Two Bonduel High School wrestlers and one from Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School will battle for championships Saturday at the WIAA state wrestling tournament in Madison.
Bonduel sophomore Garrett Siolka and senior Jacob Wudtke each won two matches Friday to advance to the Division 3 championship round.
Wittenberg-Birnamwood will be represented by senior Braxton Potrykus in the Division 2 finals, which begin at 6 p.m.
Division 3
Wudtke and Siolka are the first Bonduel wrestlers to reach the finals since Ben Tauchen did it in 2011. The last time Bonduel had multiple wrestlers in the finals was 2000.
“I can’t put it in any other words, I’m so proud of these young men,” Bonduel coach Chris Rank said. “Our goal was always to get them on the podium. That doesn’t always happen. We achieved that goal.”
Wudtke (41-6) defeated Iowa-Grant/Highland senior Brian Halverson (36-15) 5-2 in their 170-pound semifinal.
Wudtke trailed 2-0 through much of the second period before tying the match with a takedown with about 15 seconds remaining. Working from the bottom in the final period, Wudtke took the lead on an escape, and Halverson looked for a takedown for the win. It was Wudtke, however, who scored the points near the edge of the mat with only a handful of seconds remaining.
“Jacob is wrestling extremely tough,” Rank said. “He was aggressive and smart.”
In the title match, Wudtke will face Reedsville junior Grant Wedepohl (42-1), who stopped Lancaster senior Ethan Soderstorm (21-4) with a 3-0 decision in the semifinals.
Wudtke beat Cameron junior Kyle Heinsohn (41-6) 5-3 in the quarterfinal match.
In their 113-pound semifinal, Siolka (42-7) defeated Stratford sophomore Anthony Glinecki (43-3) with a 9-5 decision.
After falling behind 5-1 in the first minute, Siolka cut the margin to 5-3 with a takedown. Starting the second period from the bottom, Siolka took the lead, 6-5, on an escape and then a takedown in the final 30 seconds of the period.
“Truly amazing,” Rank said. “To me, a sign of a true champion: not giving up hope and having the confidence that he could come back, and he did. … For a sophomore, he’s calm and confident and doesn’t panic.”
Glinecki seemed to have Siolka in trouble in the final period, but the Bonduel sophomore not only survived but also put Glinecki on his back for a 3-point nearfall.
In the title match, Siolka will face sophomore Hunter Dischler (44-2), of Weston/Ithaca, who defeated sophomore Adam Becker (37-8) of Johnson Creek 9-4.
Siolka pinned Deerfield freshman Cal Hansen (44-2) in 3:09 in the quarterfinals.
Bonduel junior Dan Tauchen (39-7) had a bye Thursday and lost 4-0 Friday to Mineral Point sophomore Scott Pittz (34-13) in a 152-pound quarterfinal.
“He wasn’t feeling the best,” Rank said. “I don’t know if the nerves got to him or what, but that wasn’t the Danny that we’re used to seeing on the mat. Hopefully he’s feeling a lot better tomorrow.”
Tauchen then edged Spring Valley/Elmwood sophomore Jed Schlegel (37-7) 1-0 in the consolation bracket, assuring himself of at least sixth-place and a spot on the podium.
Division 2
In the 152 semifinal, Potrykus (44-2) defeated junior Jonny Chamberlain (40-2), of Chetek/Weyerhauser/Prairie Farm, 8-1.
Both wrestlers spent most of the match on their feet looking for a takedown. After a scoreless first period, Chamberlain scored first on an escape in the second period. The pair continued without a takedown until the closing seconds when Potrykus countered a Chamberlain attack, got the takedown and rolled the Chetek wrestler on his back for a 3-point nearfall.
Potrykus increased his lead to 6-1 with an escape to open the third period, and the duo spent the rest of the period again on their feet until Potrykus got the takedown in the closing seconds.
In the title match, Potrykus will face senior Bryce Bennot (43-4), of Wautoma/Wild Rose, who stopped Mosinee senior Elliot Sparbgy (26-5) with a 3-1 sudden victory in the semifinal.
Potrykus won a 13-5 major decision over Pewaukee freshman Jacob Raschka (46-5) in the quarterfinals.
At 182 pounds, Witt-Birn sophomore August Peplinski (47-7) lost a tough 6-5 decision to Ellsworth senior Dennis Schutz (25-3) in their semifinal match.
Peplinski trailed 2-1 after the first period and 3-1 after two. Starting the final period on the bottom, he cut the lead to 3-2 with an escape, then took the lead with a takedown on the edge of the mat with 1:03 remaining. Schutz tied it with an escape, then grabbed a single leg that turned into a takedown and a 6-4 lead with 29 seconds remaining. Peplinski managed an escape in the closing seconds but ran out of time.
In the 182-pound quarterfinal, Peplinski pinned Kiel senior Aaron Field (37-9) in 3:09.
Senior Bobby Uttecht (41-7) was pinned by Ellsworth senior Jens Lantz (39-1) in 2:50 of their 126-pound quarterfinal match Friday morning, but defeated Delavan senior Cody Chelminiak (40-6) 7-3 in the consolation bracket. Lantz is seeking his fourth state championship Saturday.
Clintonville senior Jake Reiter was pinned in 3:27 by St. Croix Falls senior Joe Rademacher (41-1) in a 195-pound quarterfinal. Reiter rebounded with a 7-1 decision over River Valley senior Zach Koch (33-10) in the consolation bracket.
Consolation wrestlebacks begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, followed by fifth-place matches and then third-place matches, leaving the spotlight on the championship bouts in the evening.
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