Hall returns home a champion, team finishes in top 10
Hall returns home a champion, team finishes in top 10
Now Town’s Billy Hall captured a state wrestling championship in the 145-pound weight class in the Class B wrestling tournament held last weekend in Fargo.
The sophomore battled his way through four opponents on the way to the crown. In the first round, Hall defeated Dalton Reinfeld of New Salem in a 13-4 major decision. In the quarterfinals, Hall edged the No. 6 seeded Tanner Boedekker of Hillsboro, 6-4. In the semifinals, the New Town wrestler decisioned the No. 2-ranked Reed Koenig of Central Cass, 8-3, sending him into the title contest.
In the championship, Hall carved out a 6-4 decision over Watford City’s Kirby Knudtson, ending his season with a 25-1 record, his only loss to Koenig in the East-West tournament in New Salem in January.
The Eagles had four other wrestlers place in the state tournament. Freshman Jess Hall improved his fourth-seed ranking by nabbing a fourth-place finish at 119 pounds. Jess Hall made his way into the semifinal matches with a 20-8 major decision over Jason Armitage, LaMoure and an upset win over No. 4-ranked Garrett Thompson of Rugby, also by major decision, 13-4.
In the semis, Jess Hall fell by pin to the eventual state champion, Matt Ruby of Des Lacs/Burlington. In the consolation semis, Hall decisioned Kyle Brown of North Border (Walhalla-Cavalier-Pembina) 13-10, then in the third-place match, he was decisioned by the No. 2-ranked Jacob Laber of Carrington, 5-3. Jess Hall closed out the season with a 23-8 record.
Junior Eric Danks, the sixth seed, also improved by placing fifth at 215 pounds. Danks pinned Tyler Lafferty of North Border before losing a close decision to third-ranked Tyler Meidingerof South Border (Ashley-Wishek), 11-8.
In the consolation, Danks pinned David Gregory of Minot Ryan and seventh-seeded Brent Whitney of Bowman County. In the consolation semis, he lost to Zach Oddem of Rugby, 9-1 and then decisioned the No. 5-seed Cody Kasprick of Oakes, 4-1 to earn fifth place. Danks completed the season with a 35-10 record.
Sixth-seeded senior Justin Grinnell placed in state for the third time with a sixth-place finish at 130 pounds. He pinned Lane Overson, Killdeer in round 1, and lost to third-seeded Cole Gentzkow, LaMoure by pin in the quarterfinals.
In the consolations, Grinnell decisioned Keifer Wald, Hettinger, 8-2 and Brandon Gussias, Carrington, 9-2. He then lost by pin to the No. 1-seed Ryan Heisler, Central Cass, and the No. 4-seed, Austyn Kittelson, Velva. Grinnell finished the season with a 23-8 record.
