MONROE - Senior Traiten Gorr knows what it feels like to be on top in the 220-pound weight class and he wanted to relive that feeling.
Gorr (30-1), ranked No. 5 in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online Division 2 poll, went unbeaten to repeat as the champion at the 32nd annual Monroe Invitational on Saturday. Gorr was one of six Cheesemaker wrestlers to reach the finals. Nine of the Cheesemakers' wrestlers finished in the top three as Monroe won the 10-team tournament 193-183.5 over Prairie du Chien.
Black Hawk-Darlington finished third (150).
Gorr rode the momentum of a first-period takedown to a 6-0 win over Black Hawk-Darlington senior Taylor Evenstad, who is ranked No. 3 in Division 3. In Gorr's semifinal match, he pinned Whitewater senior Bryce Peche in 1 minute, 27 seconds. With the loss, Evenstad drops to 15-2.
"It feels good to be a two-time champion," said Gorr, who won the title at 220 last year and was named the most outstanding wrestler for the second straight year. "Going against a ranked wrestler obviously gave me motivation and confidence. Our goal was not to win it. It was just to wrestle hard."
The Cheesemakers did that and won the tournament for the first time since 2013. It marks the third tournament win for the Cheesemakers this season.
Five Monroe wrestlers took second-place, including junior David Andrews (120), junior Cole Murray (132), sophomore Sam Kind (138), sophomore Dempzy Foley (160) and junior Hayden Arneson (195). The Cheesemakers had four other wrestlers take third including sophomore Travis Wolf (145), senior Ian Salzwedel (152) and junior Kyle Walter (heavyweight). Freshman teammate Gabe Witt (106) took fourth.
"It was a team effort," Monroe coach Tom Witt said. "All of those third and fifth place matches mattered. We just wanted to grind it out and win the third period."
The other area champion was Black Hawk-Darlington senior Conrad Blosch (182). Blosch, ranked No. 12 in Division 3, pinned Whitewater sophomore Jimmy DuVal in 1:29. In the title match, Blosch scored on an escape with 1:43 left against Prairie du Chien sophomore Stephen Ronnfeldt to trim his deficit to one point. Blosch was then able to seal the win on a takedown and near fall in the final 43 seconds to win the match 8-4.
"The big thing is I just had to stay patient," Blosch said. "I was coming off bronchitis and pneumonia. I knew I had to go for a takedown and I love my throws. I knew earlier in the match he would have a lot of energy and he would stay away from my throws. When someone gets tired, they start pushing more and I knew that was the time for my throw. I knew I had to go for my home-run move. That (throw) is my go-to."
Andrews at 120 pinned Whitewater sophomore Tommy Cushman in 1 minute, 59 seconds in the first round. In the semifinals, Parkview senior Collin Hatlevig had a six-point lead, but Andrews battled back to pull out a 10-7 win. Big Foot junior Travis Berryman pinned Andrews in the championship match in 3:29.
At 132, Murray lost a title match to Prairie du Chien sophomore Nick Rogge 6-0. Murray pinned Belmont-Platteville's Joshua Taber in 48 seconds in the first round. In the second round, Murray pinned Cuba City senior Alex Wright in 2:29. Prairie du Chien had four champions, but the Cheesemakers' depth proved to be the difference.
Kind (138) breezed through his first two matches. He pinned Beloit Memorial senior Derrick Richardson in 1:20 and defeated Poynette freshman Justin Taylor 9-0 in the semifinals. In the title match, Kind trailed Parkview senior Aaron Hatlevig 4-2 to start the third period. Kind came up with an escape with 1:37 left to cut the deficit to 4-3. Hatlevig scored on an escape and takedown in the final 1 minute to seal the win.
"Sam had his chances," Tom Witt said.
Foley (22-8) at 160 got on a roll early on. Foley pinned Cuba City senior Tyre Hall in 3:27 and then beat Prairie du Chien senior Brendan Fleshner 16-4. Belmont-Platteville junior Lucas Fugate knocked off Foley 9-1 in the championship match.
Arneson (195) was the No. 1 seed and lost a heartbreaker to Prairie du Chien senior Peyton Hall 3-1 in overtime. Hall scored on a takedown with 12 seconds to go in the extra session to clip Arneson. Arneson (24-8), ranked No. 8, pinned Monroe's junior Ernesto Magana in 3:10 and then pinned Whitewater senior Adrian Casillas to reach the title match.
Walter at heavyweight pinned Parkview senior Nicholas Shepherd in 1:18. Eventual champion Daniel Soto, a senior of Whitewater, pinned him in 1:54. Walter edged Black Hawk-Darlington senior Jacob Tuescher 1-0 for third place.
Black Hawk-Darlington had five wrestlers reach the finals and four took second-place including freshman Kolbe Ubersox (126), senior Caleb Novak (145), sophomore Lance Ubersox (152) and Evenstad (220). Black Hawk-Darlington freshman Kolbe Ubersox (126) was pinned by Prairie du Chien senior Clayton Beers in the finals. Poynette junior Josh Prey beat Novak 8-2. At 152, Poynette junior Joey Cibulka defeated Lance Ubersox 4-2.
Monroe will host Evansville-Albany on Tuesday. Both the Cheesemakers and Blue Devils are expected to be two of the top teams duking it out for a sectional berth in the Evansville regional Feb. 13.
"The regional is a tournament-type format," Tom Witt said. "If we win it could help with seeding for the regional."
Gorr (30-1), ranked No. 5 in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online Division 2 poll, went unbeaten to repeat as the champion at the 32nd annual Monroe Invitational on Saturday. Gorr was one of six Cheesemaker wrestlers to reach the finals. Nine of the Cheesemakers' wrestlers finished in the top three as Monroe won the 10-team tournament 193-183.5 over Prairie du Chien.
Black Hawk-Darlington finished third (150).
Gorr rode the momentum of a first-period takedown to a 6-0 win over Black Hawk-Darlington senior Taylor Evenstad, who is ranked No. 3 in Division 3. In Gorr's semifinal match, he pinned Whitewater senior Bryce Peche in 1 minute, 27 seconds. With the loss, Evenstad drops to 15-2.
"It feels good to be a two-time champion," said Gorr, who won the title at 220 last year and was named the most outstanding wrestler for the second straight year. "Going against a ranked wrestler obviously gave me motivation and confidence. Our goal was not to win it. It was just to wrestle hard."
The Cheesemakers did that and won the tournament for the first time since 2013. It marks the third tournament win for the Cheesemakers this season.
Five Monroe wrestlers took second-place, including junior David Andrews (120), junior Cole Murray (132), sophomore Sam Kind (138), sophomore Dempzy Foley (160) and junior Hayden Arneson (195). The Cheesemakers had four other wrestlers take third including sophomore Travis Wolf (145), senior Ian Salzwedel (152) and junior Kyle Walter (heavyweight). Freshman teammate Gabe Witt (106) took fourth.
"It was a team effort," Monroe coach Tom Witt said. "All of those third and fifth place matches mattered. We just wanted to grind it out and win the third period."
The other area champion was Black Hawk-Darlington senior Conrad Blosch (182). Blosch, ranked No. 12 in Division 3, pinned Whitewater sophomore Jimmy DuVal in 1:29. In the title match, Blosch scored on an escape with 1:43 left against Prairie du Chien sophomore Stephen Ronnfeldt to trim his deficit to one point. Blosch was then able to seal the win on a takedown and near fall in the final 43 seconds to win the match 8-4.
"The big thing is I just had to stay patient," Blosch said. "I was coming off bronchitis and pneumonia. I knew I had to go for a takedown and I love my throws. I knew earlier in the match he would have a lot of energy and he would stay away from my throws. When someone gets tired, they start pushing more and I knew that was the time for my throw. I knew I had to go for my home-run move. That (throw) is my go-to."
Andrews at 120 pinned Whitewater sophomore Tommy Cushman in 1 minute, 59 seconds in the first round. In the semifinals, Parkview senior Collin Hatlevig had a six-point lead, but Andrews battled back to pull out a 10-7 win. Big Foot junior Travis Berryman pinned Andrews in the championship match in 3:29.
At 132, Murray lost a title match to Prairie du Chien sophomore Nick Rogge 6-0. Murray pinned Belmont-Platteville's Joshua Taber in 48 seconds in the first round. In the second round, Murray pinned Cuba City senior Alex Wright in 2:29. Prairie du Chien had four champions, but the Cheesemakers' depth proved to be the difference.
Kind (138) breezed through his first two matches. He pinned Beloit Memorial senior Derrick Richardson in 1:20 and defeated Poynette freshman Justin Taylor 9-0 in the semifinals. In the title match, Kind trailed Parkview senior Aaron Hatlevig 4-2 to start the third period. Kind came up with an escape with 1:37 left to cut the deficit to 4-3. Hatlevig scored on an escape and takedown in the final 1 minute to seal the win.
"Sam had his chances," Tom Witt said.
Foley (22-8) at 160 got on a roll early on. Foley pinned Cuba City senior Tyre Hall in 3:27 and then beat Prairie du Chien senior Brendan Fleshner 16-4. Belmont-Platteville junior Lucas Fugate knocked off Foley 9-1 in the championship match.
Arneson (195) was the No. 1 seed and lost a heartbreaker to Prairie du Chien senior Peyton Hall 3-1 in overtime. Hall scored on a takedown with 12 seconds to go in the extra session to clip Arneson. Arneson (24-8), ranked No. 8, pinned Monroe's junior Ernesto Magana in 3:10 and then pinned Whitewater senior Adrian Casillas to reach the title match.
Walter at heavyweight pinned Parkview senior Nicholas Shepherd in 1:18. Eventual champion Daniel Soto, a senior of Whitewater, pinned him in 1:54. Walter edged Black Hawk-Darlington senior Jacob Tuescher 1-0 for third place.
Black Hawk-Darlington had five wrestlers reach the finals and four took second-place including freshman Kolbe Ubersox (126), senior Caleb Novak (145), sophomore Lance Ubersox (152) and Evenstad (220). Black Hawk-Darlington freshman Kolbe Ubersox (126) was pinned by Prairie du Chien senior Clayton Beers in the finals. Poynette junior Josh Prey beat Novak 8-2. At 152, Poynette junior Joey Cibulka defeated Lance Ubersox 4-2.
Monroe will host Evansville-Albany on Tuesday. Both the Cheesemakers and Blue Devils are expected to be two of the top teams duking it out for a sectional berth in the Evansville regional Feb. 13.
"The regional is a tournament-type format," Tom Witt said. "If we win it could help with seeding for the regional."
