W-F has six champions
By Greg Seubert
Two area wrestling teams placed second at their respective conference meets Feb. 3.
Weyauwega-Fremont had six champions at the Central Wisconsin Conference meet in Shiocton and Hortonville had three champions at the Fox Valley Association meet at Oshkosh North High School.
Central Wisconsin Conference
The Warhawks had a wrestler place fourth or better in all 14 weight classes, but still finished 18 points behind tournament champion Shiocton.
Shiocton won the meet with 267 points, followed by Weyauwega-Fremont (249),
Wittenberg-Birnamwood (225), Amherst (96), Bonduel (75.5), Rosholt (67), Pittsville (60), Tri-County (53), Menominee Indian (31) and Manawa (23).
Jaydon LeNoble (106 pounds), Josue Azuara (113), Carter Birdyshaw (132), Connor Johnson (157), Carter McDaniel (165) and Vanden Hoffman (285) placed first for Weyauwega-Fremont, as the Warhawks had a school-record six champions.
“It was another intense battle between the two powerhouse teams, but Shiocton came out on top in the tournament just like they did in the dual (with the Warhawks) two weeks ago,” coach Tim Potratz said. “Shiocton won the title with less champions, but more second- and third-place finishers. We wrestled great and battled to the very end of the tournament.”
LeNoble handed Shiocton’s Holdyn Volkman a 12-10 loss in his championship match, Azuara picked up a 13-7 win over Wittenberg-Birnamwood’s Bo Davis, Birdyshaw defeated Shiocton’s Jackson Young 11-6, Bonduel’s Jose Lagunes forfeited his match to Johnson due to an injury, McDaniel had a 10-2 major decision over Shiocton’s Isaiah Carton and Hoffman pinned Pittsville’s Caden Behselich in 1:25.
One other Weyauwega-Fremont wrestler advanced to a final. Tellyer Alix dropped a 5-4 decision to Shiocton’s Ilijah Sanchez at 190 pounds.
Also placing for the Warhawks were Rylan Konen (third, 120); Jake Buss (third, 126); Ezra Balthazor (third, 138); Aiden Marquette (fourth, 144); Alex Loehrke (fourth, 150); Caleb Abbey (fourth, 175); Wyatt Wetzel (fourth, 215).
Hoffman improved to 33-1 on the season while picking up his second CWC championship and was named the conference’s wrestler of the year.
Johnson (33-9) also won his second conference championship.
“He is so physical that his opponents cannot match his pressure for a six-minute match,” Potratz said.
Alix (32-10) may have had the best tournament of any Weyauwega-Fremont wrestler, he said.
“He beat a very good Tri-County wrestler in the quarterfinals and then pinned Nathan Waupekenay of Wittenberg-Birnamwood, who he had never beaten, in the semifinals,” he said. “In the championship match, he lost 5-4 to third-ranked Ilijah Sanchez in a great match.”
Three Manawa wrestlers also placed: Owen Schuelke (fourth, 120); Isaiah Schuelke (sixth, 126); and Kaiden Lew (sixth, 285).
Weyauwega-Fremont and Manawa did not have any wrestlers in the girls’ competition. Wrestlers from Bonduel, Menominee Indian, Rosholt and Shiocton competed.
Fox Valley Association
Tristin Ellerman (120), Cash Botting (126) and Henry Niebauer (150) won championships for Hortonville.
Kaukauna won the meet with 264 points, followed by Hortonville (217.5), Neenah (179), Oshkosh West (138.5), Appleton North (133), Kimberly (112), Appleton West (65), Fond du Lac (55.5), Oshkosh North (40) and Appleton East (10).
Ellerman pinned Neenah’s Eli Armatti in 2:51 to win his championship, Botting pinned Neenah’s Logan Tessier in 1:44 and Niebauer picked up a 10-3 win over Kaukauna’s Kolin DeGroot.
Two other Hortonville wrestlers came up short in their final. Kaukauna’s Liam Crook picked up a 16-1 technical fall over Tage Wasmund (165) and Oshkosh West’s Nelson Fournier beat Austin McHugh 6-2 (215).
The Polar Bears’ other placers included Sam Ellerman (third, 106); Collin Schroeder (third, 138); Grant Schroeder (third, 144); Ayden Needham (third, 175); Brock Schmidt (fourth, 190); Pierce Gansen (fifth, 132); and Derek Henrickson (sixth, 113).
Hortonville also placed fourth in the girls’ competition with 58 points behind Neenah (190), Appleton West (77) and Kimberly (69) and ahead of Appleton North (49), Fond du Lac (44), Oshkosh West (14), Oshkosh North (11), Appleton East (0) and Kaukauna (0).
Mackenzie Schiedermayer won a championship for the Polar Bears without wrestling a single match, as she was the only competitor at 145 pounds.
Mya Ulmen and Hannah Huza placed second at 114 and 120, respectively. Neenah’s Ashlynn Schiedermayer pinned Ulmen in 1:25 in their championship match, while another Neenah wrestler, Amari Richard, defeated Huza 10-4.