Stratford earns nine state qualifying spots, wins two titles at WIAA Division 3 individual wrestling sectional at Shawano

SHAWANO – For the second season in a row, the Stratford wrestling team will be sending nine athletes to the state meet after they earned top-three finishes at the WIAA Division 3 individual wrestling sectional on Saturday at Shawano High School.

Stratford won a pair of sectional titles and had seven others finish second or third. The nine will participate in the 2019 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison on Feb. 21-23.

Max Schwabe (43-2) heads back to state for the second year in a row after winning the 132-pound title for the Tigers. Schwabe beat Justin Kempf of Weyauwega-Fremont 7-2 in the championship match.

Stratford’s other sectional championship came from junior Trevor Dennee, who is now 43-1. The junior will be making his second-straight trip to state as well after beating Hunter Grimm of Pittsville in the 170-pound title match, earning a pin in 2:56.

Seniors Manny Drexler (120 pounds) and Derek Marten (152) are going back to state for the third-straight year.

Drexler (40-4) finished second, losing the 120-pound finals to Cian Fischer of Weyauwega-Fremont, 12-4, while Marten (18-3) finished second at 152, losing to Derek Moravec of Wabeno/Laona in a sudden-victory period, 5-3.

Senior Dylan Schoenherr is returning to state for a second time as he placed second at 285 pounds. Schoenherr (44-2) suffered just his second loss of the season in the semifinals, but came back to win third-place and second-place wrestleback matches by pin.

Four other Tigers will be making their individual state tournament debuts this week.

Jacob Heiden (29-9) finished second at 138, losing in the finals to Pittsville’s Beau Merritt (37-9), 7-4; senior Mav Licciardi (39-5) finished second at 145; Devin Dennee (36-11) took third at 160; and Trevor Steiner (30-13) finished third at 195.

In addition to Merritt, Pittsville will also be sending senior Hunter Grimm to state. Grimm (37-7), a senior, finished second at 170 pounds.

Athens had four state qualifiers. Connor Westfall (30-6) finished second at 220, and Carter Brunke (30-8 at 126), Jordan Decker (28-10 at 182), and Mitchell Gore (31-9 at 285) all finished third.

Edgar junior Ethan Heil remained unbeaten this season, improving to 32-0 by winning the 220-pound championship. Teammate William Raatz (15-1) also qualified for state after suffering his first loss of the year in the 195-pound finals to finish second.

WIAA Division 3 Individual Wrestling Sectional
Team scores: 1. Coleman 196; 2. Stratford 168; 3. Weyauwega-Fremont 87; 4. Bonduel 68; 5. Edgar 55; 6. Athens 54; 7. Manawa 37; 8. Shiocton 33; 9. Pittsville 32; 10. Wabeno/Laona 24; 11. Rosholt 22; 12. Wittenberg-Birnamwood 20; 13. Auburndale 15; 14. Gillett/Suring 13.5; 15. Florence/Niagara 12; 16. Crandon 10; 17. Elcho and Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas 7; 19. Three Lakes/Phelps 3; 20. Crivitz 2; 21. Marathon, Menomonie Indian, Tri-County 0.
Top three in each weight qualify for WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament in Madison, Feb. 21-23
106 pounds
Championship – Colten Klemm (MAN) won major dec. over Chance Gruber (COL), 10-0.
Third place – Pierson Potrykus (WB) def. Noah Altmann (AUB), 3-1, SV.
113 pounds
Championship – Koltin Grzybowski (COL) won by technical fall over Luis Lagunes (BON), 18-2.
Third place – Carter Greening (WF) pinned Gavin Drexler (ST), 2:30.
120 pounds
Championship – Cian Fischer (WF) won by major dec. over Manny Drexler (ST), 12-4.
Third place – Tristen Mascarette (FN) pinned Kasey Casper (COL), 4:45.
126 pounds
Championship – Caleb Gross (COL) pinned Max Sokolski (BON), 1:20.
Third place – Carter Brunke (ATH) pinned Jakob Hoyt (CRA), 5:54.
132 pounds
Championship – Max Schwabe (ST) def. Justin Kempf (WF), 7-2.
Third place – Karson Casper (COL) pinned Alex Decoursin (LSTA), 0:57.
Second-place wrestleback – Kempf (WF) def. Casper (COL) by medical forfeit.
138 pounds
Championship – Beau Merritt (PIT) def. Jacob Heiden (ST), 7-4.
Third place – Sam Lemens (GS) def. Jared Jahnke (SHI), 7-5.
Second-place wrestleback – Heiden (ST) pinned Lemens (GS), 3:13.
145 pounds
Championship – Jake Baldwin (COL) won by technical fall over Mav Licciardi (ST), 17-1.
Third place – Logan Kicherer (WF) def. Will Urquhart (WB), 11-6.
Second-place wrestleback – Licciardi (ST) def. Kicherer (WF) by medical forfeit.
152 pounds
Championship – Derek Moravec (WL) def. Derek Marten (ST), 5-3, SV.
Third place – Bryce Karban (COL) def. Blade Niewiadomski (ROS), 8-4.
160 pounds
Championship – Tyler Blanchard (COL) def. Devin Dennee (ST), 13-7.
Third place – Billy Reif (SHI) pinned Isaac Groshek (ROS), 3:25.
Second-place wrestleback – Reif (SHI) def. Dennee (ST), 4-2.
170 pounds
Championship – Trevor Dennee (ST) pinned Hunter Grimm (PIT), 2:56.
Third place – Shamus McLain (COL) won by technical fall over Eli Yoder (MAN), 16-0.
182 pounds
Championship – Tyler Wetzel (WF) def. Isaac Banker (BON), 6-5.
Third place – Jordan Decker (ATH) def. Brock Handrick (ED), 8-7.
Second-place wrestleback – Banker (BON) pinned Decker (ATH), 3:05.
195 pounds
Championship – Jacob Giese (BON) def. William Raatz (ED), 5-4.
Third place – Trevor Steiner (ST) def. Jonathon Bieber (COL), 5-3.
Second-place wrestleback – Raatz (ED) pinned Steiner (ST), 3:04.
220 pounds
Championship – Ethan Heil (ED) pinned Connor Westfall (ATH), 3:25.
Third place – Spencer Karban (COL) def. Tyler Hess (SHI), 4-2.
285 pounds
Championship – Brock Martinson (COL) pinned Mitchell Gore (ATH), 0:47.
Third place – Dylan Schoenherr (ST) pinned Jacob Eighmy (EL), 0:56.
Second-place wrestleback – Schoenherr (ST) pinned Gore (ATH), 1:21.