Titan wrestlers take crown at Raider Challenge
The Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau/Melrose-Mindoro high school wrestling team walked away with the top team spot at an invitational hosted by their neighbors and rivals.
The Titans won Arcadia’s annual Raider Challenge on Saturday thanks to eight different wrestlers finishing in the top three in their weight classes.
A 525-point day secured the top team score for G/M ahead of Cadott (471.5), St. Croix Central (420.5), Medford Area (390) and Minnetonka (359) in the top five.
Arcadia placed sixth at their home event with a 326.5, just ahead of Independence’s seventh place score of 313.
Other teams included Onalaska (199), Mosinee (196.5), Ladysmith (191), G/M reserves (170), Kickapoo (151.5), Prescott (137.5), Brookwood (130) and Cochrane-Fountain City (37).
The Titans left with a pair of winners—David Hiles won the 138-pound bracket and Braydon Lockington won the 220-pound bracket.
Hiles finished with a pair of pins and a major decision win, while Lockington stacked up three pins.
Eric Bustos led the way for Arcadia, taking second in the 285-pound competition. His only loss was to Independence/Gilmanton’s Jacobo Medina in the title match.
Medina kept his strong season going, improving to 30-2 on the year with a four-pin day and the win.
Koda Purney (113), Jackson Blaken (132) and Carson Koss (145) took second in their weight classes to help the Titans, and teammates Jayce Stetzer (120), Alex Wieczorek (195) and Ben Peterson (170) finished third.
Cisco Jimenez (285) wrestled to fourth on Saturday. Colton Koss (106), Layne Fry (126), Gunnar Johnson (160) and Mitch Berg (182) placed fifth for the Titans.
Other G/M wrestlers included Wyatt Ones (126, 13th), Jazmin Wagner (132, 16th) and Hayden Fry (152, ninth).
Arcadia got a pair of third place finishers in Hunter Fitzpatrick (132) and Martin Aguilar (182), also seeing fourth place finishes from Cruz Patzner (152) and Andy Monroy (113).
Other wrestlers for the Raiders included Ivan Aguilar (120, fifth), Nicolas Esteban (145, fifth), Matthew Badillo (126, seventh), Gery Lopez (170, seventh), Eric Rodriguez (220, seventh) and Heidi Hernandez (113, eighth).
Adalberto Ortiz took eighth at 152 pounds for the Raiders, as did David Escalera at 145 pounds.
Logan Conrad (132, ninth), Camren Schultz (138, 10th), Angel Garcia (220, 10th), Ben Kolstad (138, 13th), Daniel Rodriguez (182, 13th), Johan Hernandez (145, 13th), Helmer Sandoval (132, 14th), Edgar Ortiz (182, 14th) and Adan Cortez (182, 15th) also wrestled for the Raiders.
Independence/Gilmanton also had multiple top five finishers.
Gavin Bragger collected four pins on Saturday to take second, with his only loss coming in the championship match to Dawson Webster of Cadott.
Gabe Pietrek (145) took fourth, and Drew Bragger (220) finished fifth. Sam Marsolek (138) was the lone I/G wrestler in sixth place.
Gracie Rombalski (106) and Cora Sonsalla (113) each finished seventh in their weight classes, while teammate Owen Gierok (126) took ninth.
Jose Cantu Lucio placed eighth at 160, as did Mitchell Halverson at 195. Preston Solberg (195) took ninth.
Other I/G wrestlers included Sean McHugh (220, 11th), Harold Choncoa (145, 12th), Max Marsolek (152, 12th), James Carillo Taylor (182, 12th), Steven Micovac (152, 14th) and Anderson Barcenas (285, 14th).
