Halopka, Grewe state bound
State tourney returns to the Kohl Center
Tanner Halopka and Carter Grewe are going to the WIAA D-2 individual state wrestling tournament this weekend. For anyone who has followed the two young men’s season this year, that result is not entirely surprising.
Halopka, a sophomore at Colby High, dominated his competition at nearly every meet or tournament he attended this year, amassing a nearly flawless record of 47-1 after he was victorious at the WIAA D-2 sectional tournament in Amery on Saturday.
Halopka did it in his usual way - with a combination of quickness, technique and outright tenacity.
Halopka began his day with a quick pin of Mason Tylee of Amery in the quarterfi nals in 2:43. From there he took on Carson Koss of Gale-Ettric-Trempeleau in the semifinals.
Halopka was a bit bloodied by his bout with Koss, but the blood was no problem for the wiry state qualifier, who got the better of Koss via pinfall in just 2:26.
Halopka picked up the top spot on the podium with a victory over Hunter Gartmann of Baldwin-Woodville in the championship match of the 145 weight class, pinning Gartmann in 2:44.
The win over Gartmann ensures that Halopka not only returns to state, he won’t have to wrestle until Friday afternoon. The trip to state will be the second for Halopka, who placed fifth overall in the 138 weight class at the WIAA D-2 state tournament in Adams-Friendship.
This year, the state tournament returns to the Kohl Center for the first time since 2020. It’s an environment that Halopka is looking forward to.
“Yes, I’m very excited,” Halopka stated afterwards. “Yeah, for sure, the environment of the Kohl Center does add excitement.” 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.
A WORTHY ADVERSARY -Carter Grewe, left, squares off against Amery’s Kale Hopke on Saturday in the WIAA D-2 semfinals of the 195 weight class. Grewe took third at the event, losing to Hopke for the third time, but forced the match into sudden death. Grewe returns to state for the second time in three years this Thursday.STAFF PHOTOS/ROSS PATTERMANN
END OF THE ROAD -Levi Dommer attempts to fight his way out of a clinch with Jacob Berends of Saint Croix Central in the quarterfinals of the 220 weight class. Unfortunately for Dommer, he would not be successful, and his day, and season, was done after the lone match with Berends.
