MP’s Schoenhard wins 220 lb state title

Aiden Schoenhard left his mark on Tiger wrestling history by winning the 220-pound title at the Boys Class B State Wrestling Tournament at Summit Arena and The Monument in Rapid City on Feb. 24.

Schoenhard did not have to do anything but raise his hand in the championship. His opponent, Kade Grocott of McCook Central/ Montrose, won his semifinal match by default after Levi Wieman of Parker was disqualified for an illegal throw. Grocott was injured on the illegal throw and could not wrestle in the championship.

Ironically, Schoenhard’s older brother, Chase, won the 2015 220-pound title in exactly the same way.

To get to the championship, Schoenard scored a reversal at 1:14 of third period and then rode Preston Cavalier of Warner/Northwestern out for a 4-3 win. He opened with a 1:41 pin over Carson Leonhardt of Faulkton Area and then beat Hunter Richmond of Canton 7-0 in the quarterfinals.

Schoenhard is the 20th Tiger to win a state title and the first since his brother’s win in 2015. Along with Collin Jensen in 1012, the last three Tiger state titles have come at 220 pounds.

Aiden and Chase are the third set of brothers to win state title. Bill Scherr won titles in 1979 and 1980 and Jim Scherr won a state title in 1980. Mike and Mark Monfore won state titles in 1983. There is one father/son duo to win state titles. Kyle Jensen won state in 1982 before son, Collin, 2012. The 20 state title winners, led by David Rowe with four from 1983 to 1986, have won a combined 25 state titles.

Jesse Bearsheart capped Tiger career by taking sixth place at 170 pounds. Bearsheart opened with a 10-2 win over Mason Hendrickson of Tri-Valley. After dropping a 6-5 decision to Weston Remmers of McCook Central/Montrose, Bearsheart came back to beat Calvin Halverson of Howard 5-1 and Kolter Kramer of Parkston 6-5. The win over Kramer put Bearsheart into the medal rounds. He earned the with a reversal and two-point near fall in the second period and riding Kramer out the entire third period. Trying to advance, Bearsheart was defeated 8-2 by Gunnar Stephens of Burke/Gregory. In the fifthplace match, Remmers handed Bearsheart an 8-0 defeat.

Wyatt Wienjtes won one match at 132. In the opening round, Wientjes suffered a knee injury and last by injury default to Teagan Foreman of Miller/Highmore-Harrold. He came back to defeat Kaleb Johnson of Kingsbury County 5-0, but then lost 8-0 to Wyatt Anderson of Parkston.

Remmington Ford at 152 pounds and Riley Kerner at 285 pounds suffered 0-2 state tournaments.

Class B Boys State
Wrestling Tournament

Team Scores: Canton 163.5, Winner Area 126.5, Philip Area 126, Custer 119, McCook Central/Montrose 112.5, Kimball/White Lake/Platte-Geddes 112.5, Redfield 75, Miller/Highmore-Harrold 73, Wagner 58.5, Parker 54.5, Burke/ Gregory 44, Parkston 42, Elk Point- Jefferson 41.5, Tri-Valley 41, Bon Homme/Avon 40.5, Howard 39.5, Wessington Springs/Woonsocket/ Wolsey-Wessington 37.5, Mobridge-Pollock 35, Kingsbury County 34, Warner/Northwestern 31, Lyman 25, Hot Springs 24, Mount Vernon/Plankinton/Corsica-Stickney 23, Stanley County 21.5 Groton Area 20, Webster Area 20, Faulkton Area 19, Lead- Deadwood 19, Garretson 18, Deuel/ Deubrook Area 17, Lemmon/ McIntosh 17, Clark/Willow Lake 15, Ipswich/Bowdle 15, Harding County 14, Hamlin/Castlewood 13, Sioux Valley 12, Bennett County 11, Newell 9, Potter County 5, Marion/ Freeman 4, Hanson 3, St. Thomas More 3, Sully Buttes 3.

132: Wyatt Wientjes (33-18): lost by injury default to Teagan Foreman, Miller/Highmore-Harrold; defeated Kaleb Johnson, Kingsbury County, 5-0; was defeated by Wyatt Anderson, Parkston, 8-0 major decision.

152: Remmington Ford (19-24): was pinned by Porter Neugebauer, Parkston, 1:37; was defeated by Colton Brady, Stanley County, 7-1.

170: Jesse Bearsheart (35-13) sixth place: defeated Mason Hendrickson, Tri-Valley, 10-2 major decision; was defeated by Weston Remmers, McCook Central/Montrose, 6-5; defeated Calvin Halverson, Howard, 5-1; defeated Kolter Kramer, Parkston, 6-5; was defeated by Gunnar Stephens, Burke/Gregory, 8-2; was defeated by Weston Remmers, McCook Central/Montrose, 8-0.

220: Aiden Schoenhard (37-7) first place: pinned Carson Leonhardt, Faulkton Area, 1:41; defeated Hunter Richmond, Canton, 7-0; defeated Preston Cavalier, Northwestern/Warner, 4-3; won by injury default over Kade Grocott, McCook Central/ Montrose.

285: Riley Kerner (14-24): was pinned by Isaac Nehlich, Tri-Valley, :44; was pinned by Jaden Richter, Garretson, :27.