BULLDOGS PLACE 3 AT STATE

Riverside took one less qualifier to the State Tournament but tripled the medal count from last year. 

Jason Frain, the only repeat medalist from last year, will ad a 4^th place medal to his 2^nd place.  Frain pinned Logan Rood of Pleasantville in 4:28, and majored Matt Schmelzer from South Winneshiek 14-3 to advance to the semi-finals where he met Blake Faucher of Guthrie Center for the fourth time this season and lost 11-2.  Jason pinned Jason Hoerman of Nashua in 1:43 of the consolation semi-finals but lost to James Houchins of I-35 for 4^th place at 160#.

Senior Bryce Dietz made his first trip to State memorable with a 6^th place finish at 135#.  Unranked Dietz opened with a 5-4 win over 6^th ranked Cole Hopkins of Coon Rapids-Bayard.  Hopkins had beaten Bryce twice this season.  Bryce kept rolling with an exciting 8-6 overtime win over Matt Hemesath of West Marshall in the quarter-finals.  Dietz was pinned in the semi-finals by four time State Champ Bart Reiter of DonBosco in 2:48.  Bryce lost again to Kendall Witt of Tri-Center and was caught in a headlock and pinned by Ethan Kronemann of West Hancock.

Quinn Wilson finally brought home hardware from the State Tournament in his third trip.  Quinn was upset 12-5 in the first round by Matt Fassbinder of Elgin but came back with a 15-0 tech fall over Jesse Demmon of Eddyville and a 5-4 decision over Kyle Soderblom of Lynville Sully.  Scott King of Tipton stopped his progress 9-4 to set up a rematch with Quinn’s first round opponent, Fassbinder.  Quinn majored Fassbinder 17-6 to place 7^th at 171#.

Chad Obrecht failed to place in his second trip to State losing 7-1 to eventual 8^th place winner, Nick Winter of Centerville then lost to eventual 3^rd place winner Jake Demmon of Eddyville.

The Bulldogs put enough points together to place 17^th in Class 1-A won by Don Bosco, followed by Belle Plaine and Twin River Valley.