Sports

Bickford competes at Class A State Wrestling Tournament

By Tyler Ohmann

02/26/2013

Bottineau High School junior and member of the Turtle Mountain Community College wrestling team Tanner Bickford participated in the North Dakota Class A State Tournament on Feb. 14-16 in Fargo, N.D.

Bickford, who placed third in the West Region Tournament on Feb. 9, lost both of his matches on the day in the 126-pound bracket, but said they were close, which encouraged him.

“My first match, I kind of came close right away to pulling off a big upset,” Bickford said.

The match, though turned toward the favor of his opponent, third-ranked Cole Berger of Dickinson. Berger turned the match around quickly and earned a victory via pin at 1:37.

Bickford then moved into the consolation half of the bracket. In his second match he grappled with Beau Bergeron of Williston.

Bergeron narrowly edged Bickford on the mat in a 2-0 decision victory.

“My second match was close, and I felt like if I would have won that I would have placed,” Bickford said.

Bickford said that, despite two losses, he learned he belongs at the tournament.

“It taught me that I’m not too far behind, and I can place high in this tournament next year,” Bickford said. “It big time leaves me hungry.”

Also wrestling in the 126-pound weight class with Bickford is teammate Grant Laducer, who won the West Region a week earlier.

Bickford said he knew how tough his teammate was, and was hoping not to have to face him.

“That really wasn’t in my mind for most of the tournament, but he’s a teammate that is tough to go against in practice,” Bickford said. “I was really hoping I wouldn’t have to run into him, but if I did, I was prepared.”

Bickford said the entire experience as pretty exciting, including watching eventual 126-pound champion Jordan Shearer and nationally-ranked Preston Lehmann, who won the 182-pound class.

“It was pretty fun going to see the guys from the east that are really good, like the guy from West Fargo, who is No. 2 in the nation,” Bickford said. “Then you also get to see some of the top Class B guys, who are also very good too.”

Overall, Bickford was happy with the experience.

“It’s pretty nice to see it all come together, and you get to see the finals under the spotlights, and that’s also another thing that makes you hungry for next year,” Bickford said.

Bickford was also a football player for the Bottineau Braves last fall.