Wrestlers punch tickets to state

Underwood is undefeated in first year

By Casey Krautkramer

Marathon freshman Blake Underwood on Saturday in Edgar shook off a brief injury he sustained during his WIAA Division 3 individual sectional semifinal 106-pound match against Stratford freshman Colin Cournoyer to hold on for a 5-2 decision win. Underwood then won a 7-2 decision against Auburndale sophomore Derek Godard in the sectional championship.

The top three wrestlers in each sectional weight class advance to the state individual tournament being held this Thursday, Feb. 23 through Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Kohl Center in Madison. Both Underwood and Colin Cournoyer will compete at state in their first high school seasons.

After losing to Underwood, Colin Cournoyer pinned Ethan Frampton of Cameron in the sectional consolation semifinal to advance into the second place match. Colin Cournoyer then won an 8-6 decision against Godard of Auburndale to take second place at sectionals.

Underwood and Colin Cournoyer will both compete in a state 106-pound weight class that is loaded with talent this season. Junior Drew Dolphin of Kenosha Christian Life, 51-0 match record; sophomore Aidan Gruenenfelder of Pecatonica/Argyle, 48-0 and Underwood, 45-0, are the three undefeated wrestlers at 106 pounds in Division 3.

Marathon senior Hector Pintor and junior Dylan Dodson each took second place in their weight classes to qualify for the state tournament. Marathon ju-nior Derek Vesely and freshman Cale Quaintance both placed fourth to just miss advancing to state this season. Marathon senior heavyweight Logan Werner and freshman Tate Sonnentag failed to place at sectionals.

Athens’ lone sectional boy wrestler, freshman Evin Passehl, didn’t place at sectionals. There weren’t any competitors in Athens senior girl Elle Gauerke’s sectional weight class, therefore she automatically took first place at sectionals to qualify for the girls state tournament which is being held in conjunction with the boys state tournament for the first time this week at the Kohl Center in Madison. Gauerke is the first girl in Athens school history to qualify for the state tournament.

No Edgar wrestlers advanced out of their home sectional to state. Edgar sophomore Jase Apfelbeck took fourth place at 160 pounds to barely miss an opportunity to compete at state this season. Senior Keghan Hartway and junior Harrison Graveen failed to place in their sectional weight classes.

Stratford is sending six wrestlers to this week’s individual state tournament consisting of seniors Ryan Becker and Jackson Ormond, junior Kaleb Krummel, sophomores Carter Lueck and Trenton Cournoyer and freshman Colin Cournoyer.