Sports

Bickford advances to state wrestling tournament

By Bottineau Courant Staff

02/12/2013

Bottineau High School student Tanner Bickford, who wrestles for Turtle Mountain Community College advanced to the state tournament after finishing third at the West Region Tournament this past Saturday.

The junior, who wrestles at 126 pounds, won four straight matches after losing his first to advance. His teammate Grant Laducer won the 126-pound class.

Bickford was pinned by Devin Berger of Dickinson at the 1:11 mark in his first match of the day, which sent him into consolation wrestlebacks.
In his first wrestleback match Bickford won by a 4-3 decision over Ethan Benham of Minot.

The win advanced Bickford into the third round of consolation wrestling.

There Bickford toppled Bobby Edick of Bismarck Century and pinned him at the 4:07  mark of the match.

In the consolation semifinals Bickford advanced due to medical forfeit by opponent Cayne Cymbaluk of Mandan.

Bickford then won by Berger forfeit, who had beaten him in the first round to take a third place finish. The third place finish advances Bickford to the Class A State Tournament.

As a team TMCC finished in third place, as Laducer and teammate Waylon DeCoteau won first place at the regionals.

Bickford will wrestle in the state tournament that takes place this Thursday through Saturday in Fargo at the Fargodome.