G/M’s Andersen takes third at state wrestling

Whenever Tanner Andersen was asked what his goal was for his senior year of wrestling, the answer was never just a conference championship at 132 pounds for the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau/Melrose-Mindoro co-op.

It was never just ‘Make it to state’. 

The conversation always circled back to Andersen hoping to be standing on top of the podium at the state meet, ending his high school wrestling career as a champion.

And while his spot on the podium at Saturday’s state meet at the Kohl Center in Madison was a bit lower than he originally planned, the senior finished with a career-best third place finish, going undefeated after losing his opening match.

Coach Pete Peterson said it appeared that some nerves got to the star wrestler in his quarterfinal match where he could have scored a few points earlier in the match. It’s not the ending Andersen envisioned, but it’s one his coach said should leave the senior proud.

“He’s put in so much time over the years to earn his accomplishments. Tanner has put in so much time over the years to earn his accomplishments, and nothing was given,” Peterson said. “He’s earned what he’s gotten.”

Andersen was beaten in the quarterfinal Friday by Winneconne’s Brody Hart in a 5-2 decision, quickly rebounding by handling Baldwin-Woodville’s Tyler Fink in the first consolation round the same day by a 13-4 major decision.

Andersen pinned Omro’s Bryce Crowley in less than a minute to open Saturday’s semifinal, showing his energy and willingness to forget about the quarterfinal and place as high as he could by battling back through the bracket.

He finished in third by beating Chandler Curtis of Lodi in the third place match in a 8-3 decision. Peterson applauded his team’s leader, saying his focus quickly shifted from being a state champion to finishing the highest he could.

It’s the kind of mentality, Peterson said, that has served Andersen to this point and helped him become the first person to place at the state meet all four years over the more than two decades of Peterson’s time coaching.

“Sometimes to regroup and do what you do to take third is just as hard as anything else, and he did that,” Peterson said. “He kind of set that goal his entire life to be a state champ, and then he watched it go, and then he regrouped and said ‘Okay, I’m taking third.’”

Andersen was joined at the meet by a pair of young wrestlers who Peterson said he expects to contend for more trips to the Kohl Center in the future.

Jackson Blaken won his first match at 126 pounds on Thursday, deciding Mason Mau of Belleville/Monticello/New Glarus 10-7. It was a strong start in what Peterson called one of the toughest brackets in the entire tournament.

He was beaten in his next two matches, a 17-5 major decision loss at the hands of Austin Defoe of Ashland and a 9-3 decision loss to Ostin Blanchard of Campbellsport. Blanchard (one) and Defoe (two) were the state’s top ranked wrestlers in the Division Two weight class.

G/M Sophomore Braydon Lockington was beaten by Peshtigo’s Connor Thomas in his preliminary match on Thursday by a 3-2 decision.

Peterson praised both Blaken and Lockington for their efforts and season, adding that he thinks both will be even better next year.

“These sophomores getting down there, getting that experience, now we’re gonna see what they do with it,” he said. “I think they’re gonna put in the extra time and really move forward and be a force to reckon with next year.”

As a team, leaving without a champion isn’t how the Titans pictured their season ending. Nonetheless, it motivates Peterson and his group.

“We’re excited for next year,” he said. “It’s one of those things where you get that with the end of the season and a lot of times you’re glad the season’s over, but now I’m kinda like I’m ready for next year already.”