This story is sponsored by Dental Clinic of Marshfield
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – When the season began, the Marshfield wrestling team had hopes of pushing the likes of Wausau West and Merrill for second place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference and a possible regional team title.
Marshfield lost close matches to both teams this season and coach Don Lang said everything would have to go perfectly for the Tigers to do that at Saturday’s Wisconsin Valley Conference Meet at Wausau East, and at next Saturday’s WIAA Division 1 regional at D.C. Everest.
He has tried to refocus the Tigers on what’s ahead over the next four weekends – individual glory – ending with a WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament berth in Madison on Feb. 24-26.
“It will be tough to pick up those points (needed to beat West or Merrill) at conference and at the regional,” Lang said. “I’ve told the guys that they just need to concentrate on what they do individually, take care of yourself, and we’ll see what happens.”
There’s no doubt that No. 1 ranked Wisconsin Rapids is not only the favorite to win its 24th conference title in the last 28 years, but also to repeat as state champions. Eleven of the Raiders’ 13 wrestlers are ranked in the top 15 in their weight classes, according to Wisconsin Wrestling Online.
The Tigers finished fourth at 3-3 in the WVC dual meet season and boast three unbeaten wrestlers in the conference – Daniel Barton at 135 pounds, defending state champion Brad Dolezal at 160 and Justin Sternweis at 171.
Barton has been snake bitten in his past three attempts to secure a state berth. At 26-8 this season, Barton has passed the 100-win mark for his career and Lang is hopeful this will be the year he finally moves on to Madison.
Dolezal is seeking his third state title and has been on a roll the entire season, posting a 33-0 record.
Sternweis has been the team’s biggest surprise, Lang said. In his first full year in the varsity lineup, the junior has posted a 28-6 record, with three losses coming to out-of-state wrestlers and two others by just one point.
Sternweis made a run into sectionals last year after only a few varsity matches during the regular season. This year, he should be in position to make it one step further.
“Justin is a farm kid, gets up early in the morning for chores, after practice he goes home and does chores. It makes for a long day,” Lang said. “He’s an incredibly hard worker and it’s paid off this year. He’s having a great year.”
Torin Boernke was one of four Tigers to reach the state meet last year and he is on pace to return.
The senior, who finished second at state last year a season after winning a state championship, is 32-1, with his only loss coming to Wisconsin Rapids’ Ryan Lubeck. All 32 of Boernke’s wins are by major decision, technical fall or pin.
Josh Shupe is 31-3 at 145 pounds and Toran Nieman (22-9 at 112) and Robert Wille (20-11 at 189) also have posted 20-plus wins for the Tigers this season.
Lang said he is hopeful the Tigers can at least match the number of wrestlers they qualified for state last year.
“We have a chance to do that,” Lang said. “Boernke and Dolezal have looked great. Shupe, Sternweis, hopefully this is Barton’s year – they’ve been wrestling well.”
Marshfield will host the individual sectional on Feb. 19.