
The girls’ regional tourney was held Thursday, February 20 in Salem.
For the Flier girls, Tenley Quick fell to sixth place and will not advance to the state meet. She won her opening match by a 3:07 fall but had to bow out from further competition due to an injury while wrestling against Brooke Warejcka of Canton.
“Since Tenley is only an eighth grader, she has a great future ahead of her,” said Chamblin.
“This was a huge bummer but it happens in sports. We’ll just move on and plan to get better.”

State match ups
For the State Tourney bracketing, the top 10 wrestlers are seeded and the other competitors are drawn.
Bergjord’s tourney draw gave him the 16th seed position. He’ll take his 41-13 record against Landon Flogstad of McCook Central/Montrose, a foe he’s met before.
In the state tourney, Pederson was drawn 14th to face #3 seed, Gavin Braun, a senior from Kimball/White Lake/ Platte-Geddes. The two have not wrestled this year. Pederson has a season mark of 43-18.
Klein is seeded ninth with a record of 42-16. He’ll have a chance at redemption as he’ll see EPJ’s Gunner Ewing again in the opening round.
Headrick will take a record of 43-9 to state and is seeded sixth. He will take on Tucker Hardy of Britton-Hecla in the opening round. They have not met this season. Peters was selected as the No. 11 seed with his 20-15 record. He’ll face Aiden Novak of Mt. Vernon-Plankinton/Corsica-Stickney. They also have not seen each other.

“We are looking forward to a great state tournament and bringing some bling home,” concluded Chamblin.

Results:
Girls Regions
107 Tenley Quick, WBF 3:07, Benazir Wilson, Harr; injury default Brooke Warejcka, Cant;

Boys at Region 3B
SQ = State Qualifier
106 Aston Duncan, LBF :51 Blake Benson, Garr; bye; LBF 2:24 Colt Evenson, Canis.
120 Teague Bergjord, WBF 1:10 CJ Peterson, Ches; LBF 2:59 Landon Flogstad, MCM; WBF :34 Michael Blau, MF; won 7-4 over Owen Bunde, TV – 3rd place (SQ)
126 Emisael Bonilla, LBF :32 Trystan Traupel, MCM; bye; WBF 1:53 Lucas Mathieu, Canis; lost 17-0 TF Beckett Fennel, EPJ
132 Zach Pederson, bye; WBF 3:02 Alex McFarland, TV; LBF :45 Aiden Schremp, Cant; WBF 4:56 Chase Arend, Garr; LBF 3:15 Keaton Preheim, MF – 4th place (SQ)
138 Gabe Frias, WBF 3:37 Elliott Bartlett, MCM; LBF 1:06 Luke Swatek, EPJ; lost 10-3 Colten Preheim, Park; WBF 2:59, Bartlett, MCM – 5th place
144 Dalin Billmeier, WBF 5:39 Tucker DuBois, VHIW; LBF 1:05 Jerimiah Friman, Park; WBF 2:58 Joseph Haag, Canis; lost 11-2 MD Otto Uberty, MCM
150 Asael Garreau, bye; LBF 1:03 Connor Giedd, Cant; LBF 1:29 Ty Van Holland, Garr.
175 Justin Klein, WBF 1:39 Chase Adam, Cant; lost 6-4 Weston Remmers, How; WBF :29 Teegun Wentzel, Park; lost 4-2 Gunner Ewing, EPJ – 4th place (SQ)
190 Rhyder Behnke, LBF 5:05 Maxx Holm, VHIW; bye: lost 11-0 MD Xavier Yount, TV
215 Karter Headrick, WBF 1:00 Marty Welch, Garr; WBF 2:31 Gunnar Swenson, Cant; WBF 2:47 Gabriel Martian, How – 1st place (SQ)
285 Tyton Peters, bye; lost 5-4 Tanner Baatz, Garr; WBF :48 Thomas Halverson, How; WBF :31 Raymond Arnold, MF; WBF 4:12 Addison Peterson, EPJ; LBF :34 Luke Nehlich, TV – 4th place (SQ)