Tigers fall to eventual state champion Pointers

By Casey Krautkramer

Stratford wrestling fans knew their team had a tough draw against Mineral Point in Saturday’s WIAA Division 3 state team semifinal match at the UW Fieldhouse in Madison. For example, Stratford lost to Mineral Point, 40-25, in the Wega Duals on Dec. 14 at Weyauwega-Fremont High School.

The No. 3 seed Tigers needed to gain unexpected wins in bouts against difficult No. 2 seed Pointers wrestlers, which didn’t happen, in order to win the match and advance into the state team championship on Saturday afternoon.

Stratford started their day off with junior state individual qualifier Mathias Kaiser losing a 13-2 major decision to freshman Sawyer Dannenberg in the 165pound weight class. Mineral Point senior individual state champion Kade Rule then pinned senior Jack Tubbs in one minute, 48 seconds at 175 pounds to give the Pointers a 10-0 advantage.

Tigers senior Walker Weis got the Stratford wrestling bench and fans excited with a 4-1 decision win against sophomore Clayton Yanna in the 190-pound bout. Stratford senior state individual champion Carter Lueck then pinned senior Alan James in 1:08 at 215 pounds. Mineral Point now only led, 10-9, in the match.

Mineral Point senior Matt Aurit won a 9-3 decision against Stratford junior state qualifier Drew Gage in the 285-pound bout. The Pointers now led, 13-9, in the match.

Pointers freshman Memphis Burkhalter, who took fourth place at individual state, and Stratford sophomore individual state qualifier Kolton Haupt battled each other tough again on Saturday. Burkhalter won an 8-6 decision against Haupt at the individual state tournament the previous weekend. On Saturday, Burkhalter held on for an 11-10 decision win against Haupt. Mineral Point extended its lead to 16-9 against Stratford.

Mineral Point senior Lennon Ewert pinned Stratford freshman Jayden DeFoe in 1:47 at 113 pounds. The Pointers now led, 22-9, in the match.

Stratford senior Trenton Cournoyer, who took third place at 120 pounds at the state individual tournament for the second straight season, won a 15-0 technical fall against sophomore Johnny Robinson on Saturday. This win helped the Tigers cut into the Pointers’ team lead, 22-14.

Mineral Point freshman Liam Carey, who took sixth place at 120 pounds at the individual state tournament, won a 9-4 decision against Stratford junior Colin Cournoyer who placed sixth at 126 pounds at individual state the prior weekend. The Pointers now led Stratford, 2514, in the match.

Stratford junior Lucas Forrest won a 7-2 decision against sophomore Elliot Kite who was a state individual qualifier at 132

See TEAM STATE/ page 20

BLACK TIGER SPOTS ON HIS BLEACHED BLONDE HAIR - Stratford sophomore Kolton Haupt did his best to have the prowess of a Tiger during his 106-pound bout against Mineral Point freshman Memphis Burkhalter in their 106-pound bout during the WIAA Division 3 state team semifinal. Burkhalter nipped Haupt for an 11-10 decision. These two wrestlers have developed a recent rivalry because they also wrestled against each other during the individual state tournament the previous weekend, in which Burkhalter also edged Haupt for an 8-6 decision.

TP PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD

ONE OF STRATFORD’S BIGGEST WINS - Stratford junior wrestler Lucas Forrest controls Mineral Point sophomore Elliot Kite, who was an individual state qualifier this season, for a 7-2 decision win in the 132-pound WIAA Division 3 state team semifinal bout on Saturday morning at the UW Fieldhouse in Madison.

TP PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD

BRUTE FORCE - Heavyweight wrestlers Drew Gage of Stratford and Matt Aurit of Mineral Point battle against each other at team state. It was the senior Aurit who ended up winning the bout with a a 9-3 decision against the junior Gage.

TP PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD

UTILIZING HIS STRENGTH - Stratford junior grappler Mathias Kaiser lifts up Mineral Point freshman Sawyer Dannenberg in their 165-pound bout to begin the Tigers’ state team semifinal match against the Pointers. Dannenberg pulled off a 13-2 major decision win against Kaiser. TP PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD

WINNING HIS LAST HIGH SCHOOL BOUT - Stratford senior Trenton Cournoyer capped off his high school wrestling career with a 15-0 technical fall victory against Mineral Point sophomore Johnny Robinson. Cournoyer will wrestle for Division 3 UW-Eau Claire after graduating from Stratford High School this spring.

TP PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD