MONROE - In one of the most anticipated matches of the dual, Evansville-Albany junior Branden Lange, ranked No. 4 in the Division 2 Wisconsin Wrestling Online state poll, faced Monroe senior Tyson Welsch, who is ranked No. 10 in the heavyweight match.
Lange scored on an escape with 1 minute, 35 seconds left in the third period that helped him pull out a thrilling 3-2 win over Welsch. It was one of eight matches the Blue Devils won en route to a 41-26 dual meet win over the 12th-ranked Cheesemakers Thursday.
"It felt great," said Lange, who was a state qualifier from Albany last year. "It feels really good to win a close match. I usually win on pins. It means quite a lot for later in regionals and sectionals."
It marks the second time Lange has defeated Welsch this season. He beat Welsch 1-0 in the Sugar River Invitational earlier this year. After making a run to state a year ago, Lange has high expectations for finishing off this season.
"I want to make it back to state and get on the podium," he said.
With the win, Evansville-Albany improves to 14-7 overall and 8-0 in Rock Valley in dual meets.
"We are just trying to climb the hill and get ready for regionals," Evansville-Albany coach Rob Kostroun said. "We are trying to improve every day and get ready for regionals and sectionals. They (Monroe) are a quality team. They gave us everything we wanted."
Monroe (10-5, 3-2 Badger South in dual meets) forfeited three weight classes - 113 pounds, 120 and 126. The Blue Devils forfeited 220, but the Cheesemakers were 12 points in the hole. Evansville-Albany freshman Nicholas Barmore (106) pinned Monroe sophomore Dakota Wickstrum in 4 minutes, 16 seconds. After three straight forfeits by the Cheesemakers, the Blue Devils led 24-0.
At 132, Evansville-Albany freshman Austin Scofield beat Monroe junior Gabe Witt 13-4. Evansville-Albany junior Adam Staver (138) then pinned Monroe sophomore Aidan Sweeney in 41 seconds to give the Blue Devils a 34-0 lead.
"They (Evansville-Albany) were the better team than us tonight," Monroe coach Tom Witt said. "When they have kids that are hurt they still have the numbers to fill in. They do a good job of filling in. They really held their own in the upper weights and they stayed off their backs. They did a good job of never being in a bad position. Our kids in the lower weights got pinned."
The Cheesemakers didn't pick up their first win until sophomore Alex Witt (145) defeated Evansville-Albany sophomore Pat Crull 6-4. Witt came back from a 3-0 deficit to win. He scored on a near fall 1:06 top go in the third period to take a 6-3 lead that sparked him to the victory.
Evansville-Albany senior Nolan Kicmol, who is ranked No. 3 at 145, wrestled up at 152 and defeated Monroe senior Travis Wolf in a major decision 18-5. Kicmol finished third at state last year and was second as a sophomore.
The other wins for the Cheesemakers came from sophomore Patrick Rielly (160), senior Sam Kind (170), senior Dempzy Foley (182), sophomore Julian Gruber (195) and sophomore Bodie Minder (220).
Rielly defeated the Blue Devils' Malcolm Johnson in a technical fall, 16-0 in 4:37. In one of the most nail-biting matches of the night, Kind, ranked No. 6 at 170, pulled off an escape with 1 second to go in the third period to edge Evansville-Albany senior Tyler Aasen 5-4.
"I was a little frustrated that it came down to one point," Kind said of his match against Aasen. "Once I got down, I knew I had to get out to win the match."
Foley, ranked No. 8 at 182, pinned Evansville-Albany senior Hunter Overalnd in 1:56. With the pin, Foley tied the school record for the most pins in a single season (26). Gruber knocked off Evansville-Albany freshman Collin Roberts 5-2. Gruber came through with an escape and had a takedown with about 15 seconds left in the first period to take a 5-0 lead in the first period that fueled his win. Minder won on a forfeit by the Blue Devils.
With Monroe and Evansville-Albany in the same regional, the two could duke it out for the third straight year for the team title and a berth in the team sectional. The Blue Devils have won the regional team title the past two years ahead of second-place Monroe. Kostroun didn't want to speculate what may happen down the road at the regional.
"That's two or three weeks from now," he said. "Kids can get hurt or sick. It's just a day by day improvement. We will try to get better for that day."
Kind is confident it will come down to the Cheesemakers and Blue Devils for the regional team title again this year.
"That will be the team we have to beat at regionals," he said of Evansville-Albany. "It's different from a dual to a tournament. The scoring is different. Hopefully, we can pull it out in regionals."
Lange scored on an escape with 1 minute, 35 seconds left in the third period that helped him pull out a thrilling 3-2 win over Welsch. It was one of eight matches the Blue Devils won en route to a 41-26 dual meet win over the 12th-ranked Cheesemakers Thursday.
"It felt great," said Lange, who was a state qualifier from Albany last year. "It feels really good to win a close match. I usually win on pins. It means quite a lot for later in regionals and sectionals."
It marks the second time Lange has defeated Welsch this season. He beat Welsch 1-0 in the Sugar River Invitational earlier this year. After making a run to state a year ago, Lange has high expectations for finishing off this season.
"I want to make it back to state and get on the podium," he said.
With the win, Evansville-Albany improves to 14-7 overall and 8-0 in Rock Valley in dual meets.
"We are just trying to climb the hill and get ready for regionals," Evansville-Albany coach Rob Kostroun said. "We are trying to improve every day and get ready for regionals and sectionals. They (Monroe) are a quality team. They gave us everything we wanted."
Monroe (10-5, 3-2 Badger South in dual meets) forfeited three weight classes - 113 pounds, 120 and 126. The Blue Devils forfeited 220, but the Cheesemakers were 12 points in the hole. Evansville-Albany freshman Nicholas Barmore (106) pinned Monroe sophomore Dakota Wickstrum in 4 minutes, 16 seconds. After three straight forfeits by the Cheesemakers, the Blue Devils led 24-0.
At 132, Evansville-Albany freshman Austin Scofield beat Monroe junior Gabe Witt 13-4. Evansville-Albany junior Adam Staver (138) then pinned Monroe sophomore Aidan Sweeney in 41 seconds to give the Blue Devils a 34-0 lead.
"They (Evansville-Albany) were the better team than us tonight," Monroe coach Tom Witt said. "When they have kids that are hurt they still have the numbers to fill in. They do a good job of filling in. They really held their own in the upper weights and they stayed off their backs. They did a good job of never being in a bad position. Our kids in the lower weights got pinned."
The Cheesemakers didn't pick up their first win until sophomore Alex Witt (145) defeated Evansville-Albany sophomore Pat Crull 6-4. Witt came back from a 3-0 deficit to win. He scored on a near fall 1:06 top go in the third period to take a 6-3 lead that sparked him to the victory.
Evansville-Albany senior Nolan Kicmol, who is ranked No. 3 at 145, wrestled up at 152 and defeated Monroe senior Travis Wolf in a major decision 18-5. Kicmol finished third at state last year and was second as a sophomore.
The other wins for the Cheesemakers came from sophomore Patrick Rielly (160), senior Sam Kind (170), senior Dempzy Foley (182), sophomore Julian Gruber (195) and sophomore Bodie Minder (220).
Rielly defeated the Blue Devils' Malcolm Johnson in a technical fall, 16-0 in 4:37. In one of the most nail-biting matches of the night, Kind, ranked No. 6 at 170, pulled off an escape with 1 second to go in the third period to edge Evansville-Albany senior Tyler Aasen 5-4.
"I was a little frustrated that it came down to one point," Kind said of his match against Aasen. "Once I got down, I knew I had to get out to win the match."
Foley, ranked No. 8 at 182, pinned Evansville-Albany senior Hunter Overalnd in 1:56. With the pin, Foley tied the school record for the most pins in a single season (26). Gruber knocked off Evansville-Albany freshman Collin Roberts 5-2. Gruber came through with an escape and had a takedown with about 15 seconds left in the first period to take a 5-0 lead in the first period that fueled his win. Minder won on a forfeit by the Blue Devils.
With Monroe and Evansville-Albany in the same regional, the two could duke it out for the third straight year for the team title and a berth in the team sectional. The Blue Devils have won the regional team title the past two years ahead of second-place Monroe. Kostroun didn't want to speculate what may happen down the road at the regional.
"That's two or three weeks from now," he said. "Kids can get hurt or sick. It's just a day by day improvement. We will try to get better for that day."
Kind is confident it will come down to the Cheesemakers and Blue Devils for the regional team title again this year.
"That will be the team we have to beat at regionals," he said of Evansville-Albany. "It's different from a dual to a tournament. The scoring is different. Hopefully, we can pull it out in regionals."
