SOUTH WAYNE — This year may be the year the Belmont/Platteville wrestling team finally turns the corner.
After years of struggling just to fill the lineup, fifth-year coach Andrew Campbell’s Braves opened the year with a promising sixth-place finish at Saturday’s 15-team Black Hawk Invitational.
Platteville senior Luke Fugate and Belmont junior Isaac Wiegel led the way, winning individual titles at 182 pounds and 113 pounds, respectively. Fugate (22) and Wiegel (24) accounted for 46 of the Braves’ 109 team points. Beloit Turner crowned five champions and piled up 256 points to win the team title.
“I am very happy with our sixth place finish,” said Campbell. “One of our team goals coming into the weekend was to score more team points than we did last year at Black Hawk and we more than doubled that. It just goes to show how much we have improved as a team since last year.”
Fugate (5–0), who missed the first half of last season with an injury, looked to be in peak form Saturday, notching a trio of pins and a pair of victories to finish 5–0 in the six-man 182-pound round robin weight class. He defeated Richland Center’s Caleb Coleman, 8–1, for the first time in his career and survived a close 7–5 decision over Mount Horeb’s Travis Leuzinger in the second round.
Wiegel, who is a two-time Division 2 state qualifier, finishing fourth a year ago as a sophomore, won all four of his matches via pin to win the five-man 113-pound class. Wiegel was also named the lower weights MVP following the tournament.
“Luke and Isaac both wrestled very well Saturday,” added Campbell. “Every match they took control and went after what they wanted. Issac was dominant all day. Luke had one tough match against a wrestler from Mount Horeb other than that we was also dominant. He beat a sectional qualifier from Brodhead/Juda and a very tough wrestler from Richland Center who up to this point in his career had never been able to beat.”
Platteville senior Grey Genzoli opened the tournament with a bye and a win, but suffered a narrow 9–8 semifinal loss to Mount Horeb’s Alejandro Schloesser, then lost his third-place match to Durand’s Alex Hoffman. He finished fourth.
Campbell also mentioned the strong varsity debuts for freshmen Tristian Gilbertson and Will Schaefer.
Both suffered quarterfinal losses, but rebounding to finish fifth. Gilbertson went 3–1 at 106 and pinned Dawson Gross of Pecatonica/Argyle in the second period of his fifth-place match. Schaefer, who was a starting defensive end on the Platteville varsity football team this fall, rebounded from his quarterfinal loss with a bye and back-to-back pins to finish fifth at 195 pounds.
The Braves will return to action Saturday at the Sun Prairie Invitational. Belmont/Platteville will open Southwest Wisconsin Conference duals action Thursday, Dec. 15 against Prairie du Chien at Platteville High School.
Black Hawk Invitational
(from Saturday, Dec. 3 @ South Wayne)
Team scores: 1.Beloit Turner 256, 2.Darlington/Black Hawk 184, 3.Richland Center 172.5, 4.Brodhead/Juda 148, 5.Dodgeville 136, 6.Belmont/Platteville 109, 7.Mount Horeb 95, 8.Belleville/Monticello/New Glarus 92.5, 9.Cuba City/Benton/Southwestern 70, 10.Durand 58, 11.Pec/Argyle 44, 12.River Ridge/Cassville 40, 13.Madison Memorial 36.5, 14.Orfordville Parkview 35, 15.Waterloo 34.
Belmont/Platteville results
106 — Tristian Gilbertson (3-1) placed 5th and scored 13.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Max Schmidt (Richland Center) 4-0 won by fall over Tristian Gilbertson (Belmont/Platteville) 3-1 (Fall 3:53)
Cons. Semi - Tristian Gilbertson (Belmont/Platteville) 3-1 won by fall over James Breuer (River Ridge/Cassville) 1-2 (Fall 0:17)
5th Place Match - Tristian Gilbertson (Belmont/Platteville) 3-1 won by fall over Dawson Gross (Pecatonica/Argyle) 2-2 (Fall 2:24)
113 —Isaac Wiegel (4-0) placed 1st and scored 24.00 team points.
Round 2 - Isaac Wiegel (Belmont/Platteville) 4-0 won by fall over Razzi Momon (Dodgeville) 0-4 (Fall 0:55)
Round 3 - Isaac Wiegel (Belmont/Platteville) 4-0 won by fall over Isaac Jones (Richland Center) 1-3 (Fall 1:51)
Round 4 - Isaac Wiegel (Belmont/Platteville) 4-0 won by fall over Max Miller (Dodgeville) (Fall 3:26)
Round 5 - Isaac Wiegel (Belmont/Platteville) 4-0 won by fall over Russel Waeffler (Brodhead/Juda) (Fall 0:46)
120 — Aiden Sarget (1-2) placed 7th and scored 4.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Trey Bivens (Turner) 4-0 won by fall over Aiden Sarget (Belmont/Platteville) 1-2 (Fall 1:20)
Cons. Semi - Eduardo Garcia (Waterloo) 3-2 won by fall over Aiden Sarget (Belmont/Platteville) 1-2 (Fall 5:27)
7th Place Match - Aiden Sarget (Belmont/Platteville) 1-2 won by fall over Jaden Fish (Pecatonica/Argyle) 0-3 (Fall 0:58)
120 — Christopher Gillen (6-16) place is unknown and scored 0.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Robert Chenoweth (Belleville/Mont/New Glarus) 3-1 won by fall over Christopher Gillen (Belmont/Platteville) 0-2 (Fall 3:12)
Cons. Round 2 - Cody Blosch (Darlington/Black Hawk) 4-1 won by decision over Christopher Gillen (Belmont/Platteville) 0-2 (Dec 13-7)
126 — Trevor Heim (1-3) placed 8th and scored 3.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Justin Knoebl (Belleville/Mont/New Glarus) won by decision over Trevor Heim (Belmont/Platteville) 1-3 (Dec 8-4)
Cons. Round 2 - Trevor Heim (Belmont/Platteville) 1-3 won by major decision over Elias Linderoth (Dodgeville) 0-2 (MD 17-6)
Cons. Semi - Jack Sagaitis (Turner) 26-18 won by fall over Trevor Heim (Belmont/Platteville) 1-3 (Fall 1:49)
7th Place Match - Anthony Zimdars (Waterloo) won by fall over Trevor Heim (Belmont/Platteville) 1-3 (Fall 2:52)
152 — Joshua Taber (0-2) place is unknown and scored 0.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Drew Ries (Turner) 3-1 won by fall over Joshua Taber (Belmont/Platteville) 0-2 (Fall 3:05)
Cons. Round 2 - Eastan Schraepfer (Pecatonica/Argyle) 4-1 won by fall over Joshua Taber (Belmont/Platteville) 0-2 (Fall 1:30)
170 — Grey Genzoli (2-2) placed 4th and scored 13.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Grey Genzoli (Belmont/Platteville) 2-2 received a bye
Quarterfinal - Grey Genzoli (Belmont/Platteville) 2-2 won by decision over Evan Thomas (Richland Center) (Dec 6-3)
Semifinal - Alejandro Schloesser (Mount Horeb) 4-3 won by decision over Grey Genzoli (Belmont/Platteville) 1-2 (Dec 9-8)
3rd Place Match - Alex Hoffman (Durand) won by fall over Grey Genzoli (Belmont/Platteville) 1-2 (Fall 1:50)
170 — Alex Sonsalla (1-3) placed 8th and scored 5.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Alejandro Schloesser (Mount Horeb) 4-3 won by fall over Alex Sonsalla (Belmont/Platteville) 1-3 (Fall 4:12)
Cons. Round 2 - Alex Sonsalla (Belmont/Platteville) 1-3 won by decision over Brandon Cerney (Cuba City/Benton/Southwestern) 1-2 (Dec 3-2)
Cons. Semi - Emiliano Reyes (Turner) 4-1 won by fall over Alex Sonsalla (Belmont/Platteville) 1-3 (Fall 4:19)
7th Place Match - Evan Thomas (Richland Center) won by fall over Alex Sonsalla (Belmont/Platteville) 1-3 (Fall 4:09)
182 — Lucas Fugate (5-0) placed 1st and scored 22.00 team points.
Round 1 - Lucas Fugate (Belmont/Platteville) 5-0 won by fall over Calvin Binger (Belleville/Mont/New Glarus) (Fall 1:28)
Round 2 - Lucas Fugate (Belmont/Platteville) 5-0 won by decision over Travis Leuzinger (Mount Horeb) (Dec 7-5)
Round 3 - Lucas Fugate (Belmont/Platteville) 5-0 won by decision over Caleb Coleman (Richland Center) (Dec 8-1)
Round 4 - Lucas Fugate (Belmont/Platteville) 5-0 won by fall over Prestan Rosenstiel (Pecatonica/Argyle) (Fall 3:22)
Round 5 - Lucas Fugate (Belmont/Platteville) 5-0 won by fall over Tyler Hoesly (Brodhead/Juda) (Fall 0:37)
195 — William Schaefer (4-1) placed 5th and scored 17.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - William Schaefer (Belmont/Platteville) 4-1 won by fall over Lucas Gilbertson (Pecatonica/Argyle) (Fall 3:17)
Quarterfinal - Cody Krueger (Turner) won by fall over William Schaefer (Belmont/Platteville) 4-1 (Fall 3:11)
Cons. Semi - William Schaefer (Belmont/Platteville) 4-1 won by fall over Quinn Reynolds-Pennington (Madison Memorial) 7-10 (Fall 2:01)
5th Place Match - William Schaefer (Belmont/Platteville) 4-1 won by fall over Jake Neis (Cuba City/Benton/Southwestern) 3-2 (Fall 1:48)
220 — Christopher Spoor (0-3) placed 8th and scored 1.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Alex Peters (Richland Center) won by fall over Christopher Spoor (Belmont/Platteville) 0-3 (Fall 1:07)
Cons. Semi - Trent Siegenthaler (Belleville/Mont/New Glarus) won by fall over Christopher Spoor (Belmont/Platteville) 0-3 (Fall 0:48)
7th Place Match - Ethan Esser (River Ridge/Cassville) won by fall over Christopher Spoor (Belmont/Platteville) 0-3 (Fall 2:41)
285 — Connor Serkies (2-3) placed 8th and scored 7.00 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Ben Percy (Madison Memorial) won by fall over Connor Serkies (Belmont/Platteville) 2-3 (Fall 0:28)
Cons. Round 1 - Connor Serkies (Belmont/Platteville) 2-3 received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 - Connor Serkies (Belmont/Platteville) 2-3 won by medical forfeit over Daniel Enloe (Belleville/Mont/New Glarus) (M. For.)
Cons. Semi - Cody Nielson (Darlington/Black Hawk) 3-2 won by fall over Connor Serkies (Belmont/Platteville) 2-3 (Fall 3:25)
7th Place Match - Trent Davis (Brodhead/Juda) 29-19 won by fall over Connor Serkies (Belmont/Platteville) 2-3 (Fall 2:57)
