Polanco wins 106-pound championship
By Greg Seubert
State-ranked wrestling teams ended up with the top four places Jan. 11 at the Cutler Classic in New London.
The annual tournament drew 16 teams, including New London, Weyauwega-Fremont and Waupaca.
Coleman, the state’s top-ranked team in Division 3, returned home with the tournament championship after scoring 278 points. Wisconsin Rapids placed second with 200, followed by De Pere (184), Random Lake (167), Oshkosh North (127), New London (126.5), Weyauwega-Fremont (118.5), Southern Door (96), Fond du Lac (91.5), Menasha (86), Waupaca (75), Princeton/Green Lake (61.5), Ripon (51), Appleton East (44), Sturgeon Bay/Sevastopol (29) and Laona/Wabeno (25).
New London had the only area individual champion, as Damian Polanco won the 106-pound championship by pinning De Pere’s Shane Corrigan in 1:07.
Also placing for the Bulldogs were Logan Heimbruch (third, 145); Lucas Gerrits (fourth, 132); De Evian Ross (fourth, 195); Keaten Pues (fourth, 220); and Keegan Morien (fifth, 113).
Two Weyauwega-Fremont wrestlers made the 120- and 182-pound finals.
Carter Greening improved to 24-1 on the season and advance to the 120-pound championship match against Random Lake’s Sam Felipp, but had to forfeit the match after being injured in his semifinal match, an 11-0 win over Waupaca’s Kaleb Mannel.
Ben Strehlow (23-4) pinned his way into the 182-pound final, but was pinned by Coleman’s John Bieber in 4:16.
Also placing for the Indians were Brock Sanger (third, 195); Max Meyerhofer (fifth, 160); Skylor Maynard (fifth, 220); Mason Marquette (sixth, 145); and Danny Wilson (seventh, 126).
Waupaca placed five wrestlers: Mannel (third, 120); Colby Bernhardt (third, 138); Ron Mason (sixth, 160); Damien Pomerenke (seventh, 145); and Kai Badgley (seventh, 285).
All six area teams – Weyauwega-Fremont, Waupaca, Manawa, New London, Clintonville/Marion and Hortonville – also competed in conference dual meets Jan. 10.
Bonduel 45, Weyauwega-Fremont 27
A short-handed Weyauwega-Fremont team forfeited four matches to the Bears in their Central Wisconsin Conference meet.
The Indians’ wins came on Marquette’s pin of Parker Perry in 1:26 at 152, Strehlow’s pin of Tristan Tomashek in 4:54 at 182, Sanger’s pin of Isaac Banker in 1:15 at 195 and Greening’s pin of Tyson Bogacz in 1:29 at 120.
Bonduel’s wins included Moises Lagunes’ 7-6 decision over Caden Meisenhelder at 160, Alex Garside’s pin of Maynard in 4:39 at 220, Jayson Calaway’s pin of Cody Steinbach in 3:13 at 285 and Luis Lagunes’ pin of Wilson in 3:50 at 126.
Weyauwega-Fremont forfeited matches to Cooper Salerno (113), Jayson Toellner (132), Max Sokolski (138) and Kaden Bergsbaken (170).
The Indians also placed second Jan. 4 at the Plymouth Duals.
Weyauwega-Fremont fell to Waukesha South 45-34 in the championship match. The Indians also defeated Sheboygan 39-33, South Milwaukee 66-12 and Appleton East 54-30 before picking up a 48-36 win over Plymouth in the semifinal round.
Four wrestlers – Greening (120), Strehlow (182), Sanger (195) and Maynard (220) – had 5-0 records.
Wilson (126) and Meyerhofer (160) went 4-1, while Marquette Clayton Fee, Devin Kuenzi and Steinbach added two wins each.
“This tournament was a turning point for our team,” coach Tim Potratz said. “We got key wins from every wrestler on our team at some point in every dual we wrestled. Clayton Fee got his first pin of the season when we were losing the dual against Sheboygan North and Devin Kuenzi nailed down the win against Plymouth with a pin in what was a close match before he pinned the kid. I’m very proud of all the kids.”
The Indians’ upcoming schedule includes a pair of CWC home duals. Weyauwega-Fremont will host Almond-Bancroft/Pacelli at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, on Parents’ Night. The Indians also has a rescheduled meet with Menominee Indian at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20, in the W-F Middle School gym.
Oconto Falls 69, Waupaca 10
Waupaca’s points in the North Eastern Conference dual came on Mannel’s 9-0 major decision over Jaden Ganter at 120 and Bernhardt’s pin of Trevor Schindel in 5:02 at 138.
The Panthers’ wins included Landon Budz’s 16-1 technical fall over Jayl Azuara at 106, Luke Trepanier’s 8-0 major decision over John Schmidt at 126, Weston Borkovec’s pin of Pomerenke in 1:39 at 145, Wyatt Borkovec’s pin of Mason in 3:04 at 152, Aidan Stary’s pin of Zach Mallo in 2:21 at 170 and Elijah Zielinski’s pin of Badgley in 3:)6 at 285.
Waupaca also forfeited matches to Brendan Konitzer (106), Tyler Budz (132), Alex Washbisch (160), Clayton Whiting (182), Jeremy Caldwell (195) and Alec Halvorsen (220).
The Comets will host Fox Valley Lutheran at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, for a North Eastern dual.
Wittenberg-Birnamwood 49, Manawa 27
The Wolves recorded three pins over the Chargers, but still came up short in the CWC dual.
Kevin Klemm pinned Wittenberg-Birnamwood’s Pierson Potrykus in 5:25 at 113, Colten Klemm pinned Dakotah Olson in 3:03 at 120 and Corey Beyer pinned Kyle Linke in 1:16 at 182.
Manawa’s other points came on Andrew Elmhorst’s 5-3 win over David Gauderman at 220.
Wittenberg-Birnamwood’s wins included Chad Moegenburg’s pin of Ben Stern in 36 seconds at 132, Wyatt Esker’s 8-4 win over Bryan Griffin at 145 and Will Urquhart’s 13-2 major decision over Bryce Bartel at 152.
Manawa forfeited matches to Damien Wudtke (106), Austin Worzalla (126), Bryce Zoromski (138), Larken Betry (160), Gavin Esker (195) and Allen Uttecht (285) and the Chargers forfeited the 170-pound match to Colin Moser.
The Wolves hosted Wautoma Jan. 14 and will head to Pittsville Thursday, Jan. 16, for a CWC dual with the Panthers.
New London 37, Xavier 36
Heimbruch’s 17-2 technical fall win over Carter Hietpas in the 145-pound match gave the Bulldogs enough points to pick up the Bay Conference win.
Xavier wrapped up the meet with three pins, but came up one point short.
New London’s other wins included Ross’ pin of Eddie Flottmeyer in 1:46 at 195, Polanco’s pin of Joe Malski in 2:37 at 106, Morien’s pin of Jack Biesterveld in 52 seconds at 113, Austin Schmallenberg’s 15-0 technical fall over Gavin Andree at 120, Gerrits’ 8-7 decision over Logan Verboomen at 132, Mason Kloehn’s pin of Luis Vargas in 1:09 at 138.
Xavier’s wins included Mac Strand’s pin of Rolando Tamayo in 1:31 at 220, Jacob Earle’s pin of Pues in 1:41 at 285, Adrian Chenci’s pin of Ian Standerfer in 34 seconds at 152, Sam Loken’s pin of Jerrick Pues in 3:56 at 160 and Andrew VanDerKolk’s pin of Jeff Eplett in 3:15 at 170.
The Bulldogs’ next meet is a Bay Conference matchup at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, in Shawano.
Marinette 48, Clintonville/Marion 20
The Truckers won four of the contested matches with the Marines.
Jetlyn Michonski pinned Shayla Diaz in 1:00 at 126, Michael Michonski picked up a 7-6 win over Alec Queever at 145, Caden Young handed Domenic Paradiso an 18-3 technical fall defeat at 152 and Caleb Moore pinned Dalton Heimerman in 3:00 at 170.
Marinette’s wins included Isaiah Walker’s pin of Hunter Allender in 4:30 at 138 and Jameion Cross’ pin of Beau Tuddenham in 3:00 at 160.
The Truckers forfeited matches to Michael Stevens (106), Gavin Thiry (120), Jonny Bieber (132), Dakota Cuff (182), Ian Cortez (195) and Darik McMahon (285).
The Truckers will host Wrightstown for a North Eastern dual at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16.
Oshkosh North 51, Hortonville 27
The Spartans used five pins to defeat the Polar Bears.
Eighteen of Hortonville’s points came on consecutive first-period pins at 152, 160 and 170 pounds. Jacob Collar pinned Drew McKay in 34 seconds, Landon Thern needed 1:47 to take care of Hunter McKay and George Huza pinned Antonio Cervantes in 49 seconds.
The Polar Bears’ other points came on Wyatt Skebba’s 6-2 win over Jacob Medina at 106 and Austin Wasmund’s pin of Matthew Schallhorn in 3:11 at 138.
Oshkosh North’s pins came from Carly Ochoa over Austin Spindler in 4:42 (113), Dylan Besaw over Jesse Cleereman in 3:29 (126), Cade Schmitz over Brayden Bellile in 1:05 (132), Jeremiah Chmielewski over Dylan Glocke in 4:32 (182), Bryaden Klauer over Ben Diedrich in 1:20 (195) and Copeland Barrett over Joseph Degeneffe in 56 seconds (285).
Hortonville forfeited the 120- and 220-pound matches and the Spartans’ Landon Spanbauer picked up a 3-1 win over Chase Hughes at 145.
The Polar Bears will head to Fond du Lac Thursday, Jan. 16, for a Fox Valley Association double dual. Hortonville will face Kaukauna at 6 p.m. and Appleton West at 7:45 p.m.