MADISON - Last summer, Jake Kaempfer wasn't sure he would be wrestling for Black Hawk.
A first referendum failed on April 1 in the South Wayne school district and put wrestling on the chopping block and the Black Hawk senior began exploring open enrollment opportunities. A growing support system began to blossom in the South Wayne community and a second referendum was drafted and passed on June 26 that saved the Warrior wrestling program.
On Friday, Kaempfer made good on his community's support and defeated Coleman senior Doug Nowak with a 4-2 decision to earn a spot in the Division 3 160-pound final tonight at the WIAA State Individual Tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison.
"I don't have anything to say, besides thank you," Kaempfer said. "I don't think if I went to a different school I would be here."
Nowak took down Kaempfer with a double-leg takedown with 30 seconds left in the first period to open the score at 2-0. Kaempfer salvaged the first two minutes with an escape and cut the deficit in half.
"I'm not going to lie, for about two seconds it came into my head that I wasn't going to get it," Kaempfer said. "I just pushed through it."
The senior earned a quick escape after starting the second period in the down position. Kaempfer and Nowak circled each other and worked high at the arms attempting to get a solid grip. With 43 seconds to go in the second, Kaempfer found his spot and dropped Nowak to the mat, earning the deciding takedown.
Kaempfer made it to the Kohl Center last season, but didn't place. Once he was able to return to the Warriors, he came back and worked on his fundamentals.
"He had the ability last year he's just grown with self-confidence," Black Hawk head coach Willy Chambers said. "There's been a lot of people around that came in and helped him out with some technique stuff. He's picked it up in practice."
Kaempfer will take on Spring Valley-Elmwood senior Trent Larrieu when the finals session begins at 6 p.m.
One hundred, seventy-one-pound Neillsville senior Luke Friemoth opened a can of worms by defeating Sugar River senior JC Francois in the quarterfinals. The nicked-up Francois was pinned in 1:07 by Friemoth and now Francois' Raiders teammates - and elite state wrestlers - Kalvin York and Cole Schmitt have revenge on the mind.
"It sucks JC lost," York said after defeating Freedom senior Taylor Kolb by technical fall, 19-4, to secure a spot in the 140-pound finals.
"We were both pretty down after that match. We wanted all year to get all three of us get on top the podium."
Two-time state champion Schmitt defeated David Phillips of Pewaukee by a 12-2 decision. Schmitt is wrestling on his soon-to-be campus and the future Badger went right to work on Phillips. Schmitt had an 8-0 advantage before one minute passed in the first period with a takedown and two near-falls. Schmitt went up 10-0 in the first five seconds of the second period with a reversal from the down position.
The gamesmanship between teammates York and Schmitt continues as Schmitt tried to get a technical fall on Phillips, but ran out of time.
"We're always competitive with stuff like stats all throughout the season," York said.
Francois returned with aggression in the consolation quarterfinals and extracted his revenge on Winnebago Lutheran Academy senior Spenser Hicks win 46 second pin. The Sugar River fan favorite will open this morning against Kewaskum sophomore Cody Seibel.
Darlington sophomore Devin Malott will have to try again next season to follow his older brother, Josh's, shoes as a state champion. The Redbirds' 103-pounder lost his two matches Friday by decision. Cadott's undefeated freshman Mike Sonnentag outworked Malott for a 6-2 victory that sent Malott to the consolation bracket. Malott would lose again, 7-6, to Laconia junior Juan Rodriguez who only has two losses on the season. Malott finished his sophomore campaign at 38-7.
A first referendum failed on April 1 in the South Wayne school district and put wrestling on the chopping block and the Black Hawk senior began exploring open enrollment opportunities. A growing support system began to blossom in the South Wayne community and a second referendum was drafted and passed on June 26 that saved the Warrior wrestling program.
On Friday, Kaempfer made good on his community's support and defeated Coleman senior Doug Nowak with a 4-2 decision to earn a spot in the Division 3 160-pound final tonight at the WIAA State Individual Tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison.
"I don't have anything to say, besides thank you," Kaempfer said. "I don't think if I went to a different school I would be here."
Nowak took down Kaempfer with a double-leg takedown with 30 seconds left in the first period to open the score at 2-0. Kaempfer salvaged the first two minutes with an escape and cut the deficit in half.
"I'm not going to lie, for about two seconds it came into my head that I wasn't going to get it," Kaempfer said. "I just pushed through it."
The senior earned a quick escape after starting the second period in the down position. Kaempfer and Nowak circled each other and worked high at the arms attempting to get a solid grip. With 43 seconds to go in the second, Kaempfer found his spot and dropped Nowak to the mat, earning the deciding takedown.
Kaempfer made it to the Kohl Center last season, but didn't place. Once he was able to return to the Warriors, he came back and worked on his fundamentals.
"He had the ability last year he's just grown with self-confidence," Black Hawk head coach Willy Chambers said. "There's been a lot of people around that came in and helped him out with some technique stuff. He's picked it up in practice."
Kaempfer will take on Spring Valley-Elmwood senior Trent Larrieu when the finals session begins at 6 p.m.
One hundred, seventy-one-pound Neillsville senior Luke Friemoth opened a can of worms by defeating Sugar River senior JC Francois in the quarterfinals. The nicked-up Francois was pinned in 1:07 by Friemoth and now Francois' Raiders teammates - and elite state wrestlers - Kalvin York and Cole Schmitt have revenge on the mind.
"It sucks JC lost," York said after defeating Freedom senior Taylor Kolb by technical fall, 19-4, to secure a spot in the 140-pound finals.
"We were both pretty down after that match. We wanted all year to get all three of us get on top the podium."
Two-time state champion Schmitt defeated David Phillips of Pewaukee by a 12-2 decision. Schmitt is wrestling on his soon-to-be campus and the future Badger went right to work on Phillips. Schmitt had an 8-0 advantage before one minute passed in the first period with a takedown and two near-falls. Schmitt went up 10-0 in the first five seconds of the second period with a reversal from the down position.
The gamesmanship between teammates York and Schmitt continues as Schmitt tried to get a technical fall on Phillips, but ran out of time.
"We're always competitive with stuff like stats all throughout the season," York said.
Francois returned with aggression in the consolation quarterfinals and extracted his revenge on Winnebago Lutheran Academy senior Spenser Hicks win 46 second pin. The Sugar River fan favorite will open this morning against Kewaskum sophomore Cody Seibel.
Darlington sophomore Devin Malott will have to try again next season to follow his older brother, Josh's, shoes as a state champion. The Redbirds' 103-pounder lost his two matches Friday by decision. Cadott's undefeated freshman Mike Sonnentag outworked Malott for a 6-2 victory that sent Malott to the consolation bracket. Malott would lose again, 7-6, to Laconia junior Juan Rodriguez who only has two losses on the season. Malott finished his sophomore campaign at 38-7.
