FARGO -- Sean Elkins is getting another shot at a state title.
The Hettinger junior earned a 1-0 decision over Rugby's Garrett Thompson in the semifinals.
Elkins opened up the second period with an escape, which ended up being the only difference in the match.
He'll take on Hillsboro's Tyler Anderson in today's title match.
Elkins, who goes to school in Hebron and wrestles for the Black Devils as part of the schools' cooperative agreement, lost in the 130-pound title match last season.
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Killdeer junior Grady Houghton one of the biggest upsets of the day, defeating No. 1 seed Jared Vandal of Rolla-Rock Lake-St. John with a 9-5 decision.
"I knew we could try to take him into the third period, wrestle smart and we did that," Killdeer coach Shane Olson said. "He (Houghton) was pretty much in control the whole time. We knew there was an outside chance, but it's a good surprise."
Houghton will face Lisbon's Reed Huether in today's championship match.
Four Cowboys lost in the semifinals, three of them via pin.
At 119, No. 2 seed Cody Neumiller of New Salem earned a first-period pin against Logan Schaper, getting the stick in 1 minute, 19 seconds.
Deven Loepp of Oakes, the No. 1 seed at 125, pinned No. 4 seed Hunter Fredericks in 3:38.
Carrington's Brandon Gussiaas, the No. 6 seed at 145, scored a 6-5 decision to upset Killdeer junior River Voigt, the No 2 seed.
At 152, No. 1-seeded Michael Nord of Lisbon pinned Cowboys junior Lane Oversen, the No. 4 seed, in 1:20.
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No. 1-seeded Hunter Eslinger of Beulah-Hazen got upset in the semifinals too, falling to Harvey's Carson Koble via an 8-1 decision.
No. 1-seeded 112-pounder Jerad Lee-Gay, a Killdeer junior, picked up a 9-3 decision over Watford City's Jake Scott in the first consolation round. But, he was ousted in a 2-0 decision by No. 2-seeded Jace Berg of Lisbon in his next match. Lee-Gay ended his season with a 35-3 record.
Killdeer senior Anthony Dukart picked up a 7-2 decision over Lisbon's Joe Nelson in the 160-pound wrestlebacks to assure himself a spot in the top eight.
Killdeer has five in the consolation round who will place.
"It's kind of an important round for those kids, for themselves and for the team," Olson said.
Hettinger's Christian Hughes (130) and Codi Tomac (119) will place after picking up wins in the wrestleback rounds.
Hughes earned a sudden-victory pinfall against Harvey's Wyatt Lautt to move into the consolation quarterfinals. Tomac picked up an 8-0 major decision over Napoleon's Matthew Gross in the 119 wrestleback bracket.
Beulah-Hazen junior Isaiah Krebs pinned New Town's Sheldon Standish in 1:40 in the second round of wrestlebacks.
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Cowboys claim 5th place in duals
Killdeer got a little revenge against Central Cass in the fifth-place dual.
The Cowboys had six pins and a technical fall to capture a 50-28 victory over the Squirrels, who had defeated Killdeer in the opening round of the state dual tournament last year.
"It was a good win," Olson said. "It was nice to beat them."
Killdeer moved into the fifth-place dual with a convincing 52-30 victory over North Border-Cavalier in the consolation semifinals.
Only one match wasn't decided by pinfall.
