This story is sponsored by: High Street Salon, Spa & Travel
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MADISON – All six local wrestlers competing in the consolation round Saturday won their first matches at the 2017 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament at the Kohl Center.
Two ended up winning their third-place matches, while the other four had to settle for fourth-place medals.
In Division 2, Spencer/Columbus sophomore Logan Zschernitz beat Neillsville/Greenwood/Loyal’s Nick Rueth in the 285-pound consolation semifinals, holding on for a 3-2 victory. Zschernitz went on to defeat Josh Frerk of Denmark by major decision, 14-5, in the third-place match.
Zschernitz beat Rueth for the fourth-straight weekend after defeating him at the Cloverbelt Conference Tournament, as well as at the Division 2 regional and sectional competition. Zschernitz had defeated Frerk in the quarterfinals on Friday and ends his season with a 39-4 record.
“For Logan, last night was tough, it was a tough night in the hotel,” SC coach Jake Zschernitz said. “We talked, we got his emotions in check, and we had to re-assess our goals. Our goal was a state championship for him, we didn’t get it, OK, now our goal is third place. He came into today, took care of business, and got that done.”
Stratford’s Derek Marten (126 pounds), Jake Drexler (132), David Marquardt (160), Aiden Hoffman (195), and Tyson Kauffman (285) each won their Division 3 consolation semifinals, with Drexler ending up winning his third-place match as well.
Drexler (42-3) pinned Kolbe Ubersox of Darlington/Black Hawk in 1:59 in the semifinals and needed overtime to defeat Seth Schlegel of Spring Valley/Elmwood 3-1 in the third-place match. Drexler had lost to Schlegel 8-5 in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Marten (38-5) beat Dylan Bune of Spring Valley/Elmwood 5-0 in the semifinals and lost his third-place match to Andrew Gunderson of Cadott 4-2.
Marquardt (37-5), pinned James LaPointe of Bayfield/Washburn in 1:58 before dropping the third-place match to Michael Bertrand of Southern Door, 4-1.
Hoffman (37-11) took care of Noah Friedl of Royall 7-3 in the semifinals and lost the third-place match to Bryce Holderman of Amherst 10-3.
At 285 pounds, defending D-3 state champion Tyson Kauffman (15-6) settled for fourth. Kauffman blanked Noah Novotney of Boyceville 3-0 in the semifinals before forfeiting the third-place match to Takoda Lee of Cornell/Gilman/Lake Holcombe because of ongoing shoulder and arm injuries.
Spencer/Columbus junior Hunter Luepke and Stratford’s Manny Drexler, A.J. Schoenfuss, Jeremy Schoenherr, Mason Kauffman, and Kamren Bornbach will wrestle in state championship matches Saturday night. The Parade of Champions begins at 5 p.m., with wrestling to follow in three divisions.
2017 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament
Feb. 23-25, at Kohl Center, Madison
Saturday, Feb. 25
Local matches
Division 2 consolation bracket
Semifinals
285: Logan Zschernitz (39-4), Spencer/Columbus, def. Nick Rueth (40-8), Neillsville/Greenwood/Loyal, 3-2.
Third place
285: Zschernitz (40-4), Spencer/Columbus, won by major dec. over Josh Frerk (37-6), Denmark, 14-5.
Division 3 consolation bracket
Semifinals
126: Derek Marten (38-5), Stratford, def. Dylan Bune (32-11), Spring Valley/Elmwood, 5-0.
132: Jake Drexler (42-3), Stratford, pinned Kolbe Ubersox (42-5), Darlington/Black Hawk, in 1:59.
160: David Marquardt (37-5), Stratford, pinned James LaPointe (27-3), Bayfield/Washburn, in 1:58.
195: Aiden Hoffman (37-10), Stratford, def. Noah Friedl (39-5), Royall, 7-3.
285: Tyson Kauffman (15-6), Stratford, def. Noah Novotney (38-10), Boyceville, 3-0.
Third place
126: Andrew Gunderson (33-7), Cadott, def. Marten (38-6), Stratford, 4-2.
132: J. Drexler (43-3), Stratford, def. Seth Schlegel (42-4), Spring Valley/Elmwood, 3-1, SV-1.
160: Michael Bertrand (45-4), Southern Door, def. Marquardt (37-6), Stratford, 4-1.
195: Bryce Holderman (45-3), Amherst, def. Hoffman (37-11), Stratford, 10-3.
285: Takoda Lee (41-4), Cornell/Gilman/Lake Holcombe, def. T. Kauffman (15-6), Stratford, by medical forfeit.
Division 2 finals
195: Hunter Luepke (39-2), Spencer/Columbus, def. Lucius Rinehart (36-1), Evansville/Albany, 8-1
Division 3 finals
106: Koltin Grzybowski (41-3), Coleman, pinned Manny Drexler (41-4), Stratford, in 1:00.
120: A.J. Schoenfuss (35-5), Stratford, def. Sawyer Sarbacker (45-2), Iowa-Grant/Highland, 4-3.
138: Jeremy Schoenherr (17-0), Stratford, def. Sammy VanStraten (40-4), Shiocton, 3-1.
152: Mason Kauffman (33-0), Stratford, won by major dec. over James Pfeiffer (39-5), Cadott, 18-7.
220: Kamren Bornbach (38-1), Stratford, def. Noah Wieczorek (41-4), Clear Lake, 9-4.