Norse sweep I/G, B-T to win third straight DC title
Eric Kleinhans of Whitehall attempted to pin Independence/Gilmanton’s Gavin Bragger during their match at the Dairyland Conference duals hosted by Blair-Taylor on Thursday. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
Convincing wins in the final Dairyland Conference dual of the season left the Whitehall wrestling team alone on top for the third straight season.
The Norse entered the day needing wins over Independence/Gilmanton and Blair-Taylor and they got just that, cruising in both matches to clinch the conference title. The only other dual wrestled was one in which the Gale-Ettrick-Trempeaelau/Melrose-Mindoro Varsity Reserve team defeated B –T. The G/M VR team went undefeated in DC duals, but those matches did not count in the conference standings.
The DC teams will all wrestle in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division Three Durand regional on Saturday. From there, the top two wrestlers in each weight class will advance to the Saint Croix Falls sectional next Saturday. The team that wins the Durand regional will wrestle in the Cadott team sectional this coming Tuesday.
Whitehall 54 I/G 24
The Norse got off to a strong start and remained in control throughout.
Brekken Kulig (170) started Whitehall off on the right track, holding off a late charge from Mason Gierok to hold on for a 6-5 win. Eric Kleinhans got two nearfall points early in the third period as he beat Gavin Bragger 7-4, putting the Norse ahead 6-0. The lead doubled in the next match as Eric Kleinhans (195) pinned Taylor Herdahl in the first period.
The Indees got on the board when Drew Bragger (220) pinned Taevyon Saintfort, but the Norse won the next four matches. Wylie Dunn (285) pinned Blaine Severson before Nolan Thompson and Bryce Johnson received forfeits. Markus Peterson then pinned Alex Johnson to give the Norse a commanding lead.
Cora Sonsalla (126) and Gael Leon (132) received forfeits for the Indees, but the Norse still led 36-18. Alex Katzman (138) then received a forfeit for the Norse before Gus Poulos (145) and Broc Coburn picked up consecutive first-period pins over Gabe Pietrek and Max Marsolek.
The Indees closed the dual with a win as Clay Herdahl (160) pinned Lukas Paske.
Whitehall 47 B-T 24
The Wildcats won four of the five matches that were wrestled, but forfeits helped the Norse get the dual victory.
B-T started with two wins as Bryan Rogstad (182) pinned Eric Kleinhans (195) and Dylan Elvaker did the same to Adam Kleinhans.
The lead didn’t last long, however as the Norse received five straight forfeits with Saintfort, Dunn, Thompson, Johnson and Petersen all getting wins. After double forfeits at 126 and 132 pounds, Katzman received a forfeit for the Norse.
Poulos (138) picked up Whitehall’s only win on the mat, defeating Gunar Koxlien by technical fall, 15-0.
B-T’s Ryan Flynn (160) then pinned Coburn and Jackson Shramek (170) stuck Brekken Kulig. Whitehall’s Paske (160) received a forfeit between those two matches.
G/M VR 48 B-T 18
The Wildcats won three matches on the mat by pin, but the forfeits were too much to overcome.
Flynn (145), Shramek (170) and Rogstad (182) all picked up pins for the Wildcats, but those are the only points they’d score. The other matches were a pin by Nate Schindler (220) over Elvaker and one by Landon Windsor (138) over Koxlien.
There were double forfeits at 126, 132 and 195 pounds. All other matches were forfeits by the Wildcats.
