MONROE - No one would blame Monroe High School senior Hayden Arneson if he did some scoreboard watching before his match Friday night against Fort Atkinson.
Fort Atkinson jumped out to a 24 point lead, but in the match at 195 pounds Arneson, ranked fourth in the Division 2 Wisconsin Wrestling Online state poll, came through with a pin in 1 minute, 3 seconds, and the Cheesemakers won five of the final six matches to outduel the Blackhawks 36-33 in a Badger South Conference dual meet.
It was an improbable comeback for Monroe, which improves to 8-4 overall and 2-0 in the Badger South in dual meets.
"I was a little nervous," Arneson said when the Cheesemakers trailed 30-6 early on. "We still had some great guys coming up in the upper weights. Everyone worked hard. I think we should have beat them by more. It (the win) set the bar really high for us."
The Cheesemakers got off to an inauspicious start with the Blackhawks winning the first four matches. Fort Atkinson freshman Sawyer Brandenburg (106), Nolan Kraus (120) and senior Brendan Kind (126) each posted pins en route to a 21-0 lead. Monroe freshman Alex Witt (132) got the Cheesemakers on the scoreboard with a pin in 1:27.
Fort Atkinson junior Draven Sigmund (138), ranked fifth in Division 1 at 132 pounds, edged Monroe senior Cole Murray 4-2 on a takedown with 54 seconds to go in the third period. After a pin by Fort Atkinson senior Keagan Healy (145), the Blackhawks had a commanding 30-6 lead.
The momentum started to swing when Monroe freshman Patrick Rielly (152) defeated Fort Atkinson senior Nick Chapin 10-4. That helped the Cheesemakers go on a run of five straight wins. Junior Sam Kind (160) edged Fort Atkinson's Owen Warden 2-0. Junior Dempzy Foley (170) pinned Fort Atkinson senior Ryan Golich in 1:30 to slice the Blackhawks' lead to 30-18. Senior Isaac Allen (182) pinned Fort Atkinson's Matt Schroedl in 3:48. At heavyweight, Monroe senior Kyle Walter received a forfeit to seal the Cheesemakers' win.
"It feels really good," Monroe coach Tom Witt said. "On paper, I had us winning 39-30 so I was close. That match (Sam Kind's) and Cole's loss were pivotal matches. If they win both of them they win the dual. Dempzy, Isaac and Hayden did what they needed to do."
Witt understands that Murray's match against Sigmund could have had a different outcome.
"Cole relaxed on the edge of the mat, and he (Sigmund) got that takedown," Witt said. "You never relax on the edge of that mat."
Monroe is unbeaten in the conference but still has to wrestle at Milton, which is ranked fourth in Division 1, on Tuesday and Stoughton, which is ranked No. 1 in DIvision 1. Milton is coming off a dual meet win over sixth-ranked Sauk Prairie.
"Milton is really good, and we will have our hands full on Tuesday," Witt said.
Arneson is looking forward to the clash against Milton.
"We just have to keep working hard in practice every day to get better," Arneson said. "I think we can beat Milton. We have good wrestlers at each weight. Kyle, Isaac, Bodie, Dempzy and Alan (Whitehead) push each other in practice to get better."
Fort Atkinson jumped out to a 24 point lead, but in the match at 195 pounds Arneson, ranked fourth in the Division 2 Wisconsin Wrestling Online state poll, came through with a pin in 1 minute, 3 seconds, and the Cheesemakers won five of the final six matches to outduel the Blackhawks 36-33 in a Badger South Conference dual meet.
It was an improbable comeback for Monroe, which improves to 8-4 overall and 2-0 in the Badger South in dual meets.
"I was a little nervous," Arneson said when the Cheesemakers trailed 30-6 early on. "We still had some great guys coming up in the upper weights. Everyone worked hard. I think we should have beat them by more. It (the win) set the bar really high for us."
The Cheesemakers got off to an inauspicious start with the Blackhawks winning the first four matches. Fort Atkinson freshman Sawyer Brandenburg (106), Nolan Kraus (120) and senior Brendan Kind (126) each posted pins en route to a 21-0 lead. Monroe freshman Alex Witt (132) got the Cheesemakers on the scoreboard with a pin in 1:27.
Fort Atkinson junior Draven Sigmund (138), ranked fifth in Division 1 at 132 pounds, edged Monroe senior Cole Murray 4-2 on a takedown with 54 seconds to go in the third period. After a pin by Fort Atkinson senior Keagan Healy (145), the Blackhawks had a commanding 30-6 lead.
The momentum started to swing when Monroe freshman Patrick Rielly (152) defeated Fort Atkinson senior Nick Chapin 10-4. That helped the Cheesemakers go on a run of five straight wins. Junior Sam Kind (160) edged Fort Atkinson's Owen Warden 2-0. Junior Dempzy Foley (170) pinned Fort Atkinson senior Ryan Golich in 1:30 to slice the Blackhawks' lead to 30-18. Senior Isaac Allen (182) pinned Fort Atkinson's Matt Schroedl in 3:48. At heavyweight, Monroe senior Kyle Walter received a forfeit to seal the Cheesemakers' win.
"It feels really good," Monroe coach Tom Witt said. "On paper, I had us winning 39-30 so I was close. That match (Sam Kind's) and Cole's loss were pivotal matches. If they win both of them they win the dual. Dempzy, Isaac and Hayden did what they needed to do."
Witt understands that Murray's match against Sigmund could have had a different outcome.
"Cole relaxed on the edge of the mat, and he (Sigmund) got that takedown," Witt said. "You never relax on the edge of that mat."
Monroe is unbeaten in the conference but still has to wrestle at Milton, which is ranked fourth in Division 1, on Tuesday and Stoughton, which is ranked No. 1 in DIvision 1. Milton is coming off a dual meet win over sixth-ranked Sauk Prairie.
"Milton is really good, and we will have our hands full on Tuesday," Witt said.
Arneson is looking forward to the clash against Milton.
"We just have to keep working hard in practice every day to get better," Arneson said. "I think we can beat Milton. We have good wrestlers at each weight. Kyle, Isaac, Bodie, Dempzy and Alan (Whitehead) push each other in practice to get better."
