Wrestling: Three area schools represented on second day of state

Updated: 9 p.m., 2/28

MADISON — Wrestlers from Wittenberg-Birnamwood, Bonduel and Shawano took the mat for the second day of the 77th annual WIAA Individual Wrestling Championship Tournament on Friday at the Kohl Center.

Five of the six wrestlers performed well enough to qualify for one more day at the state tournament.

Wittenberg-Birnamwood

Wittenberg-Birnamwood senior Chad Moegenburg and junior Wyatt Esker each won their first Division 2 matches before losing in the semifinals at 126 and 145 pounds, respectively.

In the quarterfinals, Esker picked up a 6-0 decision win over previously undefeated Ashland junior Jared Stricker, while Moegenburg claimed a 10-2 major decision over Baldwin-Woodville senior Jordan Bonte.

Esker got a takedown and two-point nearfall in the first period of his match with Stricker. He then took down Stricker after starting in the neutral position for the second period. Esker started in the bottom position and didn’t surrender a single point in the third period.

Moegenburg took control early in his quarterfinal match, getting the first takedown. Bonte tied it with an escape in the second period, but Moegenburg got a takedown and three-point nearfall to regain control.

Starting in the bottom position, Moegenburg got an escape before a takedown in the final period.

In the semifinals, Moegenburg dropped a 4-2 decision to Wrightstown junior Kaiden Koltz, while Esker lost a 16-5 major decision to St. John’s Northwest Military Academy senior Aidan Medora.

Moegenburg fell behind 2-0 after Koltz pulled a reversal early in the second period. The Witt-Birn senior escaped before picking up a point on a penalty to tie it, but Koltz got a takedown later in the period to regain the lead.

Battling through some pain in the third period, Moegenburg was unable to escape from the bottom position.

Esker was unable to keep pace in his semifinal. The junior earned all five of his points by escaping, but couldn't take down Medora.

Esker will compete in a consolation semifinal against Denmark junior Ethan Schwartz on Saturday morning. Moegenburg will battle Somerset senior Tyler Hantsbarger in his consolation semifinal match.

Should the Witt-Birn wrestlers win, they would then wrestle again in the afternoon for third place. If they lose, they would then wrestle for fifth.

Bonduel

Bonduel junior Isaac Banker (195) also advanced to the semifinals before losing.

Junior Max Sokolski (138) rebounded from his first loss with a win to stay alive, while junior Jayson Toellner (132) was eliminated from competition after a pair of losses.

Banker advanced to the D3 semifinals after a dominant 18-3 technical fall win over Lancaster senior Dustin Wolf.

Banker was taken down early in the first period, but scored the next 13 points to seize control. He ended the first period by pulling off a reversal before a three-point nearfall.

After starting in the neutral position in the second period, Banker got a takedown and another three-point nearfall to go up 10-2.

Banker then escaped from the down position in the third period before a takedown made it 13-2. Wolf escaped, but Banker responded with another takedown and three-point nearfall to end the match.

Banker was pinned in his semifinal match against Stratford senior Trevor Dennee. Banker trailed 7-1 at the time of the pin.

Banker will take on Mondovi senior Raith Bauer in his consolation semifinal Saturday morning.

Sokolski lost a hard-fought match to start his day, dropping an 8-6 decision to De Soto sophomore Aiden Brosinski.

With the match tied at two after one period, Brosinski grabbed the lead in the second period after pulling off a reversal. Brosinski then got a two-point nearfall early in the third period.

Down 6-2, Sokolski pulled within two after a reversal, but Brosinski escaped to go back ahead by three. Sokolski then took down Brosinski before giving him a free escape in an attempt to try and take him down one last time before the buzzer sounded. Sokolski was unable to get another takedown, sending him to the consolation bracket.

Sokolski kept his state tournament alive with a 5-2 win over Stratford sophomore Elijah Lucio.

Scoreless heading into the third period, Sokolski escaped from the bottom position to take the lead before getting a takedown. Lucio got two points on a reversal, but Sokolski returned the favor to seal up his win.

Sokolski will wrestle Poynette freshman Gunnar Hamre in his consolation semifinal on Saturday morning.

Toellner dropped a tight 3-1 decision to Cochrane-Fountain City junior Zach Foley to start the day.

Toellner took a 1-0 lead in the second period after an escape from the bottom position, but Foley took him down late in the period to surge ahead.

Foley started in the bottom position for the third period, escaping about a minute in for his third point. Toellner was unable to complete a takedown in the waning seconds.

In his second match, Toellner was pinned by Aquinas sophomore Joseph Penchi in the second period. Toellner trailed 4-1 at the time of the pin.

Shawano

Shawano senior Keith Tourtillott kept his season alive with a pair of consolation victories on Friday.

Tourtillott earned a 7-2 decision win over Sparta junior Madden Connelly before a 7-4 decision win against Brookfield Central junior Frederick Kyles.

In his win over Connelly, Tourtillott fell behind after allowing an early second-period escape. The Shawano wrestler took the lead with a takedown later in the period.

Tourtillott then escaped from the bottom position in the third period before a takedown made it 5-1. Connelly escaped, but Tourtillott took him down once more to finish up the match.

Tourtillott also rallied in his win over Kyles, this time erasing a 3-0 deficit. He escaped about halfway through the second period for his first point.

Tourtillott scored the first six points in the final period, starting with a penalty and escape before a takedown and two-point nearfall. Kyles escaped late, but Tourtillott was able to hang on for the win.

Tourtillott will take on a familiar foe in Ashwaubenon junior Nathan Moynihan on Saturday morning in his consolation semifinal. The two wrestlers faced at regionals and sectionals, with Tourtillott winning at sectionals to win the weight class.

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