Truckers, Bulldogs sending three each

By Greg Seubert

Seven wrestlers from three area high schools will make history this weekend at the WIAA’s first-ever state wrestling tournament for girls.

The tournament will be held Saturday, Jan. 29, at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse.

Clintonville and New London are sending three wrestlers to the tournament, while Amherst is sending one.

Clintonville’s wrestlers are freshman Carley Hauser (107 pounds) and freshman Keela Deering and junior Adrianna Corrias (185).

New London is sending senior Zaylie Reimer (120), freshman Eve Hedtke (138) and freshman Hailie Krueger (145).

Amherst sophomore Lia Peterson will join Hauser at 107.

Hauser, Peterson and Reimer have first-round matches scheduled, while Hedtke, Krueger, Deering and Corrias have a bye.

Preliminary through semifinal matches will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., while the March of Champions and championship, third-place and fifth-place matches will get underway at 6:30 p.m.

Champions will be crowned in 12 weight classes in a single division. There are 261 wrestlers entered in the tournament. Milwaukee Reagan has the most wrestlers in the tournament with 19, followed by Holmen (14); Martin Luther (nine); Muskego (eight); and Merrill and Oregon (six).

At least 31 state athletic associations sponsor a separate state wrestling tournament for girls. Participation statistics indicate 4,975 girls participated in wrestling nationwide in 2005 and that number had increased to 28,447 during the 2019-20 season.