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By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MADISON – Marshfield junior Brad Dolezal said he had a brief flashback of an overtime loss in last year’s finals at the WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament as this year’s 145-pound title match entered extra time.
Dolezal wanted to make sure the result was different this time around, and he did, garnering an escape in the opening seconds of the third overtime period Saturday night at the Kohl Center to beat Zak Benitz of Wisconsin Rapids 2-1 to capture his second career state championship.
Dolezal lost 3-2 in double overtime to Steven Monk of Wausau West in last year’s 140-pound finals, but this year he was able to find the strength to pull out the victory and finishes the season as an undefeated state champion at 48-0.
Dolezal won Marshfield’s 10th championship overall and is the first two-time champ in the program’s history.
“It means a lot, especially after the first year not being able to finish the match with an injury default (by his opponent), especially this year with it going to the end … it’s pretty big,” Dolezal said.
After a scoreless first period, Dolezal escaped 8 seconds into the second period and neither wrestler could take the other down before the buzzer sounded.
The third period was much of the same as Benitz (49-3) escaped Dolezal’s hold early and neither budged the rest of the way.
Dolezal nearly gained takedowns on two occasions near the end of the first 1-minute extra period, but Benitz was able to slip out of bounds each time.
“I knew he’d keep that match close and there would be no easy takedowns,” Dolezal said. “A few times I got the edge and almost had him. I just had to go back to the center and keep attacking.”
After Benitz couldn’t escape in the 30-second second overtime, Dolezal was in the down position to start the third OT and escaped in the first few seconds. Neither wrestler gained a takedown before time expired.
“At the end of regulation I had a quick thing about how the match ended last year,” Dolezal said. “I made sure it pushed me into the overtime.”
Marshfield junior Torin Boernke was searching for his second championship as well on Saturday, but he met a formidable opponent in the 130-pound Division 1 title match.
Siven Furseth of Janesville Craig used his strength to keep Boernke at bay and win the championship match 4-0, denying Boernke of his second career title.
Boernke (34-3) was taken down twice – once in the first period and again in the third period – and could not escape either time. Furseth also rode Boernke the entire second period.
“He was pretty tough on top and felt pretty strong,” Boernke said. “In that first period I took a shot and couldn’t seem to finish it off. I expended a lot of energy and was pretty drained from that. He was really strong and I couldn’t seem to get any hand control.”
Boernke, the defending 112-pound state champ and a third-place finisher as a freshman, was proud of his second-place finish.
“I’m happy with how I did,” Boernke said. “It was unfortunate to lose in the final match, but it’s really good to come down here and take second. I look back and I can’t say I regret anything I did.”
Marshfield State Champions
Gene Johnson (128 pounds), 1957
Roger Larson (180), 1958
Jerry Holubets (138), 1958
Doug Sommer (145), 1963
Jon Clermont (145), 1986
Darwin Larson (145), 1989
Ross Needham (140), 2002
Torin Boernke (112), 2009
Brad Dolezal (140), 2008; (145), 2010
(Champions list from marshfieldwrestling.org).
Paul Lecker can be reached by e-mail at paul@marshfieldareasports.com.
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