Only one wrestler from Okoboji/HMS emerged from Class 2A District 2 with a ticket to compete at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Competing at Estherville on Feb. 10, the Pioneers' Tyce Hanson lost the first-place match at 126 pounds by fall to Elijah Wilhite of Algona. But he was able to wrestle for second place and took advantage of the opportunity, pinning Noah Potter of Clear Lake (4:30) to earn a trip to state.

The junior (24-4) was scheduled to wrestle Kooper Waugh of West Delaware on Feb. 14. Day 1 of the tournament featured the Class 2A first and second rounds, as well as the first round consolations.

Three wrestlers from Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn finished fourth at the district meet while another did not place.

Nathan Stofferan (113 pounds) won a decision over Gunner Fry of Garner-Hayfield/Ventura (7-3) and lost by fall to Austin Hansen of Estherville-Lincoln Central in the semifinals (0:26). In consolation action, the sophomore won by fall over Paytan Kock of Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (1:39) and lost the third-place match to Thomas Zabka of Algona (9-2).

Wrestling at 175 pounds, James Gellerman pinned Jack Hackman of Clear Lake (1:25) and lost a decision to Logan Allender of Cherokee (5-2). He won his first consolation match by fall over Ethan Pedersen of CL/GLR (2:42) but lost by fall to Dane Kitzinger of Algona in the third-place match (1:49).

Senior Ethan Wiersma (215) also placed fourth. He pinned Sean Comstock of Cherokee (2:23), lost in the semifinals to Trevor Dieren of CL/GLR (9-3), won by fall over Parker Stearns of GHV (3:10) and was defeated by Gavin Goche of Algona in the third-place match (7-0).

Bryce Ortega of H-M-S did not place. The senior won a decision over Aaron Richtsmeier of Clear Lake (12-3), lost by fall to Sam Christensen of CL/GLR in the semifinals (2:21) and lost his first consolation match by fall to Hunter Kollasch of Algona (5:55).

MIKE PETERSEN/SENTINEL-NEWS

James Gellerman attempts to make a move on Logan Allender of Cherokee at the district meet.

Other place finishers for the Pioneers were Michael Gonnerman, third at 120 pounds, and Nathaniel Franklin, fourth at 160.

Okoboji/HMS finished fifth as a team with 83 points. Algona won the District 2 title with 218 points, E-LC was second with 135, Clear Lake was third with 129.5 and Garner-Hayfield/Ventura was fourth with 112. Other teams at the district were Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley with 77 points and Cherokee with 68.5.

A recap of Okoboji/HMS's season will be featured in a future issue.