MONROE - Aaron Hesgard made the most of wrestling his last home dual match.
The senior led 4-1 entering the second period of a 132-pound match against Fort Atkinson senior Matt Majors. Majors came through with a reversal. In a matter of seconds, Hesgard returned the favor pulling off a reversal that led to a pin in 3 minutes, 7 seconds. It was one of five pins Monroe posted, but the Cheesemakers lost the Badger South Conference showdown to Fort Atkinson 46-30 on Senior and Parents night Thursday.
Fort Atkinson, which has received Division 1 honorable mention ranking in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online poll, won 7 of the 12 matches wrestled.
"It was one of my last matches here," said Hesgard, who will still wrestle in the Monroe Invitational Jan. 19. "I just wanted to put on a show for the fans."
When Majors scored on a reversal to cut Hesgard's lead to 4-3, he felt some pressure.
"It was a big 'oh crap' moment," he said. "I had to get that out of my head and tell myself to just keep wrestling. After I got on top, I knew I had to finish it from there."
In addition to Hesgard, senior Kevin Klopfenstein (138), ranked No. 7 in Division 2, pinned Mitch Brus in 4:52, and junior Ryan Hughes (160) pinned Riley Telfer in 4:18. The Cheesemakers closed the meet strong with pins from senior Trevor Gorr (220), ranked No. 4, and junior heavyweight Brett Zimmerman, who is ranked No. 7. Gorr pinned Ethan Foerster in 2:59, and Zimmerman pinned Dion Hupke in 53 seconds.
Gorr was just excited to get a home match to wrestle after he won on forfeits in his other home dual matches this year.
"It felt great to finally be able to wrestle with the rest of the team instead of earning six points for doing nothing," Gorr said.
The Blackhawks jumped out to a 19-0 lead after two Cheesemaker forfeits and Ryder Hebbe's 12-0 win at 120 pounds over Monroe freshman McKenzy Foley.
"We have to stay off of our backs," Monroe coach Jeriamy Jackson said. "With some of our younger and inexperienced wrestlers, I knew they were out-manned and out-gunned. We have to keep our elbows down. That's pretty big in wrestling. We are not out of it. If we can go in and beat Stoughton and Milton and finish ahead of them at the tournament we can still win a conference championship."
Jackson said Zimmerman is light years ahead of last year, avenging a loss to Hupke from a season ago.
"That would not have happened last year," Jackson said. "Last year, he had the physical talent. He knew (Hupke) would just try to muscle him around."
It wasn't easy for Hughes, who had to work for his pin. He trailed Telfer 2-0 in the first period after a takedown. Hughes later scored on a takedown in the second period to take a 3-2 lead. He scored on a near fall and then was able to come through with a pin that sliced the Blackhawks' lead to 31-18.
"I knew it was important to get the win," Hughes said. "He was trying to out-muscle me. I knew I had to let it go. I knew I had to put him to his back and pin him, and it worked out."
Fort Atkinson's Dalton Schuerman (126) then pulled out a 4-3 win over Monroe senior Jesse Keizer. Schuerman was called for stalling twice in the third period, but he was able to hang on for the win.
"I think (Keizer) could have turned him or even pinned him because that is what he does on top," Jackson said.
Trevor also has two younger brothers on the team - freshman Traiten Gorr (170) and junior Troy Gorr (195).
"It's pretty exciting," Trevor said. "There are not many who get to do that. Up in the wrestling room, we push each other. Whenever we wrestle it's always 'who can do better.' It's a mini-competition between all of us."
Traiten Gorr was pinned by Fort Atkinson's Nick Achilli in 3:11 and Troy Gorr lost 5-0 to Fort Atkinson's Ryan Weidenhoeft. Fort Atkinson's Devin Weidenhoeft (145) pinned sophomore Cody Wolf in 29 seconds, Fort Atkinson's Keegan Foerster (152) pinned sophomore Mitch Swanson in 42 seconds. Monroe senior Dusty Burkhalter was pinned by Fort Atkinson's Brady Hansen, who is ranked No. 7 in Division 1, in 3:42 to seal the victory for the Blackhawks.
"I know Dusty would have liked to have that one back," Jackson said.
The senior led 4-1 entering the second period of a 132-pound match against Fort Atkinson senior Matt Majors. Majors came through with a reversal. In a matter of seconds, Hesgard returned the favor pulling off a reversal that led to a pin in 3 minutes, 7 seconds. It was one of five pins Monroe posted, but the Cheesemakers lost the Badger South Conference showdown to Fort Atkinson 46-30 on Senior and Parents night Thursday.
Fort Atkinson, which has received Division 1 honorable mention ranking in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online poll, won 7 of the 12 matches wrestled.
"It was one of my last matches here," said Hesgard, who will still wrestle in the Monroe Invitational Jan. 19. "I just wanted to put on a show for the fans."
When Majors scored on a reversal to cut Hesgard's lead to 4-3, he felt some pressure.
"It was a big 'oh crap' moment," he said. "I had to get that out of my head and tell myself to just keep wrestling. After I got on top, I knew I had to finish it from there."
In addition to Hesgard, senior Kevin Klopfenstein (138), ranked No. 7 in Division 2, pinned Mitch Brus in 4:52, and junior Ryan Hughes (160) pinned Riley Telfer in 4:18. The Cheesemakers closed the meet strong with pins from senior Trevor Gorr (220), ranked No. 4, and junior heavyweight Brett Zimmerman, who is ranked No. 7. Gorr pinned Ethan Foerster in 2:59, and Zimmerman pinned Dion Hupke in 53 seconds.
Gorr was just excited to get a home match to wrestle after he won on forfeits in his other home dual matches this year.
"It felt great to finally be able to wrestle with the rest of the team instead of earning six points for doing nothing," Gorr said.
The Blackhawks jumped out to a 19-0 lead after two Cheesemaker forfeits and Ryder Hebbe's 12-0 win at 120 pounds over Monroe freshman McKenzy Foley.
"We have to stay off of our backs," Monroe coach Jeriamy Jackson said. "With some of our younger and inexperienced wrestlers, I knew they were out-manned and out-gunned. We have to keep our elbows down. That's pretty big in wrestling. We are not out of it. If we can go in and beat Stoughton and Milton and finish ahead of them at the tournament we can still win a conference championship."
Jackson said Zimmerman is light years ahead of last year, avenging a loss to Hupke from a season ago.
"That would not have happened last year," Jackson said. "Last year, he had the physical talent. He knew (Hupke) would just try to muscle him around."
It wasn't easy for Hughes, who had to work for his pin. He trailed Telfer 2-0 in the first period after a takedown. Hughes later scored on a takedown in the second period to take a 3-2 lead. He scored on a near fall and then was able to come through with a pin that sliced the Blackhawks' lead to 31-18.
"I knew it was important to get the win," Hughes said. "He was trying to out-muscle me. I knew I had to let it go. I knew I had to put him to his back and pin him, and it worked out."
Fort Atkinson's Dalton Schuerman (126) then pulled out a 4-3 win over Monroe senior Jesse Keizer. Schuerman was called for stalling twice in the third period, but he was able to hang on for the win.
"I think (Keizer) could have turned him or even pinned him because that is what he does on top," Jackson said.
Trevor also has two younger brothers on the team - freshman Traiten Gorr (170) and junior Troy Gorr (195).
"It's pretty exciting," Trevor said. "There are not many who get to do that. Up in the wrestling room, we push each other. Whenever we wrestle it's always 'who can do better.' It's a mini-competition between all of us."
Traiten Gorr was pinned by Fort Atkinson's Nick Achilli in 3:11 and Troy Gorr lost 5-0 to Fort Atkinson's Ryan Weidenhoeft. Fort Atkinson's Devin Weidenhoeft (145) pinned sophomore Cody Wolf in 29 seconds, Fort Atkinson's Keegan Foerster (152) pinned sophomore Mitch Swanson in 42 seconds. Monroe senior Dusty Burkhalter was pinned by Fort Atkinson's Brady Hansen, who is ranked No. 7 in Division 1, in 3:42 to seal the victory for the Blackhawks.
"I know Dusty would have liked to have that one back," Jackson said.
