MADISON - Brodhead-Juda senior Logan Maurer can't forget how his wrestling season ended last year at the Kohl Center. Maurer took third place, but he left with an empty feeling after entering ranked No. 1.
Fast forward the calendar one year, and Maurer remains on a mission. Maurer pinned Southern Door senior Mitchell Overbeck in 5 minutes, 10 seconds in a WIAA Division 2 state semifinal Friday to punch his ticket to a state championship match.
"Ever since the end of last year, I have been working to get to the finals," Maurer said. "When I put him on his back, I got a little excited. I love the big lights and the big stage. I would rather wrestle here than at my own place."
Maurer (48-0), ranked No. 2 in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online Division 2 state poll, will look to win a state championship and wrap up an unbeaten season. He will have an unbeaten showdown with Chetek senior Cole LaLiberty, who is ranked No. 1 and is 29-0.
"It's a great feeling to be in a position to wrestle for a state championship and wrestle a kid I have wanted to wrestle for a couple of years," Maurer said.
Brodhead-Juda will have two wrestlers going for state championships tonight with Brodhead-Juda senior Brady Colden (170 pounds) joining Maurer in the finals. Colden (47-2, ranked No. 3) won a state semifinal match when Neillsville senior Jake Rueth (42-5) had to drop out of the match due to a shoulder injury 33 seconds into the match.
It doesn't matter to Colden that he reached the finals due to an injury default.
"It just feels good to be there," he said. "I knew I had the ability to be there. It's just a feeling like no other. I can't really explain it."
Monroe junior Traiten Gorr (220) came within an eyelash of also reaching a state title match. Gorr (45-3), ranked No. 2, lost a nail-biting state semifinal match 3-1 to fifth-ranked Sheboygan Falls junior Brady Koller.
Koller used his quickness in the overtime to score on a takedown to win the match.
"In the six minutes of regulation, in my opinion, Traiten out-wrestled him," Monroe coach Tom Witt said. "There were two or three times where he had single and double leg takedowns in the air and he didn't finish them. Traiten was in a position to score several times and just came up a little bit short. That is the frustrating part."
All four sectional champions, including Gorr, Colden, Maurer and Black Hawk-Darlington senior Zach Wolf (heavyweight), each won quarterfinal matches to assure a medal at state. Gorr still has a chance to wrestleback for third place.
It didn't take Gorr long to prove he belonged at state. Gorr trailed Big Foot-Williams Bay senior Will Utesch 1-0 in the third period of a quarterfinal match. Gorr scored on a reversal with 1:07 to go to clinch a 2-1 win in the quarterfinals.
"It was really a big match as a junior knowing that I would place," Gorr said. "It really lifts a lot off my shoulders. I have been nervous since Monday looking at the bracket. It shows my teammates that it can be done."
Gorr said he wasn't worried about trailing 1-0 entering the third period against Utesch.
"I got a reversal on him earlier this year," Gorr said. "I was confident in what I was doing. I just trusted my instincts."
Maurer kept his unbeaten season alive edging Wisconsin Lutheran junior Quinton Reid 3-2 in the quarterfinals. Maurer, who has the school record for career wins (174), scored on a takedown at the start of the third period to seal the win.
"It's obviously awesome to beat the kid," Maurer said. "He's a strong wrestler. It's hard to beat the same kid two years in a row and keep my record."
Staying aggressive throughout the match was key for Maurer against No. 5-ranked Reid, who he has beat twice. Maurer defeated Reid 4-2 to take third place at state last year.
"In those matches between two really good wrestlers, it usually comes down to who gets the first takedown," Maurer said. "That takedown gave me a big boost."
For Wolf, the road to the semifinals wasn't as easy. The state tournament was a wild run of emotions. Wolf trailed Markesan senior Matt Stensrud 3-1 to start the third period. Wolf scored on a takedown and near fall in the final 10 seconds to pull out a thrilling 6-3 win.
In the semifinals, Almond-Bancroft-Pacelli's Cole Warzynski edged Wolf 5-4. Wolf still has a chance to wrestleback for third place.
The only wrestler who didn't qualify to wrestle Saturday was Sugar River senior Jacob Larson (195). Freedom senior Ramsey Bloy (45-1) defeated Larson in a technical fall in 4:50, 21-4. Bloy went on to win a semifinal match 5-4 and will wrestle for a state title today.
It wasn't all clear sailing for Colden (170) at state. Colden defeated Wrightstown senior Brandon Buechler 2-0 in the quarterfinals. Colden scored on a first period takedown and had to hang on in the third period. Buechler had a guillotine hold on Colden late in the third period and started to crank his arm back before the official stopped the match to a dangerous position.
"It would have to pop off before I gave in," Colden said. "I knew it wouldn't be long before he (the official) called potential dangerous."
With the win, Colden assured himself of a medal at state in his third straight trip to the Kohl Center.
"It feels really good to finally reach my goal," he said. "I was glad to get a lead at the end of the first period so I had something to work with."
Fast forward the calendar one year, and Maurer remains on a mission. Maurer pinned Southern Door senior Mitchell Overbeck in 5 minutes, 10 seconds in a WIAA Division 2 state semifinal Friday to punch his ticket to a state championship match.
"Ever since the end of last year, I have been working to get to the finals," Maurer said. "When I put him on his back, I got a little excited. I love the big lights and the big stage. I would rather wrestle here than at my own place."
Maurer (48-0), ranked No. 2 in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online Division 2 state poll, will look to win a state championship and wrap up an unbeaten season. He will have an unbeaten showdown with Chetek senior Cole LaLiberty, who is ranked No. 1 and is 29-0.
"It's a great feeling to be in a position to wrestle for a state championship and wrestle a kid I have wanted to wrestle for a couple of years," Maurer said.
Brodhead-Juda will have two wrestlers going for state championships tonight with Brodhead-Juda senior Brady Colden (170 pounds) joining Maurer in the finals. Colden (47-2, ranked No. 3) won a state semifinal match when Neillsville senior Jake Rueth (42-5) had to drop out of the match due to a shoulder injury 33 seconds into the match.
It doesn't matter to Colden that he reached the finals due to an injury default.
"It just feels good to be there," he said. "I knew I had the ability to be there. It's just a feeling like no other. I can't really explain it."
Monroe junior Traiten Gorr (220) came within an eyelash of also reaching a state title match. Gorr (45-3), ranked No. 2, lost a nail-biting state semifinal match 3-1 to fifth-ranked Sheboygan Falls junior Brady Koller.
Koller used his quickness in the overtime to score on a takedown to win the match.
"In the six minutes of regulation, in my opinion, Traiten out-wrestled him," Monroe coach Tom Witt said. "There were two or three times where he had single and double leg takedowns in the air and he didn't finish them. Traiten was in a position to score several times and just came up a little bit short. That is the frustrating part."
All four sectional champions, including Gorr, Colden, Maurer and Black Hawk-Darlington senior Zach Wolf (heavyweight), each won quarterfinal matches to assure a medal at state. Gorr still has a chance to wrestleback for third place.
It didn't take Gorr long to prove he belonged at state. Gorr trailed Big Foot-Williams Bay senior Will Utesch 1-0 in the third period of a quarterfinal match. Gorr scored on a reversal with 1:07 to go to clinch a 2-1 win in the quarterfinals.
"It was really a big match as a junior knowing that I would place," Gorr said. "It really lifts a lot off my shoulders. I have been nervous since Monday looking at the bracket. It shows my teammates that it can be done."
Gorr said he wasn't worried about trailing 1-0 entering the third period against Utesch.
"I got a reversal on him earlier this year," Gorr said. "I was confident in what I was doing. I just trusted my instincts."
Maurer kept his unbeaten season alive edging Wisconsin Lutheran junior Quinton Reid 3-2 in the quarterfinals. Maurer, who has the school record for career wins (174), scored on a takedown at the start of the third period to seal the win.
"It's obviously awesome to beat the kid," Maurer said. "He's a strong wrestler. It's hard to beat the same kid two years in a row and keep my record."
Staying aggressive throughout the match was key for Maurer against No. 5-ranked Reid, who he has beat twice. Maurer defeated Reid 4-2 to take third place at state last year.
"In those matches between two really good wrestlers, it usually comes down to who gets the first takedown," Maurer said. "That takedown gave me a big boost."
For Wolf, the road to the semifinals wasn't as easy. The state tournament was a wild run of emotions. Wolf trailed Markesan senior Matt Stensrud 3-1 to start the third period. Wolf scored on a takedown and near fall in the final 10 seconds to pull out a thrilling 6-3 win.
In the semifinals, Almond-Bancroft-Pacelli's Cole Warzynski edged Wolf 5-4. Wolf still has a chance to wrestleback for third place.
The only wrestler who didn't qualify to wrestle Saturday was Sugar River senior Jacob Larson (195). Freedom senior Ramsey Bloy (45-1) defeated Larson in a technical fall in 4:50, 21-4. Bloy went on to win a semifinal match 5-4 and will wrestle for a state title today.
It wasn't all clear sailing for Colden (170) at state. Colden defeated Wrightstown senior Brandon Buechler 2-0 in the quarterfinals. Colden scored on a first period takedown and had to hang on in the third period. Buechler had a guillotine hold on Colden late in the third period and started to crank his arm back before the official stopped the match to a dangerous position.
"It would have to pop off before I gave in," Colden said. "I knew it wouldn't be long before he (the official) called potential dangerous."
With the win, Colden assured himself of a medal at state in his third straight trip to the Kohl Center.
"It feels really good to finally reach my goal," he said. "I was glad to get a lead at the end of the first period so I had something to work with."
