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CADOTT – Stratford will have a chance to qualify for its fifth-straight state team tournament after winning the WIAA Division 3 wrestling regional at Cadott High School on Saturday.
With the victory in the team standings, Stratford moves on to the Division 3 team sectional Tuesday at Cumberland. Boyceville, St. Croix Falls and Phillips will also be at the team sectional.
Stratford racked up 296.5 points and held off host Cadott (276) for first place in the team standings. Athens was third.
Stratford will also be sending 12 to the individual sectionals next Saturday, Feb. 22, at Edgar High School, including eight regional champions. The top two finishers in each of the 14 weight classes move on to the individual sectional.
Karter Stuttgen (19-3 at 113 pounds), Gavin Drexler (42-0) at 126, Max Schwabe (40-2 at 132), Elijah Lucio (11-1 at 138), Konner Stuttgen (33-4 at 145), Jacob Heiden (35-7 at 152), Devin Dennee (41-2 at 160), and Trevor Dennee (41-1 at 195) all earned regional titles for the Tigers.
Benno Wenzel (15-13 at 120), Hunter Ford (38-6 at 170), Raife Smart (19-5 at 182) and Beau Gross (13-5 at 285) each finished second to also earn sectional spots for Stratford.
Moving on to sectionals for Athens will be Brooks Kraus at 106, Carter Brunke at 145, Spencer Kraus at 160, and Connor Westfall at 195. All four finished second.
Edgar’s lone sectional participant will be Ethan Heil. Heil, who finished second at the state meet last season, won the 220-pound title to improve to 25-0 this season.
2020 WIAA Division 3 Wrestling Regional
Feb. 15, at Cadott High School
Team scores: 1. Stratford 296.5; 2. Cadott 276; 3. Athens 127.5; 4. Marathon 73; 5. Edgar 70; 6. Cornell/Gilman 34; 7. Thorp 11.
Top two finishers qualify for individual sectional Feb. 22 at Edgar
106 pounds
Championship: Brayden Sonnentag (CAD) pinned Brooks Kraus (ATH), 1:02.
Third place: Mason Putnam (MAR) pinned Cera Philson (TH), 0:16.
113 pounds
Championship: Karter Stuttgen (ST) won by technical fall over Logan Harel (CAD), 18-3.
Third place: Ethan Person (CG).
120 pounds
Championship: Kaleb Sonnentag (CAD) pinned Benno Wenzel (ST), 1:42.
Third place: Connor Lewandowski (ATH).
126 pounds
Championship: Gavin Drexler (ST) pinned Nick Fasbender (CAD), 0:51.
Third place: Blake Tarter (ED).
132 pounds
Championship: Max Schwabe (ST) won by technical fall over Tristan Drier (CAD), 15-0.
Third place: Chase Ellenbecker (ATH) pinned Nick Van Rixel (MAR), 5:45.
Second-place wrestleback: Drier def. Ellenbecker, 5-0.
138 pounds
Championship: Elijah Lucio (ST) pinned Cole Pfeiffer (CAD), 4:48.
Third place: Jared Sweno (MAR) pinned Braeden Person (CG), 1:31.
145 pounds
Championship: Konner Stuttgen (ST) def. Carter Brunke (ATH), 5-3.
Third place: Dawson Webster (CAD) pinned Jesse Jisko (ED), 1:13.
152 pounds
Championship: Jacob Heiden (ST) def. Nelson Wahl (CAD), 10-8 (SV-1)
Third place: Hector Pintor (MAR) pinned Trystan Cator (ATH), 1:17.
160 pounds
Championship: Devin Dennee (ST) pinned Spencer Kraus (ATH), 0:48.
Third place: Michael Pecha (CAD) pinned Julian Krizan (CG), 1:14.
Second-place wrestleback: Kraus pinned Pecha, 2:24.
170 pounds
Championship: Brady Spaeth (CAD) pinned Hunter Ford (ST), 0:23.
Third place: Nick Sommers (MAR).
182 pounds
Championship: Steven Pfeiffer (CAD) def. Raife Smart (ST), 8-6.
Third place: R.J. Knetter (ED) pinned Kyler Ellenbecker (ATH), 1:19.
Second-place wrestleback: Smart def. Knetter, 6-2.
195 pounds
Championship: Trevor Dennee (ST) pinned Connor Westfall (ATH), 4:25.
Third place: Gavin Tegels (CAD).
220 pounds
Championship: Ethan Heil (ED) won major dec. over Ethan Tegels (CAD), 13-4.
Third place: Cole Marten (ST) pinned Logan Werner (MAR), 2:55.
285 pounds
Championship: Josh Briggs (CAD) def. Beau Gross (ST), 8-2.
Third place: Austin Miller (ED) pinned Andrew Olson (CG), 3:06.