RICHLAND CENTER - Monroe junior Kevin Klopfenstein won the championship at 138 pounds at the Richland Center Invitational on Saturday.
Klopfenstein finished the invite 3-0 with two pins. He pinned Richland Center's John Bechtel in 1 minute, 57 seconds. Klopfenstein pinned Belmont-Platteville's John Hentrich in 1:27. In the championship match, Klopfenstein edged River Valley's Nick Lechnir 1-0. Lechnir took fifth place at state last year at 112.
"He wrestled better," Monroe coach Jeriamy Jackson said of Klopfenstein. "It's always nice to get a win and get some confidence. I hope this will give him a boost going into the Bi-State."
Monroe finished sixth at the 13 team invite with 182.5 points. Baraboo edged River Valley 258-243.5 for the team title. Sugar River finished 10th (96) and Darlington took 12th (60).
Monroe junior Trevor Gorr (220) finished second, junior Dusty Burkhalter (182) took third and sophomore Ryan Hughes (160) was fourth. The Cheesemakers also had four wrestlers finish fifth, including Jesse Keizer (120), Aaron Hesgard (132), Troy Gorr (195) and Brett Zimmerman (heavyweight).
"I was hoping we would have done better," Jackson said. "We didn't have our wrestlers at 106 and 113."
Zimmerman also got sick and had a 5-1 lead on the eventual champion Hayden Nachtigal of Hillsboro before being pinned.
"Brett Zimmerman tried wrestling in the first match, but he was sick," Jackson said. "If he would have been healthy, he could have easily won the title."
Trevor Gorr opened up the tournament with an 8-2 win over River Valley's Zach Koch. He edged Belmont-Platteville's David Stoney 5-4 in the semifinals. Gorr then defeated Weston-Ithaca's Clayton Jennings 11-3. Burkhalter also finished 2-1. He pinned River Valley's Duane Pertch in 42 seconds. In the semifinals, Burkhalter lost a nail biter to Weston-Ithaca's Wyatt Seep 3-1. Burkhalter came back and defeated Darlington's Tyler Black 4-0 in a third place match.
Sugar River's Kody Popenfus (106) and Taylor Christen (113) each finished second. Brooks Hendrickson (152) also finished fourth for the Raiders.
Popenfus pinned River Valley's Alec Bass in 1:44 and defeated Baraboo's Trevor Hanson 7-0. Mauston's Jason Tomaloff pinned Popenfus in 2:12 in the title match. Christen also finished the tournament 2-1. He pinned Richland Center's Andrew Gander in 2:47 and Mauston's Colton Winders in 1:08. After a bye, Christen pinned Baraboo's Dillon Porter in 1:13. In the championship match, Boscobel's Ryan Mindham pinned him in 3:01.
Darlington heavyweight Hayden Black also finished second for the Redbirds. He edged Baraboo's Michael Zipsie 2-1. In the semifinals, Black pinned Weston-Ithaca's Evan Strebe in 2:24. He got a spot in the title match after Zimmerman had to forfeit. Black was pinned in the championship match by Nachtigal in 1:27.
Monroe will host Lena-Winslow (Ill.) in a dual meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and then will wrestle at the Bi-State Classic in La Crosse Dec. 29-30.
Jackson is looking forward to the Bi-State Classic. It will be a test for the Cheesemakers. It's a chance to face some of the top wrestlers across the state.
"It's a big accomplishment to get to the second day," Jackson said. "Hopefully, we will have some do it."
Klopfenstein finished the invite 3-0 with two pins. He pinned Richland Center's John Bechtel in 1 minute, 57 seconds. Klopfenstein pinned Belmont-Platteville's John Hentrich in 1:27. In the championship match, Klopfenstein edged River Valley's Nick Lechnir 1-0. Lechnir took fifth place at state last year at 112.
"He wrestled better," Monroe coach Jeriamy Jackson said of Klopfenstein. "It's always nice to get a win and get some confidence. I hope this will give him a boost going into the Bi-State."
Monroe finished sixth at the 13 team invite with 182.5 points. Baraboo edged River Valley 258-243.5 for the team title. Sugar River finished 10th (96) and Darlington took 12th (60).
Monroe junior Trevor Gorr (220) finished second, junior Dusty Burkhalter (182) took third and sophomore Ryan Hughes (160) was fourth. The Cheesemakers also had four wrestlers finish fifth, including Jesse Keizer (120), Aaron Hesgard (132), Troy Gorr (195) and Brett Zimmerman (heavyweight).
"I was hoping we would have done better," Jackson said. "We didn't have our wrestlers at 106 and 113."
Zimmerman also got sick and had a 5-1 lead on the eventual champion Hayden Nachtigal of Hillsboro before being pinned.
"Brett Zimmerman tried wrestling in the first match, but he was sick," Jackson said. "If he would have been healthy, he could have easily won the title."
Trevor Gorr opened up the tournament with an 8-2 win over River Valley's Zach Koch. He edged Belmont-Platteville's David Stoney 5-4 in the semifinals. Gorr then defeated Weston-Ithaca's Clayton Jennings 11-3. Burkhalter also finished 2-1. He pinned River Valley's Duane Pertch in 42 seconds. In the semifinals, Burkhalter lost a nail biter to Weston-Ithaca's Wyatt Seep 3-1. Burkhalter came back and defeated Darlington's Tyler Black 4-0 in a third place match.
Sugar River's Kody Popenfus (106) and Taylor Christen (113) each finished second. Brooks Hendrickson (152) also finished fourth for the Raiders.
Popenfus pinned River Valley's Alec Bass in 1:44 and defeated Baraboo's Trevor Hanson 7-0. Mauston's Jason Tomaloff pinned Popenfus in 2:12 in the title match. Christen also finished the tournament 2-1. He pinned Richland Center's Andrew Gander in 2:47 and Mauston's Colton Winders in 1:08. After a bye, Christen pinned Baraboo's Dillon Porter in 1:13. In the championship match, Boscobel's Ryan Mindham pinned him in 3:01.
Darlington heavyweight Hayden Black also finished second for the Redbirds. He edged Baraboo's Michael Zipsie 2-1. In the semifinals, Black pinned Weston-Ithaca's Evan Strebe in 2:24. He got a spot in the title match after Zimmerman had to forfeit. Black was pinned in the championship match by Nachtigal in 1:27.
Monroe will host Lena-Winslow (Ill.) in a dual meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and then will wrestle at the Bi-State Classic in La Crosse Dec. 29-30.
Jackson is looking forward to the Bi-State Classic. It will be a test for the Cheesemakers. It's a chance to face some of the top wrestlers across the state.
"It's a big accomplishment to get to the second day," Jackson said. "Hopefully, we will have some do it."
