Stratford wins WIAA Division 3 wrestling regional title, sends 11 to sectionals

EDGAR – Two-time defending Division 3 state champion Stratford took the first step toward a fourth-straight state tournament trip by winning the team title at the WIAA Division 3 Wrestling Regional on Saturday at Edgar High School.

Stratford won nine individual titles and had two runner-up finishes to qualify 11 for the Division 3 individual sectional at Shawano on Feb. 16. The top three in each weight class will qualify for the 2019 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament in Madison on Feb. 21-23.

Stratford will face Crandon and Weyauwega-Fremont will take on Coleman in semifinal duals at the team sectional Tuesday at Auburndale. The winners will face off in a dual for a berth at the 2019 WIAA State Team Wrestling Tournament in Madison on March 1-2.

Stratford finished with 301.5 points, well ahead of second-place Athens (166) and third-place Edgar (163). Auburndale finished sixth with 66 points.

Freshman Gavin Drexler continued his undefeated season by winning the 113-pound title for Stratford. Drexler beat Gabe Weiks of Athens by technical fall, 16-0, in the championship match to improve to 41-0 this season.

Other first-place finishers for Stratford were: Manny Drexler (38-3 at 120 pounds), Max Schwabe (40-2 at 132), Jacob Heiden (26-8 at 138), Mav Licciardi (36-4 at 145), Derek Marten (16-2 at 152), Devin Dennee (34-9 at 160), Trevor Dennee (40-1 at 170), and Dylan Schoenherr (40-1 at 285).

Logan Gaulke (25-14) finished second at 106 pounds and Trevor Steiner (27-11) took second at 195 for the Tigers’ other two sectional spots.

Auburndale had two sectional qualifiers. Freshman Noah Altmann (32-8) won the 106-pound final, beating Gaulke 8-3. Senior Isaiah Hasenohrl (23-13) finished second at 132 pounds to also move on to sectionals for the Apaches.

Pittsville finished fourth in the team standings with 111 points and had three wrestlers finish second to qualify for the individual sectional.

Cameron Dammann (25-11 at 126), Beau Merrill (34-9 at 138), and Hunter Grimm (35-6 at 170) each finished second for the Panthers.

2019 WIAA Division 3 Wrestling Regional
Feb. 2, at Edgar High School
Team scores: 1. Stratford 301.5; 2. Athens 166; 3. Edgar 163; 4. Pittsville 111; 5. Marathon 94; 6. Auburndale 66; 7. Thorp 16.
Top two finishers in each weight class qualify for Division 3 sectional Feb. 16 at Shawano
106 pounds
Championship: Noah Altmann (AUB) def. Logan Gaulke (ST), 8-3.
113 pounds
Championship: Gavin Drexler (ST) won by technical fall over Gabe Weiks (ATH), 16-0.
120 pounds
Championship: Manny Drexler (ST) def. Dane Klinger (MAR), 3-2.
126 pounds
Championship: Carter Brunke (ATH) pinned Camron Damman (PIT), 4:49.
132 pounds
Championship: Max Schwabe (ST) def. Isaiah Hasenohrl (AUB), injury default, 1:52.
138 pounds
Championship: Jacob Heiden (ST) def. Beau Merritt (PIT), 4-1.
145 pounds
Championship: Mavrick Licciardi (ST) def. Jakob Lipinski (ED), 8-2.
152 pounds
Championship: Derek Marten (ST) pinned Nick Sommers (MAR), 1:07.
160 pounds
Championship: Devin Dennee (ST) def. Ty Guden (ED), 5-0.
Second-place wrestleback: Guden (ED) pinned Patrick Redmann (ATH), 2:49.
170 pounds
Championship: Trevor Dennee (ST) def. Hunter Grimm (PIT), 6-0.
182 pounds
Championship: Brock Handrick (ED) pinned Jordan Decker (ATH), 1:23.
195 pounds
Championship: William Raatz (ED) def. Trevor Steiner (ST), 8-1.
220 pounds
Championship: Ethan Heil (ED) pinned Connor Westfall (ATH), 4:30.
Second-place wrestleback: Westfall (ATH) pinned Cole Marten (ST), 1:32.
285 pounds
Championship: Dylan Schoenherr (ST) pinned Mitchell Gore (ATH), 1:03.
Second-place wrestleback: Gore (ATH) pinned Ryan McKibben (ED), 4:53.