NEILLSVILLE – The Spencer/Columbus Catholic will be sending three athletes to the state tournament after winning one sectional title and two more finished third at the WIAA Division 2 individual wrestling sectional on Saturday at Neillsville High School.
Logan Zschernitz, the defending 285-pound Division 2 state champion, will return to Madison to a chance at a repeat after winning the sectional title on Saturday.
Joining the senior will freshman Treyton Ackman and junior Ashton Ackman, who both finished third in their respective weight classes.
The top three in each of the 14 weight classes qualify for the 2019 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament, which will be held Feb. 21-23 at the Kohl Center in Madison.
Zschernitz improved to 43-0 this season and won the 285-pound sectional title by whopping Logan Peterson of Ellsworth in the title match, pinning his opponent in just 31 seconds. Zschernitz, a Northern Illinois University football recruit, will be making his third-straight state appearance. In addition to his title last year, he finished third in 2017.
After failing to qualify last year, Ashton Ackman will be back to state for the second time. Ackman (40-7) def. Bailey Poellinger of Ellsworth 5-3 in the third-place match to secure a state berth. He then lost a second-place wrestleback to Mason Tylee of Amery by pin in 1:54.
Treyton Ackman is now 39-7 this season after taking third at 113 pounds for the Rockets. He beat Ryan Pederson of Prescott 8-3 in the third-place match.
Abbotsford/Colby and Neillsville/Greenwood/Loyal both had one wrestler qualify for state.
Sophomore River Halopka (35-7) lost the 106-pound championship to Blaine Brenner of Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee, 13-6 to finish second for Abbotsford/Colby.
Neillsville/Greenwood/Loyal senior Stephen Buchanan improved to 45-0 by winning the 195-pound title match by pin over Justis Knutson of Chetek-Weyerhauser/Prairie Farm in 3:46. Buchanan, a Loyal High School student and a University of Wyoming wrestling recruit, won the 182-pound state title last year.
Medford has four state qualifiers, including a pair of sectional champions.
Andy Poetzl won the 138-pound title for the Raiders, pinning Carter Huppert of Ellsworth in 4:36 to improve to 40-10.
Zeke Sigmund (27-5) was also a sectional champ for Medford, beating Jared Lansing of Ellsworth 7-2 in the 145-pound final.
Dane Higgins, a junior, finished second at 132 pounds, losing the title match to Charlie Stuhl of Ellsworth by technical fall, 15-0. Higgins is 26-7.
Jake Rau (31-2) also qualified for the Raiders. After suffering just his second loss of the season in the semifinals, Rau won the third-place match at 220 pounds, beating Abbotsford/Colby’s Carter Grewe by pin in 5:29.
2019 WIAA Division 2 Individual Wrestling Sectional
Team scores: 1. Ellsworth 144.5; 2. Medford 92; 3. Amery 77; 4. Spooner/Webster 57; 5. Baldwin-Woodville 47.5; 6. Spencer/Columbus Catholic 46; 7. Luck/Frederic/Grantsburg/Siren 37; 8. Neillsville/Greenwood/Loyal and Prescott 35; 10. Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee 34; 11. Abbotsford/Colby and Northwestern 33; 13. Bloomer/Colfax 28; 14. Barron 27.5; 15. Rice Lake 23; 16. St. Croix Central 20; 17. Chetek-Weyerhauser/Prairie Farm and Osseo-Fairchild/Augusta/Fall Creek 19; 19. Ashland and Osceola 15; 21. Somerset 8; 22. Black River Falls/Lincoln 7; 23. Hayward/Northwood and Eau Claire Regis/Altoona 0.
Top three in each weight qualify for WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament in Madison, Feb. 21-23
106 pounds
Championship – Blaine Brenner (SBOW) def. River Halopka (AC), 13-6.
Third place – Nolan Johnson (LFGS) def. Logan Trautt (NW), 6-2.
113 pounds
Championship – Taedon Nichols (LFGS) won major dec. over Markus Brown (NW), 11-3.
Third place – Treyton Ackman (SC) def. Ryan Pederson (PR), 8-3.
120 pounds
Championship – Jacek Nickowski (BW) won by technical fall over Mason Tylee (AM), 18-2.
Third place – Ashton Ackman (SC) def. Bailey Poellinger (EL), 5-3.
Second-place wrestleback – Tylee (AM) pinned Ackman (SC), 1:54.
126 pounds
Championship – Walker Ingham (AM) def. Jordan Bonte (BW), 7-3.
Third place – Tyler Hantsbarger (SOM) def. Eric Rehbein (MED), 5-0.
132 pounds
Championship – Charlie Stuhl (EL) won by technical fall over Dane Higgins (MED), 15-0.
Third place – Sawyer Best (BC) pinned Jordan Penard (AM), 4:40.
138 pounds
Championship – Andy Poetzl (MED) pinned Carter Huppert (EL), 4:36.
Third place – Mitchel Harmon (BC) pinned Brandon Meister (SW), 1:40.
Second-place wrestleback – Harmon (BC) def. Huppert (EL), 5-2.
145 pounds
Championship – Zeke Sigmund (MED) def. Jared Lansing (EL), 7-2.
Third place – Zach Pooler (NW) pinned Isaak Livingston (ASH), 0:51.
152 pounds
Championship – Mike Smith (AM) def. Tristan Massie (BAR), 6-3.
Third place – Sawyer Hamilton (EL) won major dec. over Emett Grunwald (MED), 12-0.
Second-place wrestleback – Hamilton (EL) def. Massie (BAR), 5-3.
160 pounds
Championship – Carter Paulson (RL) pinned Cedric Kosnopfal (EL), 4:39.
Third place – Kale Hopke (AM) def. Nathan Buchanan (NGL), 6-5.
Second-place wrestleback – Kosnopfal (EL) pinned Hopke (AM), 5:39.
170 pounds
Championship – Chase Melton (SW) def. Jared Toenjes (EL), 3-1, SV.
Third place – William Waldofski (BAR) def. Jospeh Aguilera (AC), 10-6.
182 pounds
Championship – Sam Melton (SW) def. Bret Kostka (OFAFC), 7-5.
Third place – Blaine Guthrie (BW) def. Nick Carlson (OSC), 6-3.
Second-place wrestleback – Kostka (OFAFC) pinned Guthrie (BW), 3:09.
195 pounds
Championship – Stephen Buchanan (NGL) pinned Justis Knutson (CWPF), 3:46.
Third place – Logan Melstrom (EL) def. Sean Johnson (BRFL), 6-2.
Second-place wrestleback – Melstrom (EL) def. Knutson (CWPF), 6-4.
220 pounds
Championship – Joe Schulte (PRES) pinned Ryan Larson (SCC), 3:18.
Third place – Jake Rau (MED) pinned Carter Grewe (AC), 5:29.
285 pounds
Championship – Logan Zschernitz (SC) pinned Logan Peterson (EL), 0:31.
Third place – Sean Hassemer (SBOW) def. Brett Jepson (SW), 8-5.
Author: News Desk
This piece was posted by our news team! Contact us or submit stories at [email protected].
