PAGE 8 PRESS & DAKOTAN ■ SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012 Team Finish Aside, Wagner Wrestling Certainly Among State’s Elite Press&Dakotan BY JAMES D. CIMBUREK Nebraska, assistant John Tyler stepped into the role and, despite heavy graduation losses from the previous [email protected] year, took Wagner to a fourth place finish. DAILY DOSE This year, Tyler — also head track and assistant football coach in Wagner — stepped back into the top as- The name at the top of the roster may have changed in recent years, but the name at the top of Class B sistant role, making way for Chas Welch to step in. wrestling in South Dakota still hasn’t. The Red Raiders have managed to overcome plenty of distractions, including the high expectations of re- Daily opinions from the P&D With another strong opening day, the Wagner Red Raiders put themselves in position to make a run at turning two state champions and having one of those two — Alex Kocer — battling to become just the fifth Sports Staff on local and na- what would be a fourth state title in five years, putting four wrestlers in the semifinals and keeping most of the Class B wrestler to win five state titles. Several other young wrestlers, some of which earned points last sea- son, have made their presence felt out west this weekend. tional high school, college other five wrestlers they brought west to Rapid City alive in wrestlebacks. Tri-Valley is second, with defending champion Webster and perennial power Canton right on their heels. Whether Wagner will claim that fourth title in five years — never accomplished in Class B — will be deter- and professional sports. The Red Raiders won three straight titles under Ernie Valentine. When he left for an administrative job in mined today (Saturday). But even without a title, it is certain that Wagner is definitely among the elite. Flynn Tabbed SDSU Scotland’s Brunke Signs With DWU game, compared to nine by MSU. Online Pedge Against Of- how we feel.” MITCHELL — Scotland High School standout Haley Brunke In a column in this week’s UMD Statesman Offensive Line Coach was one of seven track & field and cross country recruits to DSU Men’s Soccer Adds Two fensive Cheers At UMD student weekly, UMD Chancellor Lendley Black BROOKINGS — South Dakota State University head foot- sign with Dakota Wesleyan on Friday. MITCHELL — Dakota Wesleyan men’s soccer coach Je- said some of what he has witnessed throughout ball coach John Stiegelmeier announced Friday that former Brunke ran cross country and distance events for the Lady remy Tosaya announced Friday that a pair of Sioux Falls stand- DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — Dozens of people the men’s hockey season “is troublesome and dis- Oklahoma player and assistant coach John Flynn has been Highlanders. She took 23rd in the South Dakota Class B State outs have signed with the Tigers. have signed an online pledge against abusive or heartening.” hired to fill the position of offensive line coach. Cross Country Meet as a senior. Isaac Wheelock-Bouwman (S.F. Roosevelt) and Dan Iver- racial chants during University of Minnesota-Du- “Racist chants and gestures were hurtful and Flynn, who will begin his duties Feb. 27, coached five sea- The other recruits were men’s signees Paul Apenhorst son (S.F. Washington (S.F. Washington) will continue their ca- luth sporting events. frightening to many and an embarrassment to all sons at Oklahoma, serving first as a graduate assistant and (Adams, Minn.), Justin Brueggemann (Plattsmouth, Neb.) and reers in Mitchell. The pledge was created, in part, by a student of us,” Black wrote of the Feb. 10-11 series be- later as offensive quality control assistant. During his time as a Jeffrey Sahli (Evergreen, Colo). Coach Pat Belling also signed Iverson, a 5-foot-8 midfielder, earned two varsity letters for following an admonishment by university officials tween UMD and North Dakota. He said UMD will member of Bob Stoops' coaching staff, Flynn served in a vari- women’s recruits Jamie Geho (Douglas, Wyo.), MaKanzie the Warriors and led the team in assists as a senior in 2011. He over offensive chants at a recent men’s hockey “confront such behaviors directly” at all future ety of roles — including assistant offensive line coach — for Hageman (Watertown) and Kalli Quicke (Sunshine Bible Acad- earned Class AA All-State First Team honors in 2011 and hon- game against the Fighting Sioux of the University home games. Sooner teams that played in five bowl games, highlighted by emy). orable mention accolades as a junior in 2010. of North Dakota. About 85 people had signed the Black apologized to the American Indian com- an appearance the 2009 BCS National Championship. Flynn Wheelock-Bouwman lettered twice for the Rough Riders, pledge by noon Friday. munity and said he will be apologizing to the North also assisted in coaching the team's running backs, tight ends Jacks Drop Baseball Opener 3-2 and helped Roosevelt to a second-place finish at the Class AA The Duluth News Tribune reports UMD Athletic Dakota hockey team and to North Dakota tribes and special teams units during his tenure at Oklahoma. state tournament in 2011. The 5-8 defender also played club Director Bob Nielson, in an open letter, admon- for the student fan behavior. Three of the offensive linemen he coached — Trent MURRAY, Ky. — Murray State scored all three of its runs in ished students last week for the chants at Amsoil The reported chants of “Hi, HOW are you?” the first inning and held off South Dakota State, 3-2, spoiling the soccer for the DASC Seekers, and helped them to two state ti- Williams, Phil Loadholt and Duke Robinson — earned All-Amer- tles. Arena. and war-whooping noises followed North Dakota’s ica recognition and later were selected in the National Football Jackrabbits’ first game under new head coach Dave Schrage In addition to the online pledge, hockey fan return to using the Fighting Sioux nickname. The League Draft. Friday afternoon. Eric Fastner help craft a letter of apology to the school has tried to drop the name, but supporters Prior to coaching, Flynn served as a coordinator for athletic The teams are scheduled to play the middle game of their Edgar’s Youth Basketball Tourney student body and administration, saying the stu- of the mascot recently gathered enough petition academic services at Oklahoma, where he helped monitor the three-game set at 1 p.m. Saturday. dent fans involved “want to portray a better image, signatures to temporarily restore a state law that The Jackrabbits pulled to within a run in the top of the sev- March 2-3 had required its use. The North Dakota Board of academic progress of more than 600 student-athletes. ELK POINT — The Edgar’s Youth Basketball Tournament both for UMD and for Duluth.” As a player, Flynn lettered two times as an offensive line- enth on a run-scoring double by Daniel Marra that scored “We understand we crossed the line with our Higher Education is challenging the law that says Daniel Telford, who led off the frame with a double. for boys’ and girls’ teams in grades 5-8 will be held March 2-3 University of North Dakota’s sports teams have to man for Sooner teams that won Big 12 Conference titles in in Elk Point. chants and that that wasn’t right,” said Fastner, 2002 and 2004 and played in back-to-back BCS National SDSU placed the tying run on base in both the eighth and who has had UMD student season hockey tickets keep their Fighting Sioux nickname. The board ninth innings, but failed to score against Thorougbred reliever For more information, contact Jeff Zeller at 605-356-5870 wants to stop the issue from going to state voters Championship games. or [email protected]. for three years. “We thought an apology would be Will Handlin. The Jackrabbits stranded seven runners in the a good place to start to let the community know in June. SCOREBOARD AREA CALENDAR BOWLING Madison 61, Milbank 56 Minden 77, Valentine 62 (23-6) Saturday, February 25 SOFTBALL, WOMEN’S UC-Riverside Tourn. (USD vs. Illi- UC-Riverside, 2 p.m.) McCook Central/Montrose 69, Baltic 54 District C1-6 Finals Championship, Feb. 28 BASEBALL, COLLEGE MMC at Central Methodist (DH) nois-Chicago, 11 a.m.: USD vs. UC-Riverside, 4 p.m.) SWIMMING-DIVING, YOUTH S.D. State B/C Novice Meet YANKTON BOWL Philip 71, Kadoka Area 41 Hershey 49, Chadron 37 Semifinal winners at higher seed BASKETBALL, MEN’S Oakland at USD (7:30 p.m., Midco SWIMMING-DIVING, YOUTH S.D. State B/C Novice Meet at Sioux Falls Rapid City Central 75, Spearfish 65 Sports Net, KYBB-FM); Great Plains Athletic Conf. Semifinals at Sioux Falls Monday, February 27 MOONSHINERS Class C2 District Tournament HIGH INDIVIDUAL GAME: Mark Brannen Red Cloud 97, St. Francis Indian 55 Shelby/Rising City 62, Yutan 36 NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOC. BASKETBALL, WOMEN’S Oakland at USD (5 p.m., TRACK & FIELD, COLLEGE INDOOR Summit League In- BASKETBALL, WOMEN’S IPFW at USD (7 p.m., KKYA- 239, Chris Hochstein 223, Al Sinclair 221, Rosholt 81, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley, District C2-1 Finals EASTERN CONFERENCE Midco Sports Net, KYBB-FM); Great Plains Athletic Conf. Semi- door Championships at Fort Wayne, Ind. (USD) FM) Wendy Wiebelhaus 198, Elaine Lane 174 Minn. 61 Weeping Water 62, Tri County 57, OT Atlantic Division finals WRESTLING, PREP S.D. State Class A Tourn. at Ab- BASKETBALL, BOYS’ S.D.