Norse matmen pin Indees, Wildcats to win DC title
Riley Orsch of Whitehall attempted to secure a pin while Independence/Gilmanton’s Gavin Bragger fought to get out of his grasp during their match at the Dairyland Conference duals in Whitehall on Thursday. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
Facing a two-point deficit with the Dairyland Conference championship on the line, the Whitehall wrestling team won three of the final four matches to defeat the defending conference champions and win the 2019-20 DC crown.
The Norse put themselves in a match for the championship by defeating Independence/Gilmanton 61-15 to start the DC duals in Whitehall last Thursday. That set them up against defending champion Blair-Taylor, also undefeated in DC matches. B-T had the lead late, but the Norse won three of the last four to take the conference championship.
Whitehall finished 3-0 in DC matches, and defeated the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau/Melrose-Mindoro varsity reserve team, which competed in the DC duals, but didn’t count toward conference records. B-T was 2-1, I/G was 1-2 and Cochrane-Fountain City finished 0-3 on the season.
All three area DC teams will compete in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division Three La Crosse Aquinas regional on Saturday. The winner of the regional will advance to the team sectional in Brookwood this coming Tuesday and the top two individuals qualify for the individual sectional in Westby on Saturday.
DC Duals at Whitehall
With B-T leading 27-25 and four matches left, it could’ve gone either way, but Whitehall won three of the last four matches to claim the conference title.
Alex Katzman (120) put the Norse ahead by pinning Gunar Koxlien in 2:57, but B-T stayed in it as Jeff Doerr (126) defeated Garvin Stevens.
It was Aliyan Sardar (132) who clinched the win for the Norse, pinning Carter Bratina in the closing seconds of the second period to put the Norse ahead by seven. B-T then forfeited the final match, giving Connor Gleeson the win and a 43-30 decision for Whitehall.
Whitehall scored the first 15 points in the match as Dylan Meyer (145) defeated Bryan Rogstad 9-6 before consecutive pins by Brekken Kulig (152) and Eric Kleinhans (160) over Adrian Shroda and Bryce Elvaker.
B-T got on the board when Noah Shepherd (170) pinned Ryan Kleinhans. Matthew Betker (182) followed with a pin over Riley Orson before Logan Shramek (195) pinned Silas Nelson to put B-T ahead 18-15.
Liam Herrick (220) put Whitehall back in the lead, defeating Alexis Gomez 9-0, but B-T pulled off an upset with Chris Rogstad (285) getting a late takedown to defeat Wylie Dunn and put the Wildcats ahead 21-19.
A forfeit at 106 pounds received by Dylan Moats put Whitehall back ahead before Colton Lejcher (113) of B-T pinned Matthew Poulos to make the score 27-25.
Whitehall buckled down from there, however, winning three of the last four for the conference title.
To get to that point, the Norse had a dominant performance against I/G.
Trailing 12-3 early in the match, Eric Kleinhans (160) received a forfeit and Ryan Kleinhans (170) pinned Mason Gierok to put Whitehall ahead.
Orsch followed with a pin over Gavin Bragger before Herrick, Dunn and Moats scored consecutive pins to put the Norse in control with a 45-12 advantage.
A win by Jackson Konter (113) over Poulos got the Indees back on the board, but that would be the last points they would score.
Katzman defeated Gabe Rombalski by technical fall, 15-0, before Stephens pinned Max Marsolek and Sardar topped Francisco Sanchez by technical fall, 17-0.
