MINERAL POINT - After sending a school-record six wrestlers to the WIAA Individual State Meet last year, the Lancaster Flying Arrows raised the bar even higher this season by sending seven on to Madison.
Four days after coach Brad Sturmer’s squad secured a spot in the WIAA Team State Meet, they took care of business at Saturday’s Mineral Point Sectional.
With nine wrestlers competing in the sectional meet, Lancaster finished first at Mineral Point with a team score of 146, and more importantly got seven wrestlers on to this weekend’s state meet.
“Seven individual state qualifiers is great, and we had two that were just one match away,” said coach Sturmer. “The focus of this team is still team state, and in my opinion, we have 19 state qualifiers; our 14 varsity wrestlers, along with our five reserves.”
Individual state wrestling action begins this Thursday with Division 2 and 3 preliminary matches getting underway at 7:15 p.m. Quarterfinal matches will begin at 11:15 Friday morning, followed by consolation semifinals at 2:45 and semifinals at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s consolation wrestlebacks will begin at 11 a.m. with the championships slated to begin at 6 p.m.
Among those moving on to this weekend’s state meet, are sectional champions Cole Martin (46-4), Kyle Mezera (46-4), Trenton Cornell (34-6) and Ethan Soderstrom (46-4).
Martin, who won the 120-pound sectional title, made it look easy last Saturday, as he pinned Joe Obert of De Soto in the second period of his championship match.
At state, Martin will be on the opposite side of the bracket to Riley Knops (39-1) of Glenwood City, whom he lost to in the state finals last year, 8-6.
Mezera is coming off a sectional title at 126 pounds, and won a 15-0 technical fall over Brookwood’s Josh Marten to do so.
Mezera enters the 126-pound weight class as the No. 3 seed to top-ranked senior Austin Loos (19-0) of Oshkosh Lourdes, and #2 sophomore Devin Lamanski (42-0) of Edgar.
Cornell won Saturday’s 145-pound sectional title with a 7-5 decision over the state’s top-ranked wrestler in Cullen Pederson (41-2) of New Lisbon.
At state, Cornell and Pederson will be matched up on the opposite side of the bracket, which means Pederson will have to face defending state champion, Austin Moe (39-1) of Glenwood City, who beat Cornell in last year’s final, 5-4.
Also on the other side of the state bracket is Hayden Krueger (42-2) of Crandon, who is ranked second in the state, while Pederson dropped to No. 4 with his loss to third-ranked Cornell.
“T.J. has a great shot to get to the finals and then it’s just one more win to take the title,” said coach Sturmer. “He continues to get healthier each week.”
Soderstrom, who is the top-ranked wrestler in the 160-pound field, won his sectional title, 5-0, over Mason McCauley of Weston/Ithaca.
On the opposite side of his state bracket sits Ross Peterson (34-1) of Ladysmith, whom Soderstrom pinned in last year’s state final.
“It’s a matter of coming out strong, not getting frustrated, and he can take care of business there,” said Sturmer of his defending champ.
Joining the four sectional champions on this year’s trip to state are: 106-pound sophomore Tyson Wolf (36-12), 132-pound junior Daniel Rice (29-9) and 170-pound sophomore David Chadd (43-7).
Wolf placed third in the 106-pound sectional field, as did Rice at 132 pounds, while Chadd came out with second place in the 170-pound weight class.
For Rice and Chadd, it will be their second straight trip to the state meet, as Rice placed sixth last year at 126 pounds, and Chadd lost his first and only match at 170 pounds in Madison.
Coach Sturmer likes the draw for Chadd this season, even though he will have to face Matt Nowak (40-2) of Edgar in Friday night’s semifinals.
Rice can expect a tough first-round match at state, as he will immediately take the mat against Alex Glodowski (45-3) of Arcadia.
Missing out on a trip to the state meet were 138-pound senior Joe Crosby (23-12), and 182-pound senior Cody Glass (20-12), both of whom placed fourth at Saturday’s sectional.
D3 Mineral Point Sectional
(from Saturday, Feb. 16)
Team scores - 1. Lancaster 146; 2. Weston/Ithaca 103; 3. Mineral Point 85; 4. Iowa Grant/Highland 75; 5. Riverdale 59.5; 6. Royall 51.5; 7. Westby 38.5; 8. De Soto 36; 9. Parkview 35.5; 10. Deerfield 33.5; 11. Cashton 33; 11. Hillsboro 33; 13. New Lisbon 25; 14. Cambridge 22; 15. Brookwood 18; 16. Black Hawk 14; 16. Fennimore 14; 18. Boscobel 9.5; 19. Necedah 9; 19. Waterloo 9; 21. North Crawford/Seneca 4; 22. Kickapoo/La Farge 0; 22. Poynette 0; 22. River Ridge/Cassville 0; 22. Wisconsin Heights 0.
Lancaster participants
106 - Tyson Wolf (36-12) placed 3rd and scored 14.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Tyson Wolf (Lancaster) 36-12 won by pin over Noah Jacobson (Cambridge) 19-16 (Pin 1:53)
Semifinal - Riley Lull (Riverdale) 35-3 won by major decision over Tyson Wolf (Lancaster) 36-12 (Maj 10-0)
Cons. Semi - Tyson Wolf (Lancaster) 36-12 won by pin over Jestin Hemmersbach (Cashton) 24-19 (Pin 2:51)
3rd Place Match - Tyson Wolf (Lancaster) 36-12 won by decision over Sam DeWitt (Brookwood) 24-10 (Dec 9-4)
2nd Place Match - Hunter Dischler (Weston/Ithaca) 40-5 won by major decision over Tyson Wolf (Lancaster) 36-12 (Maj 17-6)
120 - Cole Martin (46-4) placed 1st and scored 22.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Cole Martin (Lancaster) 46-4 won by decision over Ryan Mindham (Boscobel) 37-8 (Dec 12-6)
Semifinal - Cole Martin (Lancaster) 46-4 won by pin over Brett Cade (Westby) 33-11 (Pin 2:13)
1st Place Match - Cole Martin (Lancaster) 46-4 won by pin over Joe Obert (De Soto) 35-3 (Pin 3:55)
126 - Kyle Mezera (46-4) placed 1st and scored 22.50 team points.
Quarterfinal - Kyle Mezera (Lancaster) 46-4 won by pin over Trey Storms (Deerfield) 20-12 (Pin 1:39)
Semifinal - Kyle Mezera (Lancaster) 46-4 won by major decision over Stetson Clary (Weston/Ithaca) 39-8 (Maj 11-0)
1st Place Match - Kyle Mezera (Lancaster) 46-4 won by tech fall over Josh Marten (Brookwood) 34-9 (TF 15-0)
132 - Daniel Rice (29-9) placed 3rd and scored 11.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Daniel Rice (Lancaster) 29-9 won by major decision over Nathan Schmitz (Cashton) 24-19 (Maj 12-0)
Semifinal - Alex Hauri (Parkview) 38-5 won by decision over Daniel Rice (Lancaster) 29-9 (Dec 1-0)
Cons. Semi - Daniel Rice (Lancaster) 29-9 won by decision over Lane Peyton (De Soto) 31-9 (Dec 5-1)
3rd Place Match - Daniel Rice (Lancaster) 29-9 won by decision over Ben Lincks (Waterloo) 35-5 (Dec 5-3)
2nd Place Match - Alex Hauri (Parkview) 38-5 won by rule over Daniel Rice (Lancaster) 29-9 (RULE)
138 - Joe Crosby (23-12) placed 4th and scored 5.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Jared Roen (Riverdale) 38-7 won by decision over Joe Crosby (Lancaster) 23-12 (Dec 2-0)
Cons. Semi - Joe Crosby (Lancaster) 23-12 won by decision over Hunter Olson (Necedah) 33-8 (Dec 4-2)
3rd Place Match - Ross Withington (Westby) 38-11 won by tech fall over Joe Crosby (Lancaster) 23-12 (TF 16-1)
145 - Trenton Cornell (34-6) placed 1st and scored 22.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Trenton Cornell (Lancaster) 34-6 won by pin over Jeremiah Moody (Cambridge) 25-17 (Pin 1:58)
Semifinal - Trenton Cornell (Lancaster) 34-6 won by pin over Trenton Pasch (Royall) 34-11 (Pin 0:42)
1st Place Match - Trenton Cornell (Lancaster) 34-6 won by decision over Cullen Pedersen (New Lisbon) 41-2 (Dec 7-5)
160 - Ethan Soderstrom (46-4) placed 1st and scored 22.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Ethan Soderstrom (Lancaster) 46-4 won by pin over Tyrell Anderson (Riverdale) 20-25 (Pin 2:33)
Semifinal - Ethan Soderstrom (Lancaster) 46-4 won by pin over Brandon Schmitz (Cashton) 35-14 (Pin 1:31)
1st Place Match - Ethan Soderstrom (Lancaster) 46-4 won by decision over Mason McCauley (Weston/Ithaca) 29-12 (Dec 5-0)
170 - David Chadd (43-7) placed 2nd and scored 17.50 team points.
Quarterfinal - David Chadd (Lancaster) 43-7 won by tech fall over Josh Petters (Cambridge) 5-5 (TF 16-1)
Semifinal - Wyatt Seep (Weston/Ithaca) 40-4 won by decision over David Chadd (Lancaster) 43-7 (Dec 3-0)
Cons. Semi - David Chadd (Lancaster) 43-7 won by pin over Justin Giebel (New Lisbon) 22-14 (Pin 0:40)
3rd Place Match - David Chadd (Lancaster) 43-7 won by major decision over Trevor Troxel (Riverdale) 16-13 (Maj 9-1)
2nd Place Match - David Chadd (Lancaster) 43-7 won by decision over Dalton Lunde (Royall) 36-9 (Dec 8-5)
182 - Cody Glass (20-12) placed 4th and scored 10.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Cody Glass (Lancaster) 20-12 won by major decision over Joe Arbanas (Necedah) 25-10 (Maj 11-2)
Semifinal - Justin Graham (Parkview) 43-2 won by pin over Cody Glass (Lancaster) 20-12 (Pin 5:45)
Cons. Semi - Cody Glass (Lancaster) 20-12 won by injury default over Morgan Seep (Weston/Ithaca) 12-12 (I-D 0:00)
3rd Place Match - Max Sebranek (Hillsboro) 21-8 won by major decision over Cody Glass (Lancaster) 20-12 (Maj 10-2)
