By Tyler Anderson, Graphic-Advocate: Ryan Duckett of St. Edmond locks up Ayden Toms of South Central Calhoun on Saturday in Ogden.

OGDEN — Ryan Duckett knows the odds are stacked against him every time he steps onto the mat, but the St. Edmond senior has taken his mental preparation to the next level.

“I just simply wasn’t ready to be done wrestling,” Duckett said.

Duckett has been battling through a knee injury for the past two seasons. That, along with COVID, has cut down on his mat time this season.

“Although my knee has caused me to miss practices and meets,” Duckett said, “I never lost my drive.

“It’s a huge win to advance to districts, and now I need to set my goal to the state tournament.”

Any finish less than second at sectionals would mean his high school wrestling career would come to an end. Duckett simply wasn’t going to let that happen.

“We knew coming in that I was going to have a tough day ahead of me,” Duckett said. “Everyone comes into sectionals at the top of their game. If you don’t show up ready to go, you won’t win.”

In the first round of the Gaels’ sectional, Duckett earned a fall in 1:58 over Travis Boothroyd of Ogden.

In the semifinals, Duckett (15-4) was faced with South Central Calhoun’s 10th-ranked Ayden Toms (40-7). It was a back and forth battle, with the Gael coming out on top with an 11-10 decision.

“Toms is a great competitor and a very good wrestler, but I am too. I knew I could make it happen,” Duckett said. “It came down to the last few seconds, and all I could think about was the fact that I didn’t want this to be my final tournament.

“I got a reversal and came out on top. I’m ready to bring the same energy to districts.”

St. Edmond head coach Eugene Carlson was happy to see Duckett rise to the occasion.

“It was probably the best match of the tournament,” Carlson said of the semifinals.

In the finals, Duckett would face No. 9 Elliot Cooney (40-5) of Nodadway Valley. Cooney came away with a fall in 2:51.

Duckett advanced to the district tournament on Saturday with a true-second rule. Districts will be in Guthrie Center.

St. Edmond sophomore Ronnie Orres (106), juniors Grant Webster (170) and Tyler Rossmanith (182) finished third. Orres (20-11) had a fall in the quarterfinals. He beat Bradyn Burns of East Sac County 6-2 in the third-place match.

Webster (12-20) pinned East Sac County’s Kaydon Erpelding in 1:23 for third.

Rossmanith (19-14) lost in the semifinals, but bounded back with a fall over South Central Calhoun’s Blaine Barney in the third place match (1:04).

“Ronnie had a good day,” Carlson said. “He was the four seed and finished third.

“When he saw the Guthrie Center kid lost in the finals, (who Orres lost to and wouldn’t get to wrestle back), he was devastated.”

Emiliano Guillen (8-15) had a major decision and took fifth. Zach Rossmanith (3-15) had a fall and was sixth.

“Grant and Tyler getting third is big for their confidence,” Carlson said. “They both can build on that.

“Zach is wrestling kids 25 pounds heavier than him. We set a goal for a three takedowns and he got a fall. Emiliano is powerful and quick — he just needs more experience.”

South Central Calhoun

Seven South Central Calhoun wrestlers advanced to the district tournament.

Justin Rohlfing (113), Blake McAlister (170) and Jaydan Soard (220) were all sectional champions.

Rohlfing (41-10) earned an 18-6 major decision over Cole Pelleymounter of Ogden in the finals.

McAlister (35-2), who is ranked second, pinned Cristian Nolte of ACGC in 1:19 for the 170-pound crown.

Soard (47-6) recorded a fall in 3:20 over Aaron McAlister of Coon Rapids-Bayard.

Jordan Khommanyvong (132), Kevin King (145), Zachary Trott (152) and Jaydon Maschke (160) all took second.

Khommanyvong (27-3) lost in the finals, but bounced back with a fall in the wrestleback match against Ogden’s Dominic Degeneffe (0:58).

King (42-8) lost in sudden victory of the finals to ninth-ranked Carter Andreasen of Audubon, but advanced by rule.

Trott (39-12) lost in the semifinals, but advanced with a fall in 1:32 of the third-place match and pinned Jevin Christensen of Nodaway Valley (:41) in the wrestleback match.

Maschke (36-12) dropped a tight 11-8 decision in the semifinals, but had a fall in 1:56 and pinned Justus Rude of Ogden in nine seconds to advance.

East Sac County

The Raiders had two wrestlers advance to districts as champions.

Garrett Quirk (31-15) won at 160 pounds, and Justin Rupnow (29-9) was the 285 pound champion.

Quirk defeated Ogden’s Justus Rude (22-13) 7-5 in the finals. He earned an 11-8 decision in the semifinals.

Rupnow’s only match was a fall in 33 seconds over Josue Ramirez of Coon Rapids-Bayard.