MADISON - Monroe senior Kevin Klopfenstein kept his dream alive of winning a medal at the WIAA Division 2 state wrestling tournament for the second straight year.
Klopfenstein, (43-5) ranked fourth at 138 pounds in the Division 2 Wisconsin Wrestling Online poll, cruised to a 10-0 win over Fox Valley Lutheran's Chase Maxwell in the preliminaries at the Kohl Center.
After a scoreless first period, Klopfenstein scored on an escape five seconds into the second period. He added a takedown and near fall late in the period to take an insurmountable 6-0 lead.
"I think he out-classed the guy," Monroe coach Jeriamy Jackson said.
Klopfenstein was the only area state qualifier out of five wrestlers to advance Thursday night. He will join Monroe senior Trevor Gorr (220), Brodhead-Juda senior Hunter Colden (170) and sophomore Logan Maurer (heavyweight) in the quarterfinals this afternoon.
Klopfenstein will wrestle No. 2-ranked Valders senior Stetson McCulley (42-2) at about noon at the Kohl Center.
"It will be a tough match," Jackson said. "Rankings don't mean anything. Those matches between the top five ranked wrestlers will usually come down to one point. It will probably come down to a takedown."
Monroe senior Aaron Hesgard (132) closed out his career with an 18-2 loss to Ellsworth's Tristen Mueller. Hesgard took an early 2-0 lead in the first period with a takedown, but Mueller took over from there.
"I thought it would go our way after (the takedown)," Jackson said. "When he got down on the mat, Aaron had a hard time. It just wasn't Aaron's day. I know he would like to have that match back. I don't want this one match to reflect his career. He's had a phenomenal career."
Jameson Kaiser pinned Monroe junior Brett Zimmerman in a heavyweight match in 3 minutes, 22 seconds. Zimmerman scored on a takedown at 1:43 in the first period to take a 2-0 lead. He chose down in the second period and battled to his feet before Kaiser threw him to the mat.
"He made one bad turn and he got pinned," Jackson said. "Once you get 280 pounds on you, it's pretty much over."
Elsewhere, Clintonville junior Jake Reiter (39-7) defeated Sugar River senior Jak Nelson (195) by a score of 13-2. In Division 3, Clear Lake senior Cody Shafer (113) defeated Black Hawk sophomore Colin Novak (34-10) by a 15-0 technical fall.
Klopfenstein, (43-5) ranked fourth at 138 pounds in the Division 2 Wisconsin Wrestling Online poll, cruised to a 10-0 win over Fox Valley Lutheran's Chase Maxwell in the preliminaries at the Kohl Center.
After a scoreless first period, Klopfenstein scored on an escape five seconds into the second period. He added a takedown and near fall late in the period to take an insurmountable 6-0 lead.
"I think he out-classed the guy," Monroe coach Jeriamy Jackson said.
Klopfenstein was the only area state qualifier out of five wrestlers to advance Thursday night. He will join Monroe senior Trevor Gorr (220), Brodhead-Juda senior Hunter Colden (170) and sophomore Logan Maurer (heavyweight) in the quarterfinals this afternoon.
Klopfenstein will wrestle No. 2-ranked Valders senior Stetson McCulley (42-2) at about noon at the Kohl Center.
"It will be a tough match," Jackson said. "Rankings don't mean anything. Those matches between the top five ranked wrestlers will usually come down to one point. It will probably come down to a takedown."
Monroe senior Aaron Hesgard (132) closed out his career with an 18-2 loss to Ellsworth's Tristen Mueller. Hesgard took an early 2-0 lead in the first period with a takedown, but Mueller took over from there.
"I thought it would go our way after (the takedown)," Jackson said. "When he got down on the mat, Aaron had a hard time. It just wasn't Aaron's day. I know he would like to have that match back. I don't want this one match to reflect his career. He's had a phenomenal career."
Jameson Kaiser pinned Monroe junior Brett Zimmerman in a heavyweight match in 3 minutes, 22 seconds. Zimmerman scored on a takedown at 1:43 in the first period to take a 2-0 lead. He chose down in the second period and battled to his feet before Kaiser threw him to the mat.
"He made one bad turn and he got pinned," Jackson said. "Once you get 280 pounds on you, it's pretty much over."
Elsewhere, Clintonville junior Jake Reiter (39-7) defeated Sugar River senior Jak Nelson (195) by a score of 13-2. In Division 3, Clear Lake senior Cody Shafer (113) defeated Black Hawk sophomore Colin Novak (34-10) by a 15-0 technical fall.
