BELLEVILLE - Monroe wrestling coach Jeriamy Jackson didn't need to be reassured that his two upper weight wrestlers were at an elite level, but Saturday's Raider Scramble gave him another confirmation.
Monroe sophomore Trevor Gorr at 215 pounds and heavyweight Nick Walker each won championships at the Belleville meet. Gorr went 4-0 and posted three pins. He pinned Sugar River's A.J. Halbach in 1 minute, 35 seconds. He pinned Cuba City-Southwestern's Forrest Thill in 1:59. He defeated Sauk Prairie's Michael Gamboa 3-1 and pinned Evansville-Albany's Ben Reed in 3:23. Gamboa was unbeaten until Gorr got the best of him.
"We knew we expected a lot out of him," Jackson said of Gorr. "They (Gorr and Walker) were certainly expected to be up there in the finals."
Walker also went 4-0 with three pins. Walker pinned Cuba City-Southwestern's Michael Loeffelholz in 3:10 and Madison East's Kyle Parker in 1:11. He defeated Sauk Prairie senior Dante Lewis 4-0 and pinned Mount Horeb-Barneveld's Justin Lund in 2:57.
Sauk Prairie ran away with the Raider Scramble title 216-132.5 over Mount Horeb-Barneveld. Evansville-Albany (134) finished fourth, just ahead of fifth-place Monroe (121) and sixth-place Sugar River (58). A short-handed Cheesemaker team was down to 10 wrestlers with Rustin Alton (130) injured, sophomore Caleb Rupnow sidelined after two matches with the flu, and Troy Hawkinson (171) not making the trip.
"I felt a lot better than what the standings showed," Jackson said. "We had five wrestlers in the finals. It was kind of a surprise."
The Cheesemakers had three wrestlers finish in second place, including sophomore Aaron Hesgard (119), sophomore Kevin Klopfenstein (125) and senior Dylan Schwitz (152).
Sugar River senior Mike Nolden at 189 pounds went 5-0 with three pins and took first place and Sugar River freshman Young-Chul Vetterli (135) went 3-1 and took second place.
"It's a tournament where our younger wrestlers can get the opportunity to see what it looks like and feels like," Sugar River coach Peter Swenson said. "We have to be aggressive. We can't wait back."
Vetterli pulled off an escape and then had a takedown in double overtime to beat Evansville-Albany junior Kollin Madsen 6-3.
"He has got to watch and learn from his older brother," Swenson said. "He's a freshman and he will make mistakes. In his weight class, if he can wrestle without mistakes and be aggressive, than who knows. He has the right attitude."
For the Cheesemakers, Hesgard finished 4-1 with a pair of pins. He defeated Madison East's Abner Jacobson 11-1 and Sauk Prairie's Austin Fjoser 8-5 to go into the match against Evansville-Albany senior J.J. Boley unbeaten. However, Boley pinned Hesgard in 3:04 to take the title. Hesgard entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed.
"I'm not really worried about what seed I am," Hesgard said. "I just want to go out and wrestle and do my best in every match to try to win."
Klopfenstein also went 4-1. Klopfenstein, a state qualifier last year, had an early season showdown with Cuba City-Southwestern's Bob Donar, who finished as the state runner-up last year. He lost 3-2. Last year, Klopfenstein was leading Donar at the Sugar River Scramble when Donar suffered a concussion and couldn't finish. Donar then defeated Klopfenstein at the Monroe Invitational and at the regional.
"It makes me a better wrestler," Klopfenstein said about going against Donar, who has a 3-1 record against him. "It's not a disappointment to take second because Bob Donar took second at state last year."
Jackson was looking forward to Klopfenstein getting another opportunity to wrestle Donar.
"This is a good test for both guys to see where they are at," Jackson said.
Schwitz at 152 also finished 4-1 and had two pins. He defeated Mount Horeb-Barneveld's Jake Kruse 6-0 and Evansville-Albany's Tom Bjugstad 5-2. Sauk Prairie senior Thomas Seiler edged Schwitz 4-1.
Schwitz said he wanted to place in the top two.
"I just want to wrestle the way I can and come out with a win," he said.
Schwitz was a state qualifier as a sophomore. He qualified for sectionals last year, but missed a trip to state. He vows to make a return this year.
"I'm pushing myself every time I go out on the mat to be better," he said.
Monroe sophomore Jesse Keizer (112) went 2-2 and took third place. The Cheesemakers had a trio of wrestlers finish fourth, including junior Cody Stamm (140), freshman Ryan Hughes (160) and sophomore Dusty Burkhalter (189).
Monroe sophomore Trevor Gorr at 215 pounds and heavyweight Nick Walker each won championships at the Belleville meet. Gorr went 4-0 and posted three pins. He pinned Sugar River's A.J. Halbach in 1 minute, 35 seconds. He pinned Cuba City-Southwestern's Forrest Thill in 1:59. He defeated Sauk Prairie's Michael Gamboa 3-1 and pinned Evansville-Albany's Ben Reed in 3:23. Gamboa was unbeaten until Gorr got the best of him.
"We knew we expected a lot out of him," Jackson said of Gorr. "They (Gorr and Walker) were certainly expected to be up there in the finals."
Walker also went 4-0 with three pins. Walker pinned Cuba City-Southwestern's Michael Loeffelholz in 3:10 and Madison East's Kyle Parker in 1:11. He defeated Sauk Prairie senior Dante Lewis 4-0 and pinned Mount Horeb-Barneveld's Justin Lund in 2:57.
Sauk Prairie ran away with the Raider Scramble title 216-132.5 over Mount Horeb-Barneveld. Evansville-Albany (134) finished fourth, just ahead of fifth-place Monroe (121) and sixth-place Sugar River (58). A short-handed Cheesemaker team was down to 10 wrestlers with Rustin Alton (130) injured, sophomore Caleb Rupnow sidelined after two matches with the flu, and Troy Hawkinson (171) not making the trip.
"I felt a lot better than what the standings showed," Jackson said. "We had five wrestlers in the finals. It was kind of a surprise."
The Cheesemakers had three wrestlers finish in second place, including sophomore Aaron Hesgard (119), sophomore Kevin Klopfenstein (125) and senior Dylan Schwitz (152).
Sugar River senior Mike Nolden at 189 pounds went 5-0 with three pins and took first place and Sugar River freshman Young-Chul Vetterli (135) went 3-1 and took second place.
"It's a tournament where our younger wrestlers can get the opportunity to see what it looks like and feels like," Sugar River coach Peter Swenson said. "We have to be aggressive. We can't wait back."
Vetterli pulled off an escape and then had a takedown in double overtime to beat Evansville-Albany junior Kollin Madsen 6-3.
"He has got to watch and learn from his older brother," Swenson said. "He's a freshman and he will make mistakes. In his weight class, if he can wrestle without mistakes and be aggressive, than who knows. He has the right attitude."
For the Cheesemakers, Hesgard finished 4-1 with a pair of pins. He defeated Madison East's Abner Jacobson 11-1 and Sauk Prairie's Austin Fjoser 8-5 to go into the match against Evansville-Albany senior J.J. Boley unbeaten. However, Boley pinned Hesgard in 3:04 to take the title. Hesgard entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed.
"I'm not really worried about what seed I am," Hesgard said. "I just want to go out and wrestle and do my best in every match to try to win."
Klopfenstein also went 4-1. Klopfenstein, a state qualifier last year, had an early season showdown with Cuba City-Southwestern's Bob Donar, who finished as the state runner-up last year. He lost 3-2. Last year, Klopfenstein was leading Donar at the Sugar River Scramble when Donar suffered a concussion and couldn't finish. Donar then defeated Klopfenstein at the Monroe Invitational and at the regional.
"It makes me a better wrestler," Klopfenstein said about going against Donar, who has a 3-1 record against him. "It's not a disappointment to take second because Bob Donar took second at state last year."
Jackson was looking forward to Klopfenstein getting another opportunity to wrestle Donar.
"This is a good test for both guys to see where they are at," Jackson said.
Schwitz at 152 also finished 4-1 and had two pins. He defeated Mount Horeb-Barneveld's Jake Kruse 6-0 and Evansville-Albany's Tom Bjugstad 5-2. Sauk Prairie senior Thomas Seiler edged Schwitz 4-1.
Schwitz said he wanted to place in the top two.
"I just want to wrestle the way I can and come out with a win," he said.
Schwitz was a state qualifier as a sophomore. He qualified for sectionals last year, but missed a trip to state. He vows to make a return this year.
"I'm pushing myself every time I go out on the mat to be better," he said.
Monroe sophomore Jesse Keizer (112) went 2-2 and took third place. The Cheesemakers had a trio of wrestlers finish fourth, including junior Cody Stamm (140), freshman Ryan Hughes (160) and sophomore Dusty Burkhalter (189).
