This story is sponsored by Norm E Lane Farm
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MADISON – Marshfield junior Justin Sternweis was eliminated from the WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament by losing a 171-pound consolation bracket match Friday afternoon at the Kohl Center.
Sternweis stayed alive earlier in the day by pinning Josh Regazzi of Oak Creek in 4:07 in the first Division 1 171-pound consolation match.
Sternweis (39-9) then dropped a 4-3 decision to Ryan Aprahamian (46-4), a senior from Mukwonago in the second round of the consolation bracket.
Sternweis led 3-0 after an escape and a takedown in the second period before Aprahamian earned a reversal with about 1 minute left in the period.
Starting in the down position, Aprahamian again gained a reversal midway through the third period to take a 4-3 lead. With about 10 seconds left in the match, Sternweis narrowly missed earning an escape, and one point that would have tied the match, before both wrestlers fell out of bounds. Aprahamian rode out the final 7 seconds to earn the win.
“Justin had an outstanding year,” Marshfield coach Don Lang said. “It was his first year on varsity. We knew he was a pretty solid wrestler coming in, but didn’t expect him to do the things that he has been doing this year. He’s been improving each week – winning the regional, winning the sectional and coming down to the state tournament and staying poised.
“It’s too bad he didn’t get to the medal stand, but he went 2-2 down here and I think he’s holding his head high and definitely talking about next season.”
Continue to check MarshfieldAreaSports.com for updates from the WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament at the Kohl Center.