State Tournament Schedule
Today
Session 1
Div. 1 preliminaries - 3 p.m.
Div. 1 quarterfinals - approx. 5:15 p.m.
Div. 2 & 3 preliminaries - approx. 7:15 p.m.
Friday
Session 2
Div. 1 consolations - 10 a.m.
Div. 2 & 3 quarterfinals - approx. 11:15 a.m.
Div. 1 consolation semifinals - approx. 1:45 p.m.
Div. 2 & 3 consolation semifinals - approx. 2:45 p.m.
Session 3
Div. 1, 2 & 3 semifinals at 7 p.m.
Saturday
Session 4
Div. 1, 2 & 3 consolation wrestlebacks at 11 a.m.
Session 5
Div. 1, 2 & 3 championships at 6 p.m.
MONROE - When a trio of Monroe wrestlers walk out of the tunnel and step on the mats at the Kohl Center for the WIAA Division 2 state wrestling tournament, they will snap on their head gear for the final time in their high school careers.
The state qualifiers for Monroe include seniors Aaron Hesgard (132 pounds), Kevin Klopfenstein (138) and Trevor Gorr (220), as well as junior Brett Zimmerman (heavyweight). Hesgard, Klopfenstein and Gorr are capping off illustrious prep wrestling careers that began with the Monroe Mat Rats.
"It taught me how hard I had to work and how hard it would be to get to state," Hesgard said of the Mat Rats youth wrestling program.
"The Mat Rats is so much more than your wrestling," Gorr said. "It's about building a team atmosphere and working on your fundamentals so you can be more experienced."
Gorr is looking forward to wrestling one more tournament with Hesgard and Klopfenstein.
"It will be great, but it will suck," Gorr said. "It's numbered. I know that. I will always remember the team. It's pretty much one big family."
Gorr (45-2), ranked fourth at 220 in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online poll, has a bye and won't wrestle until Friday, along with Brodhead-Juda senior Hunter Colden (47-0) and Brodhead-Juda sophomore Logan Maurer (45-2).
As sectional champions this year, Gorr, Colden and Maurer have to win just one match on Friday to assure themselves a top six finish at state.
Gorr has high expectations after losing to Luxemburg-Casco's Luke Destiche 4-1 last year.
"Last year was disappointing because I didn't place," Gorr said. "This year I want to make sure I get a medal."
The only two losses for Gorr this year came at the Bi-State Classic at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse. He will wrestle the winner of Amery junior Kenny Gates (30-10) and Wittenberg's Cody Kasprak (42-8). Gorr could also face Destiche, ranked No. 1 in the state, in the title match.
Klopfenstein, who is a three-time state qualifier and ranked fourth, finished sixth at state last year at 132.
Klopfenstein (42-5) said he has a good chance to medal, with the way the bracket worked out with top-ranked Oconto Falls senior Mitch Friedman and No. 3-ranked Mauston senior Colin Dolata are both on the other side of the bracket. Dolata was the state champion at 130 two years ago.
"The top two guys were put on the bottom and I'm on the other side and I have a good chance of placing," he said. "After watching my brother (Kyle Klopfenstein), I told my dad I was going to make it (to state) all four years. I have made it three, and that is pretty good."
Klopfenstein isn't the only wrestler with high expectations for the state tournament.
Colden, ranked No. 2 at 170, is the first four-time state qualifier in the history of the Brodhead-Juda wrestling program. He will wrestle the winner of Alex Richey (28-10) of Luck-Fredric-Grant and Taylor Rivers (38-11) of Wild Rose-Wautoma on Friday.
"There are not many kids that have made it there four times," Colden said. "I have always dreamed growing up about going undefeated. Obviously, the No. 1 goal is to win it. It's been the same goal every year."
The Division 2 field includes five returning state champions, including four of last year's winners and two multiple champions. Senior Jacob Morrissey of Oconto Falls (170) and junior Jens Lantz (120) of Ellsworth headline the list of returning champs, as two-time title winners. Colden is one of three unbeaten wrestlers at 170 including No. 1-ranked Morrissey (41-0) and St. John's Military Academy's Jordan Newman (34-0). Colden could face Newman in the semifinals and Morrissey in the state title match.
"The key is to just go out there and be focused," Colden said. "I have to take it one match at a time. That first match is a big one. I have more experience than most of the wrestlers in my weight class. That should give me an advantage."
Hesgard (38-10), ranked 11th, is making his second straight state appearance. Last year he was a state qualifier at 126. He's still looking to win his first match at the Kohl Center.
"It means a lot," Hesgard said. "I didn't want to stop wrestling. I want to go as far as I could."
Hesgard, Klopfenstein and Zimmerman will each wrestle in the preliminaries Thursday night. Hesgard will wrestle seventh-ranked Ellsworth freshman Tristen Mueller (32-21). The other preliminary matches set for Thursday include ninth-ranked Sugar River senior Jak Nelson (27-13) against Clintonville junior Jake Reiter (38-7) and Black Hawk sophomore Colin Novak in the Division 3 tournament taking on Clear Lake's Cody Shafer (38-8).
Hesgard said his goal is to win the first match to make it to the second day of the state tournament.
"I just have to stay focused and make sure I have enough endurance and stamina," he said.
Zimmerman, (36-10) ranked ninth, will wrestle No. 10-ranked Melrose-Mindoro-Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau senior Jameson Kaiser (27-6) in the preliminaries. Newton Smerchek (45-2) of Luxemburg-Casco is the defending champion and is the favorite at heavyweight. If Zimmerman wins his first match, he would face Smerchek on Friday.
"Last year I didn't figure out how to wrestle the guys bigger and stronger than me until the end of the year," Zimmerman said. "With the year I have had this year, I knew I had the ability to get (to state).
Zimmerman said he had wanted to become the second Zimmerman to be listed on the state qualifying board in the wrestling room. His father, Patrick Zimmerman, was also a state qualifier at 180.
Brett is in just his second year wrestling on the varsity. He is looking forward to state and expects to get anxious.
"I always have nerves," Zimmerman said. "It's part of what makes me wrestle harder. I'm nervous before every match, even if I have wrestled the guy before."
Maurer, who is ranked third, expects to contend for a medal. He will wrestle the winner of Little Chute senior Brandon Elrick (42-6) and Lomira senior Justin Thill (33-6) on Friday. Maurer has worked to become an even stronger wrestler than last year.
"Hopefully, I can make it to the finals," he said. "That's my goal. It will be a tough road. I have worked on my strength and improved on my hips. I feel more comfortable doing riskier moves, and I feel more comfortable on the mat."
Zimmerman has lost three matches to Maurer this season. However, in Richland Center last week, he lost to Maurer in a hard-fought match, 3-1.
"That's an accomplishment because he is a great wrestler," Zimmerman said. "He has wrestled about four times longer than me. I have wrestled tough wrestlers all year."
The state qualifiers for Monroe include seniors Aaron Hesgard (132 pounds), Kevin Klopfenstein (138) and Trevor Gorr (220), as well as junior Brett Zimmerman (heavyweight). Hesgard, Klopfenstein and Gorr are capping off illustrious prep wrestling careers that began with the Monroe Mat Rats.
"It taught me how hard I had to work and how hard it would be to get to state," Hesgard said of the Mat Rats youth wrestling program.
"The Mat Rats is so much more than your wrestling," Gorr said. "It's about building a team atmosphere and working on your fundamentals so you can be more experienced."
Gorr is looking forward to wrestling one more tournament with Hesgard and Klopfenstein.
"It will be great, but it will suck," Gorr said. "It's numbered. I know that. I will always remember the team. It's pretty much one big family."
Gorr (45-2), ranked fourth at 220 in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online poll, has a bye and won't wrestle until Friday, along with Brodhead-Juda senior Hunter Colden (47-0) and Brodhead-Juda sophomore Logan Maurer (45-2).
As sectional champions this year, Gorr, Colden and Maurer have to win just one match on Friday to assure themselves a top six finish at state.
Gorr has high expectations after losing to Luxemburg-Casco's Luke Destiche 4-1 last year.
"Last year was disappointing because I didn't place," Gorr said. "This year I want to make sure I get a medal."
The only two losses for Gorr this year came at the Bi-State Classic at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse. He will wrestle the winner of Amery junior Kenny Gates (30-10) and Wittenberg's Cody Kasprak (42-8). Gorr could also face Destiche, ranked No. 1 in the state, in the title match.
Klopfenstein, who is a three-time state qualifier and ranked fourth, finished sixth at state last year at 132.
Klopfenstein (42-5) said he has a good chance to medal, with the way the bracket worked out with top-ranked Oconto Falls senior Mitch Friedman and No. 3-ranked Mauston senior Colin Dolata are both on the other side of the bracket. Dolata was the state champion at 130 two years ago.
"The top two guys were put on the bottom and I'm on the other side and I have a good chance of placing," he said. "After watching my brother (Kyle Klopfenstein), I told my dad I was going to make it (to state) all four years. I have made it three, and that is pretty good."
Klopfenstein isn't the only wrestler with high expectations for the state tournament.
Colden, ranked No. 2 at 170, is the first four-time state qualifier in the history of the Brodhead-Juda wrestling program. He will wrestle the winner of Alex Richey (28-10) of Luck-Fredric-Grant and Taylor Rivers (38-11) of Wild Rose-Wautoma on Friday.
"There are not many kids that have made it there four times," Colden said. "I have always dreamed growing up about going undefeated. Obviously, the No. 1 goal is to win it. It's been the same goal every year."
The Division 2 field includes five returning state champions, including four of last year's winners and two multiple champions. Senior Jacob Morrissey of Oconto Falls (170) and junior Jens Lantz (120) of Ellsworth headline the list of returning champs, as two-time title winners. Colden is one of three unbeaten wrestlers at 170 including No. 1-ranked Morrissey (41-0) and St. John's Military Academy's Jordan Newman (34-0). Colden could face Newman in the semifinals and Morrissey in the state title match.
"The key is to just go out there and be focused," Colden said. "I have to take it one match at a time. That first match is a big one. I have more experience than most of the wrestlers in my weight class. That should give me an advantage."
Hesgard (38-10), ranked 11th, is making his second straight state appearance. Last year he was a state qualifier at 126. He's still looking to win his first match at the Kohl Center.
"It means a lot," Hesgard said. "I didn't want to stop wrestling. I want to go as far as I could."
Hesgard, Klopfenstein and Zimmerman will each wrestle in the preliminaries Thursday night. Hesgard will wrestle seventh-ranked Ellsworth freshman Tristen Mueller (32-21). The other preliminary matches set for Thursday include ninth-ranked Sugar River senior Jak Nelson (27-13) against Clintonville junior Jake Reiter (38-7) and Black Hawk sophomore Colin Novak in the Division 3 tournament taking on Clear Lake's Cody Shafer (38-8).
Hesgard said his goal is to win the first match to make it to the second day of the state tournament.
"I just have to stay focused and make sure I have enough endurance and stamina," he said.
Zimmerman, (36-10) ranked ninth, will wrestle No. 10-ranked Melrose-Mindoro-Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau senior Jameson Kaiser (27-6) in the preliminaries. Newton Smerchek (45-2) of Luxemburg-Casco is the defending champion and is the favorite at heavyweight. If Zimmerman wins his first match, he would face Smerchek on Friday.
"Last year I didn't figure out how to wrestle the guys bigger and stronger than me until the end of the year," Zimmerman said. "With the year I have had this year, I knew I had the ability to get (to state).
Zimmerman said he had wanted to become the second Zimmerman to be listed on the state qualifying board in the wrestling room. His father, Patrick Zimmerman, was also a state qualifier at 180.
Brett is in just his second year wrestling on the varsity. He is looking forward to state and expects to get anxious.
"I always have nerves," Zimmerman said. "It's part of what makes me wrestle harder. I'm nervous before every match, even if I have wrestled the guy before."
Maurer, who is ranked third, expects to contend for a medal. He will wrestle the winner of Little Chute senior Brandon Elrick (42-6) and Lomira senior Justin Thill (33-6) on Friday. Maurer has worked to become an even stronger wrestler than last year.
"Hopefully, I can make it to the finals," he said. "That's my goal. It will be a tough road. I have worked on my strength and improved on my hips. I feel more comfortable doing riskier moves, and I feel more comfortable on the mat."
Zimmerman has lost three matches to Maurer this season. However, in Richland Center last week, he lost to Maurer in a hard-fought match, 3-1.
"That's an accomplishment because he is a great wrestler," Zimmerman said. "He has wrestled about four times longer than me. I have wrestled tough wrestlers all year."
