STOUGHTON - Monroe sophomore Trevor Gorr's first Badger Conference wrestling tournament on the varsity squad was one he will never forget.
Gorr won a conference title at 215 pounds at the Badger Conference wrestling tournament Saturday. After a first round bye, Gorr pinned Baraboo's Jeremy Bowers in 59 seconds. He defeated Sauk Prairie's Michael Gamboa 6-1 in the semifinals. In the title match, Gorr defeated Mount Horeb-Barneveld's Trent Zander 5-2.
"He is exceeding his and our expectations," Monroe coach Jeriamy Jackson said of Gorr. "I don't think at the beginning of the year we thought he would be a lock for a conference championship. We knew coming into the season that he was a really good wrestler."
Gorr scored on a takedown in the second period against Zander that fueled his win.
"In that kind of match with two kids evenly matched, whoever scores the first points will take control," Jackson said.
Monroe finished eighth (151.5) and had two wrestlers take second including sophomore Kevin Klopfenstein (125) and senior Nick Walker at heavyweight. Sauk Prairie entered the championship round with a commanding lead in the team standings and held on to not only win the tournament title with 296 points, but also notch its first Northern Badger Conference title since 2007.
DeForest (255), Milton (246.5), Stoughton (238) and Mount Horeb-Barneveld (207) rounded out the rest of the top five. Combined with its dual meet title, Milton's third-place finish Saturday also secured the Red Hawks' second-straight Southern Badger Conference title.
After a first-round bye, Klopfenstein pinned Baraboo's Ely Flesch in 1:23. He defeated DeForest's Corey Brown 10-0 in the semifinals. In the championship match, Reedsburg's Blake Koch beat Klopfenstein 6-2. Koch is a three-time state qualifier and provided a challenge.
"Blake is a very talented wrestler," Jackson said. "Kevin knew he was up against a tough wrestler. He went out and didn't back down."
Walker also received a first-round bye. In the quarterfinals, he pinned Portage's Dion Hupke in 5:13. Walker followed that up by pinning Sauk Prairie's Dante Lewis in 2:38 in the semifinals. Baraboo's Jordan Mukite pinned Walker in the title match in 3:31. Mukite has defeated Walker three of the four times they have wrestled this year.
"The Baraboo kid is a good wrestler," Jackson said. "Nick had a great tournament."
Fellow senior Dylan Schwitz (152) finished the tournament 3-1 and took third. After a first-round bye, Schwitz was pinned by Stoughton's Jack Williford in 3:52. Schwitz bounced back and won in a technical fall over Sauk Prairie's Zach Borcherding 15-0. He then defeated Baraboo's Mubarak Kiyanov 12-0.
In the third place match, Schwitz pinned Mount Horeb-Barneveld's Tristian Luther in 1:30. Monroe sophomore Aaron Hesgard (119) finished fifth.
"It's unfortunate," Jackson said of Schwitz's loss to Williford. "It happens sometimes. I was proud of him for coming back and pinning his way to third."
Monroe will wrestle in the Sugar River regional Saturday in Belleville. The top two individuals in each weight class will advance to the Evansville sectional Feb. 19. The top team at the Sugar River regional will advance to the Mauston team sectional Feb. 15.
Gorr won a conference title at 215 pounds at the Badger Conference wrestling tournament Saturday. After a first round bye, Gorr pinned Baraboo's Jeremy Bowers in 59 seconds. He defeated Sauk Prairie's Michael Gamboa 6-1 in the semifinals. In the title match, Gorr defeated Mount Horeb-Barneveld's Trent Zander 5-2.
"He is exceeding his and our expectations," Monroe coach Jeriamy Jackson said of Gorr. "I don't think at the beginning of the year we thought he would be a lock for a conference championship. We knew coming into the season that he was a really good wrestler."
Gorr scored on a takedown in the second period against Zander that fueled his win.
"In that kind of match with two kids evenly matched, whoever scores the first points will take control," Jackson said.
Monroe finished eighth (151.5) and had two wrestlers take second including sophomore Kevin Klopfenstein (125) and senior Nick Walker at heavyweight. Sauk Prairie entered the championship round with a commanding lead in the team standings and held on to not only win the tournament title with 296 points, but also notch its first Northern Badger Conference title since 2007.
DeForest (255), Milton (246.5), Stoughton (238) and Mount Horeb-Barneveld (207) rounded out the rest of the top five. Combined with its dual meet title, Milton's third-place finish Saturday also secured the Red Hawks' second-straight Southern Badger Conference title.
After a first-round bye, Klopfenstein pinned Baraboo's Ely Flesch in 1:23. He defeated DeForest's Corey Brown 10-0 in the semifinals. In the championship match, Reedsburg's Blake Koch beat Klopfenstein 6-2. Koch is a three-time state qualifier and provided a challenge.
"Blake is a very talented wrestler," Jackson said. "Kevin knew he was up against a tough wrestler. He went out and didn't back down."
Walker also received a first-round bye. In the quarterfinals, he pinned Portage's Dion Hupke in 5:13. Walker followed that up by pinning Sauk Prairie's Dante Lewis in 2:38 in the semifinals. Baraboo's Jordan Mukite pinned Walker in the title match in 3:31. Mukite has defeated Walker three of the four times they have wrestled this year.
"The Baraboo kid is a good wrestler," Jackson said. "Nick had a great tournament."
Fellow senior Dylan Schwitz (152) finished the tournament 3-1 and took third. After a first-round bye, Schwitz was pinned by Stoughton's Jack Williford in 3:52. Schwitz bounced back and won in a technical fall over Sauk Prairie's Zach Borcherding 15-0. He then defeated Baraboo's Mubarak Kiyanov 12-0.
In the third place match, Schwitz pinned Mount Horeb-Barneveld's Tristian Luther in 1:30. Monroe sophomore Aaron Hesgard (119) finished fifth.
"It's unfortunate," Jackson said of Schwitz's loss to Williford. "It happens sometimes. I was proud of him for coming back and pinning his way to third."
Monroe will wrestle in the Sugar River regional Saturday in Belleville. The top two individuals in each weight class will advance to the Evansville sectional Feb. 19. The top team at the Sugar River regional will advance to the Mauston team sectional Feb. 15.
