This story is sponsored by: Victory Apparel
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MADISON – Eight local wrestlers are moving on to the semifinals after the first day of competition at the 2025 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament at the Kohl Center.
Both Marshfield wrestlers in the girls portion of the tournament moved on in dominating fashion.
Ava Gardner (35-2) at 107 pounds and Erika Sleznikow (34-0) at 126 each won both of their matches by technical fall. Gardner defeated Destiny Loss of Hartford 16-1 and Margaret Barrett of Sauk Prairie/Wisconsin Heights 18-0, while Sleznikow beat Kya Krueger of West Allis Hale 17-2 and Jaelyn Bowe of Eau Claire Regis/Altoona 18-0.
Marshfield’s Caleb Dennee (49-2) also survived to the boys semifinals as he won his first-round match with a 16-1 technical fall over Seth Krause of Mukwonago and the quarterfinal match 14-4 over Isaiah Guerrero of Waukesha West.
Dennee fell behind Krause 3-0 early before dominating the rest of the way. He nearly picked up a pin late, but settled for the 10-point victory.
Auburndale had three of its five boys entries reach the semifinals, while two of Stratford’s eight also stayed alive for a potential state title in Division 3.
Auburndale seniors Derek Godard (48-10) and Colton Weiler (55-0) had first-round byes and each won their quarterfinal matches.
Godard pinned Carsen Voskuil of Cedar Grove-Belgium in 1:03 at 120 pounds, and Weiler pinned Luke Hartz of Johnson Creek in 1:12.
Zade Grassl (45-6) is also moving into the semifinals for the Eagles as he won his quarterfinal match over a familiar foe, Colin Cournoyer (45-7) of Stratford, pinning him in 4:10. Cournoyer reached the quarterfinals with a pin in 1:41 over Logan McGeigh of Glenwood City.
Stratford has a pair of wrestlers in the semifinals as both Trenton Cournoyer and Carter Lueck had first-round byes and won in the quarterfinals.
Cournoyer (55-3) won his 120-pound quarterfinal with a 15-6 major decision over Martez Sheard of La Crosse Aquinas, and Lueck (46-1) earned a second-period pin in 2:33 over Simon Schwabe of Random Lake.
Spencer/Columbus Catholic/Granton’s lone state participant, Anna Becker, won his first match at 235-pounds in the girls tournament, pinning Aliviah Walsh of Watertown in 4:49, before losing in the quarterfinals to undefeated Madison Burns (36-0) of Ashland by pin in 36 seconds.
The rest of the area wrestlers that lost on Thursday will compete in the consolation round on Friday in hopes of find their way back to a possible third- or fifth-place match on Saturday. Division 1 consolation matches begin at 10 a.m. and the Division 3 consolation round starts at 1 p.m.
Semifinal matches will start at 7 p.m. Friday.
2025 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament
Feb. 27-March 1, at Kohl Center, Madison
Thursday, Feb. 27
Boys
Division 1
Preliminaries
126: Lincoln Flayler (46-8), Hartford, pinned Jon Sternweis (26-6), Marshfield, 2:34.
157: Grayden Rode (36-9), Marshfield, def. Eans Prado (32-10), Kettle Moraine, 11-4.
175: Caleb Dennee (48-2), Marshfield, won by technical fall over Seth Krause (34-21), Mukwonago, 16-1.
285: Brendan Grabot (44-5), Kenosha Indian Trail, pinned Brok Carolfi (25-18), Marshfield, 0:10.
Quarterfinals
157: Cole Dummer (46-2), Union Grove, pinned Grayden Rode (36-10), Marshfield, 1:43.
175: Caleb Dennee (49-2), Marshfield, won by major dec. over Isaiah Guerrero (55-3), Waukesha West, 14-4.
Division 3
Preliminaries
113: Carson Weiler (46-11), Auburndale, def. Josue Azuara (44-11), Weyauwega-Fremont, 12-7.
126: Colin Cournoyer (45-6), Stratford, pinned Logan McGeigh (31-18), Glenwood City, 1:41.
132: Cooper Schranski (34-8), Cumberland, def. Aaron Knetter (47-9), Stratford, 8-5.
150: Mathias Kaiser (42-9), Stratford, pinned Max Peterson (43-8), Lena, 1:19.
157: Brayden Lenz (50-5), Valders, pinned Brandon Knetter (18-16), Stratford, 1:32.
175: Carter McDaniel (41-7), Weyauwega-Fremont, won by technical fall over Carter Grassl (32-17), Auburndale, 16-0.
285: Will Flottmeyer (19-5), La Crosse Aquinas, def. Drew Gage (44-10), Stratford, 6-2.
Quarterfinals
106: Memphis Burkhalter (42-11), Mineral Point, def. Kolton Haupt (35-13), Stratford, 8-6.
113: Blake Underwood (49-0), Marathon, pinned Carson Weiler (46-12), Auburndale, 2:59.
120: Trenton Cournoyer (55-3), Stratford, won major dec. over Martez Sheard (39-5), La Crosse Aquinas, 15-6.
120: Derek Godard (48-10), Auburndale, pinned Carsen Voskuil (43-6), Cedar Grove-Belgium, 1:03.
126: Zade Grassl (45-6), Auburndale, pinned Colin Cournoyer (45-7), Stratford, 4:10.
150: Colton Weiler (55-0), Auburndale, pinned Luke Hartz (46-8), Johnson Creek, 1:12; Collin Hamm (54-3), Weyauwega-Fremont, won by technical fall over Mathias Kaiser (42-10), 21-5.
190: Carter Lueck (46-1), Stratford, pinned Simon Schwabe (38-14), Random Lake, 2:33.
Girls
Preliminaries
107: Ava Gardner (34-2), Marshfield, won by technical fall over Destiny Loss (26-17), Hartford, 16-1.
126: Erika Sleznikow (33-0), Marshfield, won by technical fall over Kya Krueger (26-7), West Allis Hale, 17-2.
138: Althea Eckdahl (44-7), Monroe, pinned Jasmine Herbert (40-14), Auburndale, 0:58.
235: Anna Becker (30-8), Spencer/Columbus Catholic/Granton, pinned Aliviah Walsh (31-9), Watertown, 4:49.
Quarterfinals
107: Ava Gardner (35-2), Marshfield, won by technical fall over Margaret Barrett (21-6), Sauk Prairie/Wisconsin Heights), 18-0.
126: Erika Sleznikow (34-0), Marshfield, won by technical fall over Jaelyn Bowe (26-4), Eau Claire Regis/Altoona, 18-0.
235: Madison Burns (36-0), Ashland, pinned Anna Becker (30-9), Spencer/Columbus Catholic/Granton, 0:36.
Friday, Feb. 28
Boys
Division 1 Consolation Preliminaries
126: Jon Sternweis (26-6), Marshfield, vs. Mason Techmeier (35-12), Muskego
285: Brok Carolfi (25-18), Marshfield, vs. Hunter Szyaskiewicz (42-13), Mukwonago
Division 1 Consolation Quarterfinals
157: Grayden Rode (36-9), Marshfield, vs. Ben Wiz (35-10), Oak Creek, or Devin Johnosn (29-11), Hartland Arrowhead
Division 1 Semifinals
175: Caleb Dennee (49-2), Marshfield, vs. Eli Leonard (47-0), Mount Horeb/Barneveld
Division 3 Consolation Quarterfinals
106: Kolton Haupt (35-13), Stratford, vs. William Krelochvill (36-17), Lancaster
113: Carson Weiler (46-12), Auburndale, vs. Brendan Rick (38-16), Royall/Wonewoc-Center
126: Colin Cournoyer (45-7), Stratford, vs. Parker Mlsna (45-10), Cashton
132: Aaron Knetter (47-9), Stratford, vs. Rigoberto Tellez (40-4), Oostburg
150: Mathias Kaiser (42-10), Stratford, vs. Joe Beavers (40-13), Hustisford
157: Brandon Knetter (18-16), Stratford, vs. Connor Mentink (49-5), Oostburg
175: Carter Grassl (32-17), Auburndale, vs. Owen Schacht (50-7), Mishicot
285: Drew Gage (44-10), Stratford, vs. Brian Ortega (25-14), Kenosha St. Joseph
Division 3 Semifinals
120: Trenton Cournoyer (55-3), Stratford, vs. Braden Johnson (48-1), Cumberland
120: Derek Godard (48-10), Auburndale, vs. Aidan Gruenenfelder (57-0), Pecatonica/Argyle
126: Zade Grassl (45-6), Auburndale, vs. Co’ji Campbell (52-0), Kenosha St. Joseph
150: Colton Weiler (55-0), Auburndale, vs. Marek Lisiecki (48-5), Lomira
190: Carter Lueck (46-1), Stratford, vs. Gavin Hinderman (38-7), Iowa-Grant/Highland
Girls
Consolation Preliminaries
138: Jasmine Herbert (40-14), Auburndale, vs. Irelynd Cejka (35-8), Prairie du Chien
Consolation Quarterfinals
235: Anna Becker (30-9), Spencer/Columbus Catholic/Granton, vs. Kyla Braiser (14-16), Green Bay West/East/Southwest or Sydney Coyne (40-5), Parkview/Albany
Semifinals
107: Ava Gardner (35-2), Marshfield, vs. Alexa Thomas (31-2), Lake Geneva Badger
126: Erika Sleznikow (33-0), Marshfield, vs. Madi Peach (39-0), Milton