Grewe, Halopka are all-state

Two wrestlers from the Abbotsford/ Colby co-op put their stamp on the program over the weekend, with a pair of podium finishes at the 79th annual WIAA state individual wrestling tournament.

Senior Carter Grewe and sophomore Tanner Halopka placed fourth in their respective weight classes at state, Grewe in the 195 pound division, and Halopka in the 145 weight class.

The tournament returned to the Kohl Center after COVID-19 forced state to be held in three separate locations last year. Being back amongst that energy was definitely a high point for Grewe, who wrestled in the Kohl Center as a sophomore in 2020.

“It felt great to be back in the Kohl Center because that means you are a part of the last twelve guys in the state competing yet,” Grewe said. “When I was a sophomore I was not as mentally or physically strong as I am now.”

Grewe opened up the tournament in dominant fashion, stopping Jack Callen of Portage in the prelims on Thursday with a pin in 3:50. From there, Grewe took care of business over Garret Kilgas of Brillion in the quarters, earning another victory via pinfall, with Grewe stopping Kilgas in 3:16. It was a good start, but as he advanced Grewe knew things would only get harder.

And when the semifinals were announced, he knew he would be facing Kale Hopke of Amery. Hopke has been something of a nemesis for Grewe, with all three of his regular season losses coming at the hands of Hopke. But Grewe has never shirked a challenge, and he viewed his semifinal bout with Hopke as another opportunity to get better and stronger.

“When I saw Hopke on my side of the bracket I was the happiest man in the world,” Grewe said. “I knew I would get one more crack at him before we both went our separate ways in college.”

Like all their matches, this one went the distance, with Grewe and Hopke locked at 3-3 until the closing seconds. With the match looking as though it were headed for extra periods, Hopke broke free of Grewe’s grasp, earning a 4-3 decision over Grewe.

“Even though I lost our last match I had a great time on the mat for the last six minutes,” Grewe said. “I compare all of my matches, including Hopke’s match, to a street fight. My goal is to punish the man standing across from me.” Grewe did plenty of that in his consolation bout with Blake Thiry of Prairie du Chen, racking up points left and right for a 17-5 major decision on Saturday.

Grewe’s victory sent him into the third place match with Chase Mattias of Two Rivers, but Grewe would have to settle for fourth after falling in a 8-2 decision.

Halopka improved on last year’s fifth place finish. Like Grewe, he got off to a fast start, pinning Mason Tylee of Amery in 3:04 in the quarterfinals, but dropped his semifinal bout with Nathan VandeyHey in a tight 5-4 decision.

Halopka regrouped in the consolation semi, stopping Brady Schuh of Monroe with a 5-3 decision. But from there, Halopka could not find any inroads to Nick Alexander’s game, falling in the third place match by way of a 7-0 decision to the wrestler from Wrightstown.

For Halopka, the season was so much better than last year, and he plans on returning to state the next two years - and to be even higher on the podium.

“It feels amazing being at the Kohl Center. The energy is so much better than being at a high school like it was last year. The goal is still the same - next year I’m coming back, and I’m going to win state.”

As far Grewe, he’s not done wrestling. He’ll be donning a new uniform in the fall, having recently committed to wrestle for NCAA D-1 Northern Illinois.

“Wrestling has changed my life forever,” Grewe said. “It helped mold me into the man I am today and the man I will become. It also helped me form relationships that I will cherish forever.”