Of course, just getting to ….
Of course, just getting to state is one part of the equation, the other is doing even better than last year, and after winning all but one of his matches, Halopka is brimming with confidence.
“My goal last year was to make it to state. My goal this year is to win it. I feel very confi dent. I learned that I can beat anyone.”
Colby High senior Carter Grewe knows a thing or two about wrestling on big stages, and after qualifying for the state tournament as a sophomore, the Kohl Center holds no particular fascination for the brawny grappler they call the “Vanilla Gorilla.”
Grewe faced off against his nemesis Kale Hopke in the semifinals at Amery after he defeated Raef Radcliff of Gale-Ettric-Trempeleau in the quarterfinals.
Grewe pinned Radcliff in 1:31, but Hopke, a D-I commit to play baseball for North Dakota State University, has gotten the better of Grewe in their two previous meetings.
In the third meeting, Grewe nearly turned the tables on Hopke, earning a 3-2 advantage before the match was evened up at 3-3 in the third period, forcing sudden death. Grewe would lose to Hopke 5-3 in that sudden death round, but quickly refocused to top Chris Najera of West Salem/ Bangor in 3:18.
Grewe drew Hopke in the second place match, resulting in a no contest, and subsequently finished third in Amery, but did improve to a 45-3 mark.
Grewe is glad to be headed back to state, but just getting there was never the goal the goal is to win it all.
“As Kobe once said “What’s there to be happy about? Job finished?” That is the mindset going into Madison,” Grewe said, speaking openly and honestly about his plans for state.
Having been to the Kohl Center once before, he’s used to the sights and sounds, and while the energy is palpable, Grewe says once he’s on the mat, nothing but his opponent matters.
“When you are on the mat you tune everything and everybody out. You hear nothing and only see what’s in the large circle in the middle of the mat.”
Grewe is planning on using that experience, along with everything else he has done these past four years, to power himself to victory. And should he face off against Hopke again, he’ll be ready.
“I had some good takeaways from the match with Hopke that I hope to apply to our match in Madison. It will be something special down in Madison this year in the Kohl Center.”
Levi Dommer was the third and final wrestler to appear at the WIAA D-2 sectional in Amery, but for Dommer, the season ends there.
Dommer had just the one match on Saturday, a quarterfinal contest with Jacob Berends in the 220 weight class. Dommer was pinned in the first period, scoring no points, but will certainly be one to watch next season.
The WIAA state individual wrestling tournament begins on Thursday at the Kohl Center on UW - Madison’s campus, but Halopka will have to wait until Friday while Grewe hits the mats on Thursday. Both are hoping to be the last one standing on championship Saturday.
