TRIO OF REBELS ADVANCE TO STATE
JEREMY WALTNER – PUBLISHER
Two veteran leaders and a star on the rise will represent Marion/Freeman at 2021 State Wrestling Tournament in Rapid City this week. Action starts Thursday morning, Feb. 25 and continues Friday and Saturday.
Freeman seniors Ethan Ortman and Clayton Smith, along with Freeman seventh-grader Riley Tschetter, all advanced to state with top-four finishes at the Region 2B Tournament in Salem Saturday, Feb. 20. Smith and Tschetter were third in the 215 and 106 lb. divisions and Ortman was fourth at 160 lbs.
Marion eighth-grader Keaton Preheim finished fifth at 113 lbs. while Menno sophomore Owen Eitenmiller and Marion sophomore Chris Kessler were both sixth at 152 lbs. and 170 lbs., respectively.
Also wrestling for the Rebels was Freeman Public sophomore Zac Sayler at 138, Freeman Academy junior Tim Epp at 145 and Marion senior Jeremy Waldner at 182.
Smith enters his final state tournament with a 27-8 record and is seeded ninth. He will face Burke-Gregory senior Rhoss Oliver (28-7) in the first round.
Ortman goes to Rapid City with a 24-15 record and unseeded; he will face Winner Area sophomore Jack Kruger (30-5).
Tschetter goes into his first state tournament with a 26-13 record and is also unseeded. He will wrestle Sisseton seventh-grader Holden Hawkins (32-5) in the opening round Thursday morning.
Winners in the opening round move on to the quarterfinals Friday morning. Those who lose their first-round matches must win in the first-round consolation match to stay alive. That round will also be held Friday morning.
Follow Twitter @freemancourier for updates throughout the tournament.
285: Open
