The Bonduel High School wrestling team beat Central Wisconsin Conference foe Menominee Indian 54-21 Thursday in Bonduel.
Senior Kyle Winker provided a highlight for Menominee Indian by tying the school’s career wins record.
Bonduel, ranked No. 7 in Division 3 by Wisconsin Wrestling Online (WWO), started fast but struggled in the heavier weights.
“I figured it would be a tough match to win,” Menominee Indian coach Kirk Bahr said. “Their middle and lighter guys are tough.”
The Bears earned a pair of quick wins over Menominee Indian to take a 12-0 lead. Sophomore Scott Gunderson (106) pinned Vel Hawkins in 1 minute, 23 seconds, and sophomore Garrett Siolka, ranked No. 8 at 120 pounds, took down junior Blake Stoehr in 3:58.
The third match was the night’s most competitive, pitting Winker (126) against junior Travis Wollenberg.
“I thought the 126-pound match was great with Wollenberg and Kyle Winker,” Bahr said. “That was just a tough match. I knew it was going to be. Last year, we beat him pretty good. He’s improved a lot, but Kyle is just solid.”
The two wrestlers fought to a 0-0 draw after the first period and were tied 1-1 to start the third. Winker scored a takedown to get the 3-1 decision.
“That was a very good match. I was looking forward to that all week,” Bonduel coach Chris Rank said. “Winker is very good wrestler for Menominee Indian; we knew that. We know that Travis is a very good wrestler for us. We wanted to see what we could do with (Winker). We’re going to see him at the conference tournament, I’m sure of that, and potentially at sectionals.”
The Bears won the next four matches wrestled by pins. Junior Austin Siokla, a WWO honorable mention at 113, moved up to 132 pounds to pin sophomore Patrick White in 1:15. Senior Gregg Shafer (138) earned a pin of freshman Brandon Miller in 1:41. Junior Sam Kroening (145) pinned senior Deonte Crowe in 47 seconds. Junior Mitch Sokolski (160) took down freshman Kyle Komanekin in 51 seconds. Jacob Wudtke, a honorable mention at 170, then pinned Troy Penass-Kaquatosh in 1:32 in a match of two seniors.
Dan Tauchen, a junior and Bonduel’s highest-ranked wrestler at No. 6, received a forfeit at 152 pounds.
Menominee Indian won three of the final four matches. Senior James Pecore (182) pinned junior Brandon Novitski in 5:20. Senior Keenan Richmond (220) beat senior Eric Godin with a pin 48 seconds into their match, and senior Austin Lyons pinned junior Race McClone in 5:20 in the heavyweight match.
Rank was impressed with Novitski’s match despite the loss.
“Right up until the end, it was a very exciting match for us,” Rank said. “I was very happy with the way Brandon wrestled.”
Bonduel sophomore Bennett Gunderson (195) pinned freshman Alenex Warrington in the second-to-last match of the night.
Menominee Indian’s youth was a disadvantage against the experienced Bears.
“I had four freshman in the lineup tonight,” Bahr said. “They went hard.”
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