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MADISON – Five of the eight local Division 3 athletes advanced in preliminary matches Thursday at the 2015 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament at the Kohl Center.
Both of Auburndale’s state tournament qualifiers won their preliminary matches on Thursday night.
Paul Willfahrt (41-5) defeated Brian Dowling of Oshkosh Lourdes 11-4 at 145 pounds, and Wyatt Weiler (41-7) took care of Andrew Johnson of Clear Lake with a 10-1 major decision.
Willfahrt will take on Cole Martin (42-1) of Lancaster, and Weiler will wrestle Helton Vandenbush (38-11) of Random Lake in quarterfinals on Friday afternoon.
Two of Spencer’s state qualifiers lost in preliminary matches Thursday.
The Rockets’ lone winner was freshman Bryce Shaw, who defeated Riley Cade of Westby 8-3 in a 113-pound match. Shaw (26-18) moves on to the quarterfinals and will battle Lucas Graf (35-3) of Cumberland on Friday.
Tim Bauer (29-15) lost in a 132-pound preliminary to Frank Bauer of Mineral Point 10-6, and freshman Hunter Luepke (41-5) was pinned by Ian Ruble of Clear Lake in 1:02. Both were eliminated from the state tournament.
Three of Stratford’s eight state qualifiers wrestled in preliminaries on Thursday, with two of them winning.
Sam Wenzel defeated Bailey Slater of New Lisbon 14-10 at 132 pounds and Tyson Kauffman (31-12) pinned Brandon Klimek of Cashton in 1:06 to advance to the quarterfinals.
Wenzel (30-11) will take on Cruze Hurlburt (37-3) of Spring Valley/Elmwood in a 132-pound quarterfinal, and Kauffman (32-12) will battle Jordan Brandt (41-1) of Reedsville in a 285-pound quarterfinal on Friday afternoon.
Stratford’s Anthony Gliniecki was eliminated at 120 pounds. Gliniecki (33-4) was pinned with one second remaining in his match by James Palmer (37-6) of Boyceville.
Division 3 quarterfinals will start at approximately 11:15 a.m. Friday, with winners moving on to the semifinals Friday night. Losers will enter the consolation round, which will start at approximately 2:45 p.m.
2015 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament
At Kohl Center, Madison
Friday, Feb. 27
10 a.m. – Division 1 consolation matches
11:15 a.m. – Division 2 & 3 quarterfinals
1:45 p.m. – Division 1 consolation semifinals
2:45 p.m. – Division 2 & 3 consolation semifinals
7 p.m. – Semifinals, all divisions
Saturday, Feb. 28
11 a.m. – Consolation wrestlebacks, all divisions; followed by fifth-place and third-place matches in all divisions
6 p.m. – Championship matches, all divisions
Friday’s local matchups
Division 3 quarterfinals
106 pounds: A.J. Schoenfuss (43-2), Stratford, vs. Andrew Webb (33-7), Spring Valley/Elmwood.
113 pounds: Bryce Shaw (27-18), Spencer, vs. Lucas Graf (35-3), Cumberland.
113 pounds: Jeremy Schoenherr (39-2), Stratford, vs. Andrew Gunderson (38-6), Cadott.
126 pounds: Mason Kauffman (46-0), Stratford, vs. Max Maylor (42-9), Iowa-Grant/Highland.
132 pounds: Sam Wenzel (31-11), Stratford, vs. Cruze Hurlburt (37-3), Spring Valley/Elmwood.
145 pounds: Paul Willfahrt (42-5), Auburndale, vs. Cole Martin (42-1), Lancaster.
160 pounds: Wyatt Weiler (42-7), Auburndale, vs. Helton Vandenbush (38-11), Random Lake.
182 pounds: Kamren Bornbach (38-3), Stratford, vs. Austin Stebane (35-10), Brillion.
220 pounds: Hunter Kauffman (39-1), Stratford, vs. Derek Medearis (27-8), New Lisbon.
285 pounds: Tyson Kauffman (32-12), Stratford, vs. Jordan Brandt (41-1), Reedsville.