2024 STATE QUALIFIERS TO LEAD YOU REBELS SQUAD
The oldest wrestling cooperative in South Dakota has once again assembled for a winter on the mats, but the 2024-25 season marks a new era for Marion/Freeman. That’s because the Rebels — a program established in 1991 — have a new leader in Mark Bradley, who was hired earlier this year to replace Chris Sayler. Sayler resigned as head coach just before the Region 2B competition last February.
And Bradley has already gotten a taste of competition — and success.
Competing at a tournament in Kimball last Saturday, Dec. 7, the Rebels saw a championship victory by sophomore Logun Pankratz in the 126 lb. weight class and a runner-up finish by freshman Easton Tschetter at 144 lbs.
Pankratz earned the win with a pin over Lanford Dekamp and an 18-0 technical fall over Gunner Fuegen — both of Kimball/White Lake/Platte-Geddes. Tschetter, meanwhile, would have joined Pankratz on the top of the podium were it not for senior Kellan Hurd, a two-time defending state champion from Miller/Highmore-Harrold who won the championship match by fall at 1:10.
The Rebels were also represented in Kimball by Freeman eighth grader Josh Oleson at 106 lbs., Freeman seventh grader David Wolllmann at 113 lbs., Marion senior Keaton Preheim at 138 lbs., eighth grader Caleb Kirkholm at 150 lbs., Marion junior Thomas Ding at 157 lbs., and Freeman eighth grader Hunter Spangler at 165 lbs.
“I told the kids that we should use this to create a baseline so we know where we’re at so we can continue to grow and get better throughout the season,” said Bradley, who was part of a stalwart program at a high school in Michigan — he graduated in 2004 — and went on to compete in college at Orange City, Iowa before concussions ended his career. “We should eventually be able to fill most weight classes through 165, but most of them will be seventh and eighth graders; we’re very young.”
They are.
Their boys roster of 12 and the girls roster of three includes nine who are in junior high, but they also return some experience and success. Pankratz, Preheim and Tschetter all competed at the 2024 state tournament, with Tschetter finishing eighth in a deep 120 lb. division.
Marion/Freeman’s fourth state qualifier from last season, sophomore Brody Gossen — who was runner-up at 113 lbs. — has transferred to West Central.
Bradley, who farms between Freeman and Menno, is expecting strong seasons from his returning state qualifiers.
“Logan is right there and loaded with potential,” says the coach. “He’s very quick, very technically sound and he knows what he’s doing. If anything, he needs to have a little more confidence in himself. If he can do that, he can put it all together and take down kids he doesn’t think he can beat.”
Tschetter comes into the season with a lot of power and, like Pankrtaz, a load of potential.
“He’s just a freshman,” Bradley said. “I told him on Saturday after the match, when he wrestled that two-time state champ, I said, ‘This is your goal — to be like that kid.’ Easton could be a state champ; he just needs to wrestle with a little more fire and anger and he could beat anybody.”
As for Preheim, the head coach calls him “the crafty guy with the slick move that nobody else knows or has the guts to try.
“He has a lot of potential also but needs a little more fire and motivation to go out and execute,” said Bradley, who said Preheim competed well on Saturday in what was a loaded 138 lb. division. “He had a kid that finished second (at state), a kid that finished third and a kid that finished fifth in front of him. He was technically sound, just didn’t quite have that little push to get him over the edge.”
Bradley says the coaching staff — which again includes assistant Jeff Wollmann — will work hard to strike a balance between giving the team’s three captains what they need while also nurturing the rest of the team.
“We’re trying to figure out ways to push them and bring the other ones along at the same time,” he said. “There are a couple younger guys that are ready to be pushed. It’s a matter of keeping them healthy and getting them worked in with the other three.”
The Rebels were scheduled to compete at a quadrangular at Tri-Valley on Tuesday and then at a tournament in Gregory on Saturday. There is no home event for the Rebels this year; Marion-Freeman’s regular season concludes Feb. 14 with the Region 2B competition in Salem on Feb. 22 and the SDHSAA State Wrestling Championships in Rapid City beginning March 27.
