MONROE - Traiten Gorr doesn't mind having a sibling wrestling shadow in his corner: He wants to let his wrestling do the talking.
Gorr, a Monroe junior, won the championship at 220 pounds at the Monroe Invitational Saturday and was named the tournament's most valuable wrestler after he edged No. 5-ranked Will Utesh of Big Foot-Williams Bay 2-0 in the championship match.
"It means a lot because we are in front of our home crowd," Gorr said of the title. "He's a state caliber wrestler."
Traiten's older brother, Trevor Gorr, a two-time state qualifier, was on hand and gave him advice and support from a coaching chair near the mat.
"I've looked up to him for years," Traiten Gorr said. "He's always been there when I get down on a match. He's been an inspiration."
Gorr (33-2), ranked No. 8 in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online Division 2 poll, was honored to be named the MVP of the tournament.
"It means quite a bit," he said. "It means people know I put in time."
Gorr wasn't the only wrestler to put in a full day of work on the mat. Black Hawk-Darlington had five wrestlers reach the finals and crowned three champions: Senior Beau Holland (132), junior Conrad Blosch (182) and senior heavyweight Zach Wolf (32-2). Whitewater edged Black Hawk-Darlington for the team title 202.5-190.
"We wanted to take it again," Black Hawk-Darlington co-coach Jim Seffrood said of repeating as Monroe Invitational champions. "They are coming off a pretty big high beating sixth-ranked Fennimore."
In one of the most thrilling matches in the finals, Wolf for Black Hawk-Darlington scored on an escape with 14 seconds left in a title match against Whitewater's Daniel Soto to cut the deficit to 4-3. Wolf then scored on a takedown with seven seconds to go to clinch a comeback 5-4 win. It marks the second straight year that Wolf has won a championship at heavyweight at the Monroe Invite.
"I hate losing more than I like winning," Wolf said. "You always know how you feel after you lose. It's always in the back of my mind."
Trailing 4-2 late in the third period, Wolf's desire drove him.
"I looked at the clock and there was about 30 seconds left," he said. "I knew I needed at least three points. At the end, I knew he was getting tired and I knew I could get a quick shot on him."
Gorr pinned Whitewater's Michael Lippens in a quarterfinal match in 3:30. He defeated Cuba City-Southwestern's Aaron McCarthy 6-3 in the semifinals.
Monroe coach Tom Witt commended Gorr for wrestling smart in the championship match.
"He was solid all-around," Witt said. "I think he would have probably pinned him if he would have had another 10 or 15 seconds. He has good mat savvy and has good mat instincts. He's deceptively strong. No one has held him down yet."
Holland (132) defeated Cuba City-Southwestern's Alex Busch 14-1 in the championship match. Holland (32-7) opened the tournament with a bye and then pinned Monroe's Travis Wolf in 2:30.
"It feels awesome, especially coming off of the win against Fennimore," Holland said. "It feels even better today."
Teammate Blosch (19-6) battled back from a 7-3 deficit to pin Poynette's Joe Stepehens in 5:44. Blosch received a bye in the quarterfinals and then defeated Belmont-Platteville's Taylor Halverson 14-2.
Black Hawk-Darlington's Slade Norton went 2-1 to finish second. He defeated Clinton's Bobby Oldenberg 9-4 in a quarterfinal match and knocked off Prairie du Chien's Stephen Ronnfeldt 6-2 in the semifinals. Whitewater's James Ehlen then defeated Norton 5-0 in the title match.
"I'm really excited," Blosch said. "I have been working hard. I was a little nervous in the beginning. I'm always nervous when there are big meet. I knew he (Ehlen) was getting wore down. I was tired too, but I had to keep going. He broke before I did."
Another intense match included Black Hawk-Darlington's Colin Novak losing a nail-biter in overtime 8-6 in the title match to Cuba City-Southwestern's Josh Donar. Novak come through with a reversal with 33 seconds to go in the third period to tie the match at 6. He looked to lock up a cradle late in the third period, but ran out of time. Donar won the match with a takedown in overtime.
"I think we deserved back points in the first period," Seffrood said. "He's not intimidated by anything. He will be ready to wrestle him again Friday."
For the Cheesemakers, Hayden Arneson was the only other wrestler to reach a title match. Arneson defeated Monroe's Joe Hughes in a quarterfinal match 5-0. He then edged Prairie du Chien's Tye Schafer 3-0 in the semifinals. In the championship match, Whitewater's Tommy DuVal pinned Arneson in 3:48.
Monroe sophomore Cole Murray (126) and Arneson (195) each finished second place. Black Hawk-Darlington's Novak (138) and Norton (160) each finished second place.
Murray went 3-1 in the tournament for the Cheesemakers. He defeated Big Foot-Williams Bay's Ronald Weber 15-3 and pinned Whitewater's Michael Fernandez in 1:12. Prairie du Chien's Clayton Beers beat Murray 7-2 and pinned Black Hawk-Darlington's Grady Rielly in 3:47 to seal second place.
"I would consider it the finals," Murray said of his loss to Prarie du Chien's Beers. "It would have been better to get first. I let him get some takedowns that shouldn't have happened. I feel good, but I haven't reached my peak yet. I feel good about getting to sectionals and getting to state is my goal."
Black Hawk-Darlington's Casey Lobdell (152) and Taylor Evenstad (220) each went 3-1 to finish third place. Lobdell (16-15) defeated Monroe's Jared Amacher in a third-place match 5-0. Evenstad (23-5) pinned Clinton's Jesus Balli in 2:46 for third place. Black Hawk-Darlington's Paul King pinned Whitewater's Tommy Cuashman in 4:33 to take third place. Monroe sophomore Kyle Walter at heavyweight took third place and aggravated a knee injury.
The Cheesemakers had three wrestlers take fourth place, including freshman Dempzy Foley (138), Amacher (152) and sophomore Isaac Allen. Black Hawk-Darlington's Caleb Novak (145) went 2-2 and took fourth place.
Gorr, a Monroe junior, won the championship at 220 pounds at the Monroe Invitational Saturday and was named the tournament's most valuable wrestler after he edged No. 5-ranked Will Utesh of Big Foot-Williams Bay 2-0 in the championship match.
"It means a lot because we are in front of our home crowd," Gorr said of the title. "He's a state caliber wrestler."
Traiten's older brother, Trevor Gorr, a two-time state qualifier, was on hand and gave him advice and support from a coaching chair near the mat.
"I've looked up to him for years," Traiten Gorr said. "He's always been there when I get down on a match. He's been an inspiration."
Gorr (33-2), ranked No. 8 in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online Division 2 poll, was honored to be named the MVP of the tournament.
"It means quite a bit," he said. "It means people know I put in time."
Gorr wasn't the only wrestler to put in a full day of work on the mat. Black Hawk-Darlington had five wrestlers reach the finals and crowned three champions: Senior Beau Holland (132), junior Conrad Blosch (182) and senior heavyweight Zach Wolf (32-2). Whitewater edged Black Hawk-Darlington for the team title 202.5-190.
"We wanted to take it again," Black Hawk-Darlington co-coach Jim Seffrood said of repeating as Monroe Invitational champions. "They are coming off a pretty big high beating sixth-ranked Fennimore."
In one of the most thrilling matches in the finals, Wolf for Black Hawk-Darlington scored on an escape with 14 seconds left in a title match against Whitewater's Daniel Soto to cut the deficit to 4-3. Wolf then scored on a takedown with seven seconds to go to clinch a comeback 5-4 win. It marks the second straight year that Wolf has won a championship at heavyweight at the Monroe Invite.
"I hate losing more than I like winning," Wolf said. "You always know how you feel after you lose. It's always in the back of my mind."
Trailing 4-2 late in the third period, Wolf's desire drove him.
"I looked at the clock and there was about 30 seconds left," he said. "I knew I needed at least three points. At the end, I knew he was getting tired and I knew I could get a quick shot on him."
Gorr pinned Whitewater's Michael Lippens in a quarterfinal match in 3:30. He defeated Cuba City-Southwestern's Aaron McCarthy 6-3 in the semifinals.
Monroe coach Tom Witt commended Gorr for wrestling smart in the championship match.
"He was solid all-around," Witt said. "I think he would have probably pinned him if he would have had another 10 or 15 seconds. He has good mat savvy and has good mat instincts. He's deceptively strong. No one has held him down yet."
Holland (132) defeated Cuba City-Southwestern's Alex Busch 14-1 in the championship match. Holland (32-7) opened the tournament with a bye and then pinned Monroe's Travis Wolf in 2:30.
"It feels awesome, especially coming off of the win against Fennimore," Holland said. "It feels even better today."
Teammate Blosch (19-6) battled back from a 7-3 deficit to pin Poynette's Joe Stepehens in 5:44. Blosch received a bye in the quarterfinals and then defeated Belmont-Platteville's Taylor Halverson 14-2.
Black Hawk-Darlington's Slade Norton went 2-1 to finish second. He defeated Clinton's Bobby Oldenberg 9-4 in a quarterfinal match and knocked off Prairie du Chien's Stephen Ronnfeldt 6-2 in the semifinals. Whitewater's James Ehlen then defeated Norton 5-0 in the title match.
"I'm really excited," Blosch said. "I have been working hard. I was a little nervous in the beginning. I'm always nervous when there are big meet. I knew he (Ehlen) was getting wore down. I was tired too, but I had to keep going. He broke before I did."
Another intense match included Black Hawk-Darlington's Colin Novak losing a nail-biter in overtime 8-6 in the title match to Cuba City-Southwestern's Josh Donar. Novak come through with a reversal with 33 seconds to go in the third period to tie the match at 6. He looked to lock up a cradle late in the third period, but ran out of time. Donar won the match with a takedown in overtime.
"I think we deserved back points in the first period," Seffrood said. "He's not intimidated by anything. He will be ready to wrestle him again Friday."
For the Cheesemakers, Hayden Arneson was the only other wrestler to reach a title match. Arneson defeated Monroe's Joe Hughes in a quarterfinal match 5-0. He then edged Prairie du Chien's Tye Schafer 3-0 in the semifinals. In the championship match, Whitewater's Tommy DuVal pinned Arneson in 3:48.
Monroe sophomore Cole Murray (126) and Arneson (195) each finished second place. Black Hawk-Darlington's Novak (138) and Norton (160) each finished second place.
Murray went 3-1 in the tournament for the Cheesemakers. He defeated Big Foot-Williams Bay's Ronald Weber 15-3 and pinned Whitewater's Michael Fernandez in 1:12. Prairie du Chien's Clayton Beers beat Murray 7-2 and pinned Black Hawk-Darlington's Grady Rielly in 3:47 to seal second place.
"I would consider it the finals," Murray said of his loss to Prarie du Chien's Beers. "It would have been better to get first. I let him get some takedowns that shouldn't have happened. I feel good, but I haven't reached my peak yet. I feel good about getting to sectionals and getting to state is my goal."
Black Hawk-Darlington's Casey Lobdell (152) and Taylor Evenstad (220) each went 3-1 to finish third place. Lobdell (16-15) defeated Monroe's Jared Amacher in a third-place match 5-0. Evenstad (23-5) pinned Clinton's Jesus Balli in 2:46 for third place. Black Hawk-Darlington's Paul King pinned Whitewater's Tommy Cuashman in 4:33 to take third place. Monroe sophomore Kyle Walter at heavyweight took third place and aggravated a knee injury.
The Cheesemakers had three wrestlers take fourth place, including freshman Dempzy Foley (138), Amacher (152) and sophomore Isaac Allen. Black Hawk-Darlington's Caleb Novak (145) went 2-2 and took fourth place.
