MADISON - Both Monroe seniors Cole Murray and Hayden Arneson closed out standout wrestling careers by earning medals at the WIAA Division 2 state tournament Saturday at the Kohl Center.
Murray finished fourth at 138 pounds and Arneson took fifth at 195.
"My two goals going into Saturday were get on the podium and keep climbing," Murray said. "That is what I did. It is truly was amazing."
Murray (36-13) defeated Freedom sophomore Sam Peters 12-2 in a wrestleback match Saturday to get a shot at third place. Mauston junior Jarrett Dolata pinned Murray in a third-place match in 1 minute, 46 seconds.
Six of the 11 area state qualifiers medaled. In addition to the Cheesemaker duo, top-ranked Evansville-Albany senior Lucius Rinehart (195) finished second after losing a state title match to second-ranked Spencer-Columbus Catholic junior Hunter Luepke 8-1. Fellow Evansville-Albany senior Chase Katzenmeyer (126) and junior Nolan Kicmol (145) each took third. Black Hawk-Darlington sophomore Kolbe Ubersox (132) placed fifth in his second straight Division 3 state tournament appearance.
"It says a lot about our program and the kids worked hard and it paid off," Monroe coach Tom Witt said. "They were able to stick with it and persevere. Hayden has always worked hard. He's hard-nosed and never quits."
Witt commended Murray for the way he wrestled in rolling to a win over Peters.
"He had his best match of the year against the Freedom kid," Witt said of Murray. "He got several shots and takedowns. Three weeks ago at conference, I don't know if he thought he would be a placewinner at state."
Murray said everything just came together in his match against Peters.
"I just kept in the attack mode," he said.
Murray ended his career with 110 career wins and Arneson finished with 94 career wins.
"It's a big accomplishment," Murray said. "Ever since I was a freshman, my two goals were to get 100 career wins and get on the podium."
Arneson (34-8) lost a nail-biting wrestleback match to Lomira senior Collin Feucht 6-4. Arneson scored on a takedown with about one minute left to tie the match at 4. Feucht then scored on a reversal in the final 20 seconds to seal the win. Arneson rebounded and pinned Wrightstown senior Matthew Van Eperen in 2:41 in a fifth-place match.
"I have worked my whole life for this," Arneson said. "I had bigger goals. I know if I would have won that match against that Lomira kid, I would have taken third. I almost had a reversal, but I ran out of time. That happens. All of the hard work has paid off. I did the best I can."
Arneson was teary-eyed coming off the mat for the final time after pinning Van Eperen.
"It's worth all the sweat and tears I have put into it," Arneson said. "Some kids think wrestling is hard. The thing is it will end eventually. If you want to be the best you have to put in the work because one day it will be over."
Katzenmeyer earned a shot at a third-place medal by beating Freedom senior Mitch Garvey 8-3 in a wrestleback match.
Kicmol edged Ellsowrth senior Cole Skelton 1-0 in a third-place match. Kicmol got a chance to wrestle for third after knocking off Freedom junior Evan Vosters 7-1.
"It says a lot for our regional," Witt said. "That's why Evansville and us finished 1-2 in the regional. They (Evansville-Albany) have some really good wrestlers and we do too."
In Division 3, Ubersox slipped by Coleman sophomore Jake Baldwin 9-7 in a fifth-place match. Ubersox ended up in the fifth-place match after being pinned by Stratford junior Jake Drexler in 1:59.
Monroe's other state qualifier, junior Sam Kind (160), lost a preliminary match Thursday to Martin Luther senior Mikey Rohleder on a pin. Rohleder went on to place fourth at state.
"He will be really motivated for next year," Witt said of Kind. "To me, our team can win regionals. We just have to put in the time. He (Kind) has to grab extra kids to put in the time."
Murray finished fourth at 138 pounds and Arneson took fifth at 195.
"My two goals going into Saturday were get on the podium and keep climbing," Murray said. "That is what I did. It is truly was amazing."
Murray (36-13) defeated Freedom sophomore Sam Peters 12-2 in a wrestleback match Saturday to get a shot at third place. Mauston junior Jarrett Dolata pinned Murray in a third-place match in 1 minute, 46 seconds.
Six of the 11 area state qualifiers medaled. In addition to the Cheesemaker duo, top-ranked Evansville-Albany senior Lucius Rinehart (195) finished second after losing a state title match to second-ranked Spencer-Columbus Catholic junior Hunter Luepke 8-1. Fellow Evansville-Albany senior Chase Katzenmeyer (126) and junior Nolan Kicmol (145) each took third. Black Hawk-Darlington sophomore Kolbe Ubersox (132) placed fifth in his second straight Division 3 state tournament appearance.
"It says a lot about our program and the kids worked hard and it paid off," Monroe coach Tom Witt said. "They were able to stick with it and persevere. Hayden has always worked hard. He's hard-nosed and never quits."
Witt commended Murray for the way he wrestled in rolling to a win over Peters.
"He had his best match of the year against the Freedom kid," Witt said of Murray. "He got several shots and takedowns. Three weeks ago at conference, I don't know if he thought he would be a placewinner at state."
Murray said everything just came together in his match against Peters.
"I just kept in the attack mode," he said.
Murray ended his career with 110 career wins and Arneson finished with 94 career wins.
"It's a big accomplishment," Murray said. "Ever since I was a freshman, my two goals were to get 100 career wins and get on the podium."
Arneson (34-8) lost a nail-biting wrestleback match to Lomira senior Collin Feucht 6-4. Arneson scored on a takedown with about one minute left to tie the match at 4. Feucht then scored on a reversal in the final 20 seconds to seal the win. Arneson rebounded and pinned Wrightstown senior Matthew Van Eperen in 2:41 in a fifth-place match.
"I have worked my whole life for this," Arneson said. "I had bigger goals. I know if I would have won that match against that Lomira kid, I would have taken third. I almost had a reversal, but I ran out of time. That happens. All of the hard work has paid off. I did the best I can."
Arneson was teary-eyed coming off the mat for the final time after pinning Van Eperen.
"It's worth all the sweat and tears I have put into it," Arneson said. "Some kids think wrestling is hard. The thing is it will end eventually. If you want to be the best you have to put in the work because one day it will be over."
Katzenmeyer earned a shot at a third-place medal by beating Freedom senior Mitch Garvey 8-3 in a wrestleback match.
Kicmol edged Ellsowrth senior Cole Skelton 1-0 in a third-place match. Kicmol got a chance to wrestle for third after knocking off Freedom junior Evan Vosters 7-1.
"It says a lot for our regional," Witt said. "That's why Evansville and us finished 1-2 in the regional. They (Evansville-Albany) have some really good wrestlers and we do too."
In Division 3, Ubersox slipped by Coleman sophomore Jake Baldwin 9-7 in a fifth-place match. Ubersox ended up in the fifth-place match after being pinned by Stratford junior Jake Drexler in 1:59.
Monroe's other state qualifier, junior Sam Kind (160), lost a preliminary match Thursday to Martin Luther senior Mikey Rohleder on a pin. Rohleder went on to place fourth at state.
"He will be really motivated for next year," Witt said of Kind. "To me, our team can win regionals. We just have to put in the time. He (Kind) has to grab extra kids to put in the time."
