This story is sponsored by: American Family Insurance – Randy LeMoine Agency, LLC
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MADISON – One year ago, Spencer/Columbus Catholic’s Hunter Luepke became the program’s first-ever state champion in wrestling.
On Saturday, Luepke became Spencer’s first two-time state champion, and teammate Logan Zschernitz joined him on the short list of Rockets’ champs.
Luepke handled Jack Dietzen of Omro 9-3 to win the Division 2 220-pound title. Moments later, Zschernitz pinned Dan Ausioos of Oconto Falls in 1 minute, 3 seconds, to capture his first state crown at 285 pounds.
“I made it a point in the beginning of the season that I wanted to be an undefeated state champion and it feels awesome,” Luepke said. “All of the hard work and time I’ve put in into this sport, to have an undefeated season it feels awesome.”
Zschernitz said he used last year’s third-place finish at state, and Luepke’s win, as motivation to grab a gold medal for himself.
“Watching him win just makes me want to get better and better, and that’s what has gotten me to the point where I am,” Zschernitz said. “Seeing him win last year, and me taking third, that really made me grind and want us both to be state champions.”
Luepke (49-0) earned a pair of takedowns in the first period and another in the second to grab a 6-2 lead. After earning an escape from the down position to start the third period, Luepke had another takedown to ice the match.
“He (Dietzen) was pretty strong on his feet and on the bottom,” Luepke said. “I knew I really had to take it to him, watching his previous matches, so I was just going hard all the time, pressuring him and getting my shots down.”
Zschernitz (43-2), much like he did in Friday’s semifinal match, waited for the right time to strike. A quick move 45 seconds into the match put Ausioos (36-4) on his back and he finished him off seconds later.
“I shot the double leg and he was tipping me over, I thought he was going to get me over, but I got him on his back and pinned him,” Zschernitz said.
2018 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament
Feb. 22-24, at Kohl Center, Madison
Saturday’s local results
Consolation semifinals
Division 1
170: Bentley Schwanebeck-Ostermann (41-4), jr., Marshfield, def. Jacob Sklenar (49-5), sr., Pewaukee, 9-2.
182: Nate Crayton (46-6), sr., Burlington, def. Sam Mitchell (45-4), jr., Marshfield, 4-3.
Division 3
120: Max Schwabe (41-10), so., Stratford, def. Jack Severin (45-5), fr., Kewaunee, 6-4.
145: Jake Drexler (45-3), sr., Stratford, pinned Gavin Burch (40-8), sr., Ithaca/Weston, 1:52.
195: Aiden Hoffman (31-6), sr., Stratford, def. Levi Galoff (32-14), fr., Brillion, 9-3.
220: Dylan Schoenherr (48-4), jr., Stratford, def. Jack Horihan (33-6), sr., La Crosse Aquinas, 7-1.
Third-place matches
Division 1
170: Hayden Krein (43-7), sr., Sparta, pinned Bentley Schwanebeck-Ostermann (41-5), jr., Marshfield, 2:06.
Division 3
120: Max Schwabe (42-10), so., Stratford, def. Javyn Freeman (42-5), jr., Phillips, 12-7.
145: Jake Drexler (46-3), sr., Stratford, pinned Weston Wichman (8-2), sr., Johnson Creek, 0:34.
195: Jacob Geise (44-7), jr., Bonduel, def. Aiden Hoffman (31-7), sr., Stratford, injury default, 2:02.
220: Dylan Schoenherr (49-4), jr., Stratford, pinned Justin Chadwick (52-7), sr., Marshall, 0:51.
Fifth-place match
Division 1
182: Sam Mitchell (46-4), jr., Marshfield, won major dec. over Brooks Empley (31-22), fr., Stoughton, 16-3.
Championship matches
Division 2
220: Hunter Luepke (49-0), sr., Spencer/Columbus, def. Jack Dietzen (42-2), sr., Omro, 9-3.
285: Logan Zschernitz (43-2), jr., Spencer/Columbus, pinned Dan Ausioos (36-4), sr., Oconto Falls, 1:03.
Division 3
106: Ryan Anderson (46-0), sr., Clear Lake, pinned Manny Drexler (42-4), jr., Stratford, 1:19.
126: Jordan Boldt (44-4), sr., Bonduel, def. A.J. Schoenfuss (45-5), sr., Stratford, 4-3, UTB.
138: Jeremy Schoenherr (36-0), sr., Stratford, won major dec. over Jake Baldwin (45-6), jr., Coleman, 13-5.
170: Ryan Neu (44-0), jr., Dodgeland, def. Trevor Dennee (40-6), so., Stratford, 6-2.