PIERRE — While no one has tracked whether it was worse than last year, officials of the South Dakota High School Activities Association noted that there seemed to be a rise in unsportsmanlike activity at this year’s state wrestling tournament. “I felt like it was more,” SDHSAA Assistant Executive Director Randy Soma told the association’s board of directors at their meeting on Wednesday, March 4. “It stood out.” In wrestling, athletes can get point deductions for taunting, swearing, refusing to shake hands after a match or throwing headgear. If a wrestler is called twice for unsportsmanlike conduct he can be ejected. Soma said he hasn’t tracked whether this year’s point deductions for unsportsmanlike conduct were similar to previous tournaments. SDHSAA Executive Director Dan Swartos said one coach was cited for unsportsmanlike conduct. The rest of the citations were for wrestlers. In one of the more serious cases, a wrestler was bitten. Sportsmanship in wrestling will be a “point of emphasis” prior to the start of next year’s season, Soma said.