This story is sponsored by Dental Clinic of Marshfield
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – Seniors Brad Dolezal and Torin Boernke continue to make history when it comes to the Marshfield High School wrestling program. On Saturday at the WIAA Division 1 Sectional at the Marshfield High School Fieldhouse, teammate Justin Sternweis joined them.
Dolezal and Boernke became the first two four-time state qualifiers and Sternweis, a junior, will join them next week as they all won sectional titles to qualify for the WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament in Madison.
Marshfield had two others place third – Toran Nieman at 112 pounds and Daniel Barton at 130 – and Josh Shupe (135) was fourth. The top two in each weight class qualify for the state tournament.
Boernke (41-2) dominated at the sectional, pinning his first two opponents before winning a major decision over Tanner Owens of Hudson 10-0 in the 135-pound championship match.
Boernke will be searching for his second state title to go along with one he won two years ago at 112. He was a runner-up at 130 pounds last year and took third as a freshman.
“It’s a good weight for me (after dropping from 140 pounds) and I felt pretty good out there,” Boernke said. “I didn’t have to cut too much and it’s very manageable for me.
“It’s always my goal (to win the state tournament). Today could have been my last day. I’m just really happy with what I’ve done this year. I will be happy with what happens as long as I leave it all out there on the mat.”
Dolezal was also dominate, as he has been all season. The defending Division 1 145-pound state champion extended his winning streak to 91 matches with a pair of pins and a 5-1 win over Adam Figi of River Falls in the 160-pound title match.
Dolezal led 2-0 and escaped a near takedown before scoring three more points in the third period to provide the difference.
“I kind of know him (Figi) a little bit because he was on my national team last year,” Dolezal said. “I knew he was a Greco thrower, so I knew coming into the match I had to stay away from those throws. He set it up nice and got my on the edge out of bounds, but luckily I was able to get out of it.
“Knowing that he almost got it, I had to be a little more cautious and not get in that position. I had to focus a little more.”
Sternweis, wrestling on the varsity fulltime for the first time in his career had a pair of shutouts in his first two matches at 171, but had his hands full in the championship match against Eric Peissig of Menomonie.
Sternweis (37-7) had an escape and a takedown in the second period and led 3-1 heading into the third after nearly giving up a takedown at the end of the period. Peissig earned an escape with 1:24 left in the match, but Sternweis held his ground the rest of the way to secure his first trip to the state meet.
“I took first at the regional tournament, that was pretty good, and it was like, ‘Hey, I did it at the regional tournament, what’s different with sectionals, it’s just different people,’” Sternweis said. “I was definitely nervous before all of my matches.
“The finals match was really close. I pushed a little too hard and got thrown, but thank God it was in the end of the period. It could have changed the whole outcome of the match.”
The day was bittersweet for Marshfield coach Don Lang, who said that he of course was very happy for the three state qualifiers, but also was “heartbroken” for the other three that came so close, including seniors Shupe and Barton.
“They (Boernke and Dolezal) have pretty high expectations for themselves and they took care of business today,” Lang said. “Justin is a grinder, a go-er, very tough physically. He’s been working so hard all season.
“I’m just mentally tore up over it for them (Shupe, Barton and Nieman). To see those three guys go down, knowing they want it so much, and begin Shupe’s and Barton’s final year, it’s hard to take as a coach and I’m sure it’s hard on them.”
WIAA Division 1 Sectional, at Marshfield
Top two qualify for WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament
Championship matches
103: Justin Weyandt (Chippewa Falls) def. Shane Blackman (New Richmond) 6-0.
112: Izzy Balsiger (Chippewa Falls) def. Joe Umlauf (Wausau West) 3-1 (OT).
119: Gordon Johnson (Hudson) def. Colin Baine (Wausau West) 4-1.
125: Logan Cudd (River Falls) pinned Brook Whitehead (Wausau East) in 0:54.
130: Travis Hettinga (Wausau West) def. Alex Bessette (Wausau East) 14-8.
135: Torin Boernke (Marshfield) won major decision over Tanner Owens (Hudson) 10-0.
140: Josh Dupuis (D.C. Everest) def. Kolya Hawksford (Hudson) 9-7.
145: Ray Paul (Merrill) def. Jonah Gross (Eau Claire Memorial) 8-4.
152: Nick Larson (Hudson) def. Logan Keding (D.C. Everest) 4-3.
160: Brad Dolezal (Marshfield) def. Adam Figi (River Falls) 5-1.
171: Justin Sternweis (Marshfield) def. Eric Peissig (Menomonie) 3-2.
189: Tyson Bystrom (River Falls) def. Tyler Schmidt (Merrill) 3-0.
215: Noah Lassa (Merrill) pinned Grant Schindler (Chippewa Falls) in 6:26.
285: Evan Knutson (Wausau West) pinned Joel Neumann (New Richmond) in 5:21.
Second-place wrestleback
112: Umlauf (WW) def. Toran Nieman (Marshfield), 6-0.
119: Baine (WW) def. Alex Spatz (D.C. Everest), 6-0.
140: Jake Tatro (Antigo) def. Hawksford (Hudson) 4-3.
152: Keding (DCE) def. Eric Kostroski (Wausau West) 4-2.
160: Figi (RF) won major decision over Connor Johnson (Rhinelander) 18-7.
171: Peissig (MEN) won major decision over Derek Schindler (Hudson) 11-3.
215: Schindler (CF) def. Matt Linehan (River Falls) 4-3.
285: Joel Neumann (New Richmond) pinned Nick Johnson (River Falls) in 3:56.