This story is sponsored by Forward Financial Bank
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MADISON – Four of the five Marshfield athletes that qualified for the 2018 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament are still alive after the first day of competition in the Division 1 field on Thursday at the Kohl Center.
Marshfield junior Sam Mitchell advanced to the semifinals at 182 pounds after a pair of wins. Mitchell (45-2) rolled to a 17-2 technical fall victory over Tyler Theisen of Hartland Arrowhead in the preliminaries, and outlasted Tyler Larsen (42-6) of Muskego 7-4 in the quarterfinals.
Mitchell, making his second state tournament appearance, will go up against Isaac Lahr (48-3) of Holmen in a semifinal Friday night.
Three other Tigers are alive in the consolation brackets, while junior Nolan Hertel (29-7), was eliminated after losing a preliminary match at 145 pounds to Brett Von Ruden of Sparta, 8-6. Von Ruden lost his quarterfinal match, eliminating Hertel from a chance in the consolation bracket.
Marshfield’s Gabe Pugh (113 pounds), Tanner Kanable (126), and Bentley Schwanebeck-Ostermann (170) will wrestle in Division 1 consolation matches starting Friday morning at 10 a.m.
Pugh, a freshman, lost a preliminary match to Mason Dutcher of Milton 10-2. Pugh (37-6) was only able to earn two escape points as he could not find a way to take down Dutcher.
Kanable (32-15) also lost a prelim match , coming up short against Cooper Hunt of (43-4) of Mequon Homestead, 8-6.
Both Dutcher and Hunt won quarterfinal matches, allowing Pugh and Kanable to move into the consolation bracket.
Schwanebeck-Ostermann (39-4) won his preliminary match at 170, beating Jacob Stachowski of Mukwonago, 8-1. Schwanebeck-Ostermann used a pair of takedowns in the first period to build a 4-1 lead, and had a two-point nearfall in the second, and a reversal in the third to stay in control of the match.
Schwanbeck-Ostermann was knocked into the consolation bracket after being pinned by Parker Keckeisen (29-0) of Glendale Nicolet in 3:11 in the quarterfinals.
Pugh, Kanable and Schwanebeck-Ostermann would need to win two consolation matches on Friday to ensure a spot on the podium as a top-six finisher. Consolation semifinals are Saturday morning, with third- and fifth-place matches to follow.
2018 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament
Feb. 22-24, at Kohl Center, Madison
Friday, Feb. 23
Division 1 consolation matches, 10 a.m.
113: Gabe Pugh (37-6), fr., Marshfield vs. Parker Bevilacqua (37-12), jr., Muskego
126: Tanner Kanable (32-15), jr., Marshfield vs. Aaron Schulist (9-1), sr., Mukwonago
170: Bentley Schwanebeck-Ostermann (38-4), jr., Marshfield vs. Luke Geister-Jones (36-14), jr., Stoughton
Division 2 quarterfinals, 11:15 a.m.
220: Hunter Luepke (46-0), sr., Spencer/Columbus vs. Nate Lloyd (42-6), sr., Luxemburg-Casco
285: Logan Zschernitz (40-2), jr., Spencer/Columbus vs. Scott Klemme (29-15), jr., Sheboygan Falls
Division 3 quarterfinals, 11:15 a.m.
106: Manny Drexler (40-3), jr., Stratford vs. Markus Brown (40-6), fr., Bayfield/Washburn
120: Max Schwabe (39-9), so., Stratford vs. Jake Nadeau (28-5), sr., Glenwood City
126: A.J. Schoenfuss (43-4), sr., Stratford vs. Carson Strong (31-3), sr., Glenwood City
138: Jeremy Schoenherr (33-0), sr., Stratford vs. Nick Sempf (40-5), jr., Clear Lake
145: Jake Drexler (43-2), sr., Stratford vs. winner of Guenther Hebbe (41-6), jr., Princeton
170: Trevor Dennee (38-5), so., Stratford vs. Travis Reinke (38-12), jr., Kewaunee
195: Aiden Hoffman (29-5), sr., Stratford vs. Garrett Joles (39-0), sr., Boyceville
220: Dylan Schoenherr (46-3), jr., Stratford vs. Noah Wieczorek (41-1), sr., Clear Lake
Division 1 consolation semifinals, 1:45 p.m.
Division 2 & 3 consolation semifinals, 2:45 p.m.
Semifinals, all divisions, 7 p.m.
Division 1
182: Sam Mitchell (45-2), jr., Marshfield vs. Isaac Lohr (48-3), sr., Holmen
Saturday, Feb. 24
Consolation wrestlebacks all divisions, through third- and fifth-place matches, 10 a.m.
Championship matches, all divisions, 5 p.m.