RICHLAND CENTER - The Monroe wrestling team emerged as a force to be reckoned with Saturday at the Richland Center Invite.
The Cheesemakers had a banner day. Seven wrestlers medaled, including two champions - senior Gavin Wels at 112 pounds and Lucas Leu at heavyweight.
"I was very proud of how the guys wrestled; I think they are starting to challenge themselves to see how good we can do in tournaments even though we don't have a full team," Monroe coach Jeriamy Jackson said. "We take pride in how we wrestle as individuals and represent the Monroe team."
Wels (16-1) defeated Baraboo's Matt Ko-walke 15-1 in the title match. Leu (14-3) edged Middleton's Eric Parton, 3-1, in the championship match. The Cheesemakers finished sixth overall at the 16-team invitational.
"Gavin wrestled very well again and was very dominant within his weight class with the clo-sest match being 14-1, with two other pins on the day," Jackson said. "Lucas looked great.He had some very close matches and was able to stay calm and work his way through them. He showed a lot of heart in coming back from a deficit in his semifinal match and to eventually win in the closing seconds."
Monroe junior Cory Kundert (13-4) at 215 was the third Cheesemaker to advance to a title match, finishing second after being pinned by River Valley's Taylor Riek, in 1 minute, 6 seconds.
Jackson said Kundert had a great day and continues to be impressive.
"He had a tough match in the finals but was dominant up until that point," Jackson said.
The other Cheesemaker medal winners included sophomore Dylan Schwitz (12-5), third (135); Jack Deem, sixth (145), Dillon Weckerly, sixth (171) and Michael Ingold, seventh (189).
There were two other area champions crowned Saturday, including Darlington junior Devin Malott (119) and Sugar River senior Kalvin York (171).
Malott, a two-time state qualifier, outlasted Holmen's Keaton Kulaczewski, pinning him in 5:12.
York, a state runner-up the past two years, dominated his weight class, pinning Middleton's Benjamin Bummel in 5:05.
Schwitz defeated Sugar River senior Matt Saunders, 5-0, in a third-place match. The other medal winners for the Raiders included freshman Ricky Ace (112), third, and sophomore Mike Nolden (160), sixth.
Darlington sophomore Colton Hackett (189) took fourth after dropping a third-place match to River Valley's Nathan Kaul, 8-4. Fellow Redbird teammate Dylan McGuire (152) finished fourth after losing a third place match to Michael Priem of Holmen, 8-1. Darlington sophomore Matt McDaniel (140) took sixth.
The only medal winner for Pecatonica-Argyle was sophomore Ricky Rolfsmeyer (125), who finished sixth.
The Cheesemakers had a banner day. Seven wrestlers medaled, including two champions - senior Gavin Wels at 112 pounds and Lucas Leu at heavyweight.
"I was very proud of how the guys wrestled; I think they are starting to challenge themselves to see how good we can do in tournaments even though we don't have a full team," Monroe coach Jeriamy Jackson said. "We take pride in how we wrestle as individuals and represent the Monroe team."
Wels (16-1) defeated Baraboo's Matt Ko-walke 15-1 in the title match. Leu (14-3) edged Middleton's Eric Parton, 3-1, in the championship match. The Cheesemakers finished sixth overall at the 16-team invitational.
"Gavin wrestled very well again and was very dominant within his weight class with the clo-sest match being 14-1, with two other pins on the day," Jackson said. "Lucas looked great.He had some very close matches and was able to stay calm and work his way through them. He showed a lot of heart in coming back from a deficit in his semifinal match and to eventually win in the closing seconds."
Monroe junior Cory Kundert (13-4) at 215 was the third Cheesemaker to advance to a title match, finishing second after being pinned by River Valley's Taylor Riek, in 1 minute, 6 seconds.
Jackson said Kundert had a great day and continues to be impressive.
"He had a tough match in the finals but was dominant up until that point," Jackson said.
The other Cheesemaker medal winners included sophomore Dylan Schwitz (12-5), third (135); Jack Deem, sixth (145), Dillon Weckerly, sixth (171) and Michael Ingold, seventh (189).
There were two other area champions crowned Saturday, including Darlington junior Devin Malott (119) and Sugar River senior Kalvin York (171).
Malott, a two-time state qualifier, outlasted Holmen's Keaton Kulaczewski, pinning him in 5:12.
York, a state runner-up the past two years, dominated his weight class, pinning Middleton's Benjamin Bummel in 5:05.
Schwitz defeated Sugar River senior Matt Saunders, 5-0, in a third-place match. The other medal winners for the Raiders included freshman Ricky Ace (112), third, and sophomore Mike Nolden (160), sixth.
Darlington sophomore Colton Hackett (189) took fourth after dropping a third-place match to River Valley's Nathan Kaul, 8-4. Fellow Redbird teammate Dylan McGuire (152) finished fourth after losing a third place match to Michael Priem of Holmen, 8-1. Darlington sophomore Matt McDaniel (140) took sixth.
The only medal winner for Pecatonica-Argyle was sophomore Ricky Rolfsmeyer (125), who finished sixth.
