Dux, Hoffmann bring home state runner-up medals

Twice in the championship round at the WIAA Division 2 state individual wrestling tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Neillsville-Greenwood-Loyal had wrestlers within a point of claiming gold medals. In both cases, that winning point just would not come.

For junior Luke Dux at 120 pounds and junior Gunner Hoffmann at 285, the state tourney ended with a runner-up finish, as both wrestlers fell in overtime in their title matches. It was the second straight second-place finish at state for Dux, while Hoffmann improved upon last year’s fifth-place finish at state. NGL also had a fourth-place state finisher in junior Derek Zschernitz, while Spencer-Columbus senior Treyton Ackman capped a brilliant high school career with his second-straight third-place finish at state.

Dux entered the state tournament as a sectional champion after defeating Ackman 3-0 in the finals of the Amery sectional. Ackman had defeated Dux in 2021 to get the sectional title, but Dux turned the tables on him this season. Dux defeated Ackman 8-3 on Feb. 5 for the Cloverbelt Conference title at 120 pounds, then scored a 10-4 decision at the regional tourney on Feb. 12. It was inevitable that the two would clash again on the state meet mats.

To get there, Dux first had to take care of Oconto Falls senior Graeson Pankratz (37-12), and he did that with a fall at 4:31. Ackman’s quarterfinal match was against East Troy senior Jonah Edwards (43-13) and Ackman scored a 15-2 major decision to set up the match against Dux.

This match was much higher-scoring than the 3-0 outcome in the sectional final, but Dux still came out with a 9-6 decision. That put him up against Evansville freshman Danny Heiser (52-4) for the state title. The two battled to a tie after six minutes, and Heiser managed to flip Dux to the mat for a fall 29 seconds into overtime. The loss put Dux’s season record at 31-5.

For the second straight year, Ackman moved through the consolation bracket to take third place. He first defeated Delevan-Darien junior Chris Karbash (40-8) on a 7-0 score, then beat Luxemburg-Casco junior Easton Worachek (46-8) on a 6-4 decison for third place.

Ackman’s senior season ended with a 34-5 record. He qualified for state all four years of his high school career.

Hoffmann (39-2) reached the state finals at 285 pounds by pinning Sturgen Bay/ Sevastopol junior Ben Roman (28-15) in 1:11 and Nekoosa/Assumption senior James Schaefbauer (39-5) in 3:44. In the finals, he faced Amery senior Robert Beese (50-4), whom he had beaten 5-2 in the sectional finals. The two battled to a 2-2 draw after regulation, and Beese scored a takedown in sudden victory to win 4-2 for the state title.

At 126 pounds, Zschernitz (30-7) lost his quarterfinal match on a 6-2 decision to Oconto Falls freshman Cole Bozile (24-9). He rebounded well in the consolation bracket, where he defeated Luxemburg-Casco freshman Blakelee Bastien (37-10) by a 3-0 score. He then took down Ashland senior Austin Defoe (42-4) on a 4-2 decision to reach the third-place match, but fell there 9-8 to Campbellsport junior Ostin Blanchard (50-1).

ROSS PATTERMANN/STAFF PHOTO