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Belmont/Platteville crowns five champs, places 3rd at own tourney
bel wrest taber
Freshman Dylan Taber won the 126-pound title at Saturday's Belmont/Platteville Invitational to help the Braves finish third at their own tournament.
Jason Nihles
Updated: Jan 16, 2019, 6:04 PM
Published: Jan 16, 2019, 6:07 PM

BELMONT — The Belmont/Platteville wrestling team crowned five champions and had a pair of runners-up in a banner performance to place third out of 11 teams at their own Belmont/Platteville Invitational on Saturday.

Freshman John Burbach (120 pounds), freshman Dylan Taber (126), senior Christopher Gillen (132), junior Brady Johnston (138) and junior Will Schaefer (195) each won individual titles for the Belmont co-op that racked up 232.5 points.

Junior Tristen Gilbertson and sophomore Michael Douglas each went 4–1 and placed second at 113 and 285 pounds respectively.

The Braves finished just 13.5 points back of champion Monroe (246) and five points behind runner-up Cuba City/Benton/Southwestern (237.5).

Burbach (10–4) won his pool with two pins and a 5–2 decision over teammate Tanner Paulson, then recorded a 17–2 tech fall before winning a 13–2 major decision over Dodgeville’s Drew Palmer in the finals.

Taber (14–10) pinned all five of his opponents on the day and earned his first tournament title with a 4:16 fall of Dodgeville’s Austin Phelan.

Gillen (9–1), who recently returned to the lineup, recorded four pins and a forfeit to win the 132-pound title. He pinned Lake Mills’ Victor Tenev late in the second period of the title bout.

Johnston (15–8) pinned Cuba City/Benton/Southwestern’s Coln Blackbourn in the 138-pound championship match.

Schaefer (26–3) dominated the 195-pound class with a bye and four pins under a minute. He put Julian Gruber of Monroe on his back 55 seconds into the title match.

The Braves (1–4, 0–3 SWC) dropped a Southwest Wisconsin Conference dual at Prairie du Chien (10–1, 4–0) last Thursday night, 47–24.

Belmont/Platteville will return to action Thursday night against visiting Dodgeville. The Braves will then compete in the Monroe Invitational on Saturday.

 

Prairie du Chien 47, Belmont/Platteville 24

(from Thursday, Jan. 10 @ Prairie du Chien)

220: Colten Wall (PDC) won by forfeit. 285: Michael Douglas (BP) over Jerrod Osterkamp (PDC) (Dec 5-2). 106: Nick Mara (PDC) won by forfeit. 120: John Burbach (BP) over Chase Fisher (PDC) (Dec 11-9). 126: Dylan Taber (BEPL) over Chase Watson (PDC) (Fall). 132: Keenan Holley (PDC) over Tanner Paulson (BP). 138: Reid Koenig (PDC) over Brady Johnston (BP) (Fall). 145: Traeton Saint (PDC) over Payton Nielsen (BP) (Fall). 152: Bradyn Saint (PDC) over Trevor Heim (BP) (TF 20-5 0:00). 160: Shannon Gill-Mast (BP) over Clayton DuCharme (PDC) (Fall). 170: Tyler Smock (PDC) won by forfeit. 182: Ben Riter (PDC) won by forfeit. 195: Will Schaefer (BEPL) over Grant Martin (PDC) (Fall)

Belmont/Platteville Invitational

(from Saturday, Jan. 12 @ Belmont)

Team scores — 1.Monroe 246, 2.Cuba City/Benton/Southwestern 237.5, 3.Belmont/Platteville 232.5, 4.La Crosse Logan/Central 188, 5.Dodgeville 145, 6.Madison Memorial 139.5, 7.Fennimore JV 132, 8.Boscobel 100.5, 9.Reedsburg Area 94.5, 10.Lake Mills 82, 11.Cambria–Friesland/Pardeeville/Randolph/Rio 43.

Belmont/Platteville individual results

113 — Tristen Gilbertson (18-8) went 4–1, placed 2nd and scored 27.5 team points.

120 — John Burbach (10-4) went 5–0, placed 1st and scored 32.0 team points.

120 — Tanner Paulson (12-13) went 3–2 and placed 3rd.

126 — Dylan Taber (14-10) went 5–0, placed 1st and scored 35.0 team points.

132 — Christopher Gillen (9-1) went 5–0 ,placed 1st and scored 35.0 team points.

138 — Brady Johnston (15-8) went 5–0, placed 1st and scored 33.5 team points.

145 — Payton Nielsen (4-9) went 1–4, placed 8th and scored 0.5 team points.

152 — Trevor Heim (6-13) went 2–3, placed 6th and scored 10.0 team points.

152 — Caleb Wright (5-7) went 2–3 and placed 7th.

160 — Shannon Gill-Mast (9-15) went 1–4, placed 9th and scored 2.0 team points.

195 — Will Schaefer (26-3) went 5–0, placed 1st and scored 35.0 team points.

285 — Michael Douglas (23-7 went 4–1, placed 2nd and scored 22.0 team points.

 
Platteville’s Cole Herbst ties for 12th in D2 at State Golf Championships
Sophomore shoots a two-day 158 at University Ridge to finish near the top of the leaderboard
Cole Herbst
Platteville sophomore Cole Herbst shot 14-over par to finished tied for 12th place at last week’s WIAA Boys Golf State Championships at University Ridge in Verona. (photo by Erin Reddy Wolff)
Jason Nihles
Updated: Jun 12, 2025, 8:00 PM
Published: Jun 12, 2025, 5:26 PM

VERONA — Platteville sophomore Cole Herbst made the most out of his first trip to last week’s WIAA Boys Golf State Championships.

The reigning two-time Southwest Wisconsin Conference Player of the Year shot a two-day total of 158 — posting back-to-back 79s — to finish tied for 12th place in Division 2 last Monday and Tuesday at University Ridge Golf Course. Herbst also finished in a five-way tie for most birdies in the 45-player Division 2 field with seven.

“It was a great experience for Cole at the state golf tournament,” said Platteville head coach Brandon Temperly. “He had a good showing as a sophomore on his first trip to an event like this. He will take away a lot of information and experience that can help him in future years. He made the team and coaches very proud and he had a very good following at the golf tournament.  I was very pleased with his demeanor and attitude.  He was steady when things were going well and steady when things weren’t going his way.  We look forward to a bright future for Cole.”

Herbst began last Monday’s opening round on the back nine, and posted a sensational 3-over-par 39, which included three birdies in his first five holes. 

He added another birdie on hole number 2 to go to +2, but took an 8 on the par 4 4th. Herbst kept his composure and birdied the 379-yard par 4 7th hole and ended his day with a 7-over-par 79 (40–39), which was tied for ninth after the opening round.

Herbst opened Tuesday’s second round with three pars, a triple bogey and back-to-back bogeys on No. 5 and No. 6 to start +5 for the day.

But again, he calmed his nerves and finished strong with birdies on 7 and 11, to go along with seven pars while playing the final 13 holes at 3-over par to finish with another 79 (40–39). 

Seymour junior Vince Sigl (147, +3) beat Cambridge senior Kian Bystol Flores (147, +3) on a one-hole playoff 4–5 to capture individual state medalist honors after the two tied two-day totals of 147.

Cambridge freshman Fritz Knudtson finished third at +6 (147=74-76).

Seymour shot a combined 638 (+62) to beat Cambridge (653, +77) to win the D2 state title. Big Foot finished third at +81, 657.

Last week’s State Championships marks the end of another success season for the Platteville Hillmen, which included a third-straight SWC title, a trip to sectionals, a SWC Player of the Year award and four all-conference selections.

“Our Hillmen golf team had another good season,” added Temperly. “ We achieved our goals of being SWC champions and earning a trip to sectionals. We were very pleased with the improvement we saw in each of the golfers this year. It was a focused and fun group. We will bring back a lot of talent next season and add some new players to our program which is exciting.”

All five varsity golfers will return next year with Herbst, juniors Jauron Blevins and Glenn Mast, and freshman Ty Simmons and Cody Nodolf.

Big things await Cole Herbst and the Hillmen in 2026. 


WIAA Division 2 State Golf Championships
(from Monday–Tuesday, June 9–10 @ University Ridge Golf Course, Verona, par 72)
Team scores — 1.Semour 638 (+62), 2.Big Foot 653 (+77), 3.Big Foot 657 (+81), 4.Lakeland 665 (+89), 5.Burlington Catholic Central 667 (+91), 6.University School of Milwaukee 671 (+95), 7.Prescott 675 (+99), 8.Appleton Xavier 681 (+105).
Top individuals — 1(tie).Kian Bystol Flores (Cambridge) 147 (74-73), 1(tie).Vince Sigl (Seymour) 147 (75-72). 3.Fritz Knudtson (Cambridge) 150 (74-76), 4.Tyler Short (Big Foot) 151 (76-75), 5.Tyler Reiter (Prescott) 152 (75-77).
Platteville — 12(tie).Cole Herbst 158 (79-79) +14.