SOUTH WAYNE - Darlington-Black Hawk senior Dakota Meier will wear the same white Nike socks he wore for every football game en route to a state championship to warm up for the WIAA Division 2 state wrestling tournament on Thursday.
"I like to think they give me good luck," Meier said.
Meier is one of five area wrestlers that qualified for the state wrestling tournament Thursday through Saturday, March 1 at the Kohl Center in Madison. He is one of three athletes including junior teammate Zach Wolf (heavyweight) and Brodhead-Juda junior Brady Colden (160) who will wrestle preliminary matches Thursday night. Brodhead-Juda juniors Logan Maurer (45-1), ranked No. 1 at heavyweight in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online poll, and Gavin Baade (40-1), ranked No. 5 at 182, won't wrestle until the quarterfinals on Friday since they were sectional champions.
"It was my goal every year to be a state qualifier," Meier said. "I knew it would take time and work to eventually get there. It's a weight off my shoulders to make it. I'm finally starting to peak. My main goal is to make it to the podium and place."
Meier (39-6), ranked No. 8, will wrestle a preliminary match Thursday against Pewaukee's Jacob Raschka (44-4), who is ranked sixth.
"I think it's good I haven't faced him," Meier said of Raschka. "I don't know what he is going to throw at me. I don't have to be defensive or anything. I can't get nervous. That is what hurt me at sectionals."
Wolf has been surprised by his run to state. Wolf went 17-16 last year at 220. He lifted weights in the offseason in his training to get ready for football. It has made him stronger and paid dividends in wrestling as he has developed into a state qualifier at heavyweight.
"After last year, I didn't expect to get this far," Wolf said. "I'm here so I might as well make the most of it."
Darlington-Black Hawk co-coach Tom Mathias is convinced that Meier has the potential to medal.
"It's his first and last trip to state," Mathias said. "I'm sure he will make the most of it. He's very quick and has good mat sense."
Wolf has noticed a difference on the mat this season.
"I've got a lot quicker than last year," he said. "My technique has got better."
Wolf (37-6) will wrestle Wisconsin Lutheran's Quinton Reed in a preliminary match on Thursday. If he wins that match, he would wrestle Southern Door's Mitchell Overbeck (21-4) in the quarterfinals Friday.
Colden (43-4), ranked No. 6 at 160, will wrestle a preliminary match against No. 2 ranked Ronny Ponick (44-2) of Stanley Boyd.
Both Baade and Maurer will just have to win a quarterfinal match Friday to assure themselves a medal in the top six. Baade will face the winner of eighth-ranked Dennis Schutz (22-3) of Ellsworth or sixth-ranked Brett Handschke (36-10) of New London in the quarterfinals. This is Maurer's second straight state trip.
"You can throw out the records and rankings when you get to state," Brodhead-Juda coach Tim Colden said. "It's nice to read your name in the paper, but they don't matter. Sometimes the draw is more important."
Maurer is more at ease with wrestling at the Kohl Center this year.
"My expectations will be set pretty high," Maurer said. "I'm looking to make a run and make it to the finals. I've got used to the big stage and got used to being looked at by thousands of people at a time."
Maurer will wrestle the winner of 10th ranked Thor Riemer (37-4) of Osceola or fifth-ranked Tristin Holden (38-5) of Nekossa-Port Edwards in the quarterfinals. If Maurer wins that match, he could face No. 2 ranked Matt Halverson (42-2) of Kiel in the semifinals Friday night. Maurer would be looking to avenge a loss to Halverson from last year's state meet. Maurer trailed by just one point in the third period when he tried to push Halverson. Halverson took advantage and threw him down for a pin.
"I have been looking forward to wrestling him at state for one year since I lost to him last year," he said. "It's definitely exciting to have that draw."
"I like to think they give me good luck," Meier said.
Meier is one of five area wrestlers that qualified for the state wrestling tournament Thursday through Saturday, March 1 at the Kohl Center in Madison. He is one of three athletes including junior teammate Zach Wolf (heavyweight) and Brodhead-Juda junior Brady Colden (160) who will wrestle preliminary matches Thursday night. Brodhead-Juda juniors Logan Maurer (45-1), ranked No. 1 at heavyweight in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online poll, and Gavin Baade (40-1), ranked No. 5 at 182, won't wrestle until the quarterfinals on Friday since they were sectional champions.
"It was my goal every year to be a state qualifier," Meier said. "I knew it would take time and work to eventually get there. It's a weight off my shoulders to make it. I'm finally starting to peak. My main goal is to make it to the podium and place."
Meier (39-6), ranked No. 8, will wrestle a preliminary match Thursday against Pewaukee's Jacob Raschka (44-4), who is ranked sixth.
"I think it's good I haven't faced him," Meier said of Raschka. "I don't know what he is going to throw at me. I don't have to be defensive or anything. I can't get nervous. That is what hurt me at sectionals."
Wolf has been surprised by his run to state. Wolf went 17-16 last year at 220. He lifted weights in the offseason in his training to get ready for football. It has made him stronger and paid dividends in wrestling as he has developed into a state qualifier at heavyweight.
"After last year, I didn't expect to get this far," Wolf said. "I'm here so I might as well make the most of it."
Darlington-Black Hawk co-coach Tom Mathias is convinced that Meier has the potential to medal.
"It's his first and last trip to state," Mathias said. "I'm sure he will make the most of it. He's very quick and has good mat sense."
Wolf has noticed a difference on the mat this season.
"I've got a lot quicker than last year," he said. "My technique has got better."
Wolf (37-6) will wrestle Wisconsin Lutheran's Quinton Reed in a preliminary match on Thursday. If he wins that match, he would wrestle Southern Door's Mitchell Overbeck (21-4) in the quarterfinals Friday.
Colden (43-4), ranked No. 6 at 160, will wrestle a preliminary match against No. 2 ranked Ronny Ponick (44-2) of Stanley Boyd.
Both Baade and Maurer will just have to win a quarterfinal match Friday to assure themselves a medal in the top six. Baade will face the winner of eighth-ranked Dennis Schutz (22-3) of Ellsworth or sixth-ranked Brett Handschke (36-10) of New London in the quarterfinals. This is Maurer's second straight state trip.
"You can throw out the records and rankings when you get to state," Brodhead-Juda coach Tim Colden said. "It's nice to read your name in the paper, but they don't matter. Sometimes the draw is more important."
Maurer is more at ease with wrestling at the Kohl Center this year.
"My expectations will be set pretty high," Maurer said. "I'm looking to make a run and make it to the finals. I've got used to the big stage and got used to being looked at by thousands of people at a time."
Maurer will wrestle the winner of 10th ranked Thor Riemer (37-4) of Osceola or fifth-ranked Tristin Holden (38-5) of Nekossa-Port Edwards in the quarterfinals. If Maurer wins that match, he could face No. 2 ranked Matt Halverson (42-2) of Kiel in the semifinals Friday night. Maurer would be looking to avenge a loss to Halverson from last year's state meet. Maurer trailed by just one point in the third period when he tried to push Halverson. Halverson took advantage and threw him down for a pin.
"I have been looking forward to wrestling him at state for one year since I lost to him last year," he said. "It's definitely exciting to have that draw."
