MADISON - Several months ago, Monroe High School senior Cole Murray created a cell phone message that served as a constant reminder about his goals for this weekend.
Before the first takedown of the season, Murray entered his goal of placing at state on his cell phone.
That goal became reality after Murray pulled off a thrilling finish by scoring on a reversal with 20 seconds to go to win a gut-wrencher 3-2 over Ellsworth sophomore Jared Lansing in a wrestleback match at the WIAA Division 2 state tournament Friday at the Kohl Center. Murray (35-12), ranked sixth in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online Division 2 poll, assured himself of a medal at state. It marked a rematch for Murray against Lansing, who he beat 4-2 at the Bi-State Classic in December.
Monroe senior Hayden Arneson (33-7), ranked fourth in Division 2, also lost his first round match but then defeated junior Stephen Ronnfeldt of Prairie du Chien-Wauzeka Steuben 8-5 in a wrestleback to guarantee himself a medal.
"Every day it (the message about state) would pop up on my phone, and I could look at it," Murray said. "I knew I had to get one or two (points). I ended up getting the reversal. I then just had to keep him down to win the match."
Murray will wrestle Freedom sophomore Sam Peters (32-9) in a wrestleback match for a shot at third place today. Peters lost a semifinal match to top-ranked Viroqua junior Ryan Hannah (47-2) 8-0. It's Murray's first state berth for wrestling, and he's excited to earn a medal no matter the color.
"It's always been a goal of mine to place at state," Murray said. "It's a dream come true. I knew I could get here. I just had to wrestle up to my ability."
Both Murray and Arneson were tested early on as the Cheesemaker duo struggled in quarterfinal matches against the state's second-ranked wrestlers in their respective weight classes. Arneson also responded by knocking off Ronnfeldt. After a scoreless first period, Arneson scored on an escape and had a takedown in the second period to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Arneson stayed in control the entire match after building a 5-1 lead. He sealed the win with a near fall.
"Once I saw Cole win it in the end, I was like now I've got to win it and join my brother," Arneson said. "I have wanted this my whole life. I wanted to make it to the finals. I can't now. I want to finish as high on the podium as I can now. I know my dad is really proud of me."
Arneson will wrestle Lomira senior Collin Feucht in a wrestleback match for a shot at the third-place match. Arneson defeated Ronnfeldt 14-1 in the sectional last week, but he understood it wouldn't be a cakewalk this time.
"I knew it wasn't going to be easy," Arneson said. "I wrestled him (Ronnfeldt) last week and I think he had a bad match. He came back to beat the fifth-ranked kid to get to state."
The Monroe duo wasn't the only headliner at the state tournament. Six of the 11 area state qualifiers are still in contention for a medal. Evansville-Albany's Lucius Rinehart will compete for a gold medal tonight, and two other area wrestlers reached the semifinals - Evansville-Albany senior Chase Katzenmeyer (126) and Black Hawk-Darlington sophomore Kolbe Ubersox at 132 in Division 3.
Ubersox defeated Horicon junior Bill Condon 13-7 in a quarterfinal match. Cochrane-Fountain City junior Tate Murty (34-1) defeated Ubersox 6-0 in a semifinal match. Ubersox will face Stratford junior Jake Drexler this morning.
"I was shooting for a state championship," he said. "I think it takes some of the pressure off knowing I already have a medal. It feels good as a sophomore."
Ubersox said he always tries to get the first takedown.
"I just kept pushing the pace, running my offense and getting on a roll," he said.
Katzenmeyer pinned Kewaskum freshman Braden Maertz in 3 minutes, 13 seconds. Katzenmeyer then lost 4-3 to freshman Aiden Medora (37-3) of the St. John's Northwest Military Academy in a semifinal match. Katzenmeyer will face Freedom senior Mitch Garvey this morning.
Rinehart (35-0), ranked No. 1, rolled to a 12-1 victory over Feucht in a semifinal. He will face Spencer-Columbus Catholic junior Hunter Luepke in the final tonight.
It was a tough road early on Thursday for the area's state qualifiers. New London senior Scott Cook (32-2) defeated Murray 11-3 in a quarterfinal match. Cook scored on a takedown in the first 35 seconds. He then added a two-point near fall late in the first period to take a 4-0 lead. Cook took an insurmountable lead with a takedown with 40 seconds to go in the second period to take a 7-0 lead.
"I told my coaches I thought I wrestled a good match," Murray said. "Usually, when I choose down I can get up. He did a really good job and kept me down for the full two minutes."
Arneson also faced the state's second-ranked wrestler in a quarterfinal, Luepke of Spencer-Columbus Catholic. Luepke dominated the match, rolling to a 12-3 win over Arneson. Luepke jumped out to a 9-0 lead. He was fueled by a takedown with 1:20 left in the first period. Luepke then caught Arneson in a cradle hold for a two-point near fall to take a 4-0 lead with 55 seconds to go in the first period.
Arneson trailed 9-0 entering the third period after Luepke scored on a near fall at the end of the second period.
Arneson scored on an escape with 33 seconds to go in the third period and had a takedown with 1 second to go.
"Luepke is a very good wrestler," Arneson said. "He's just a different class I guess. He was just faster and outwrestled me."
Evansville-Albany junior Nolan Kicmol is still alive for medal. Oconto Falls senior Bryce Ash beat Kicmol in a nail-biter 6-5 in a quarterfinal match. Kicmol came back and slipped by Barron senior Noah Massie in an overtime wrestleback match 10-8.
Evansville-Albany junior Branden Lange and Black Hawk-Darlington junior Tyler Mosley's seasons came to an end. Lomira senior Adam Kinyon pinned Lange in a quarterfinal match in 6:16. Senior Nick Rueth of Neillsville-Greenway-Loyal clipped Lange 3-1 in a wrestleback match. Random Lake senior Helton Vandenbush (44-1) defeated Mosley 13-4 in a quarterfinal match. Then in a wrestleback, Boyceville junior Justin Malean beat Mosley 15-1.
Before the first takedown of the season, Murray entered his goal of placing at state on his cell phone.
That goal became reality after Murray pulled off a thrilling finish by scoring on a reversal with 20 seconds to go to win a gut-wrencher 3-2 over Ellsworth sophomore Jared Lansing in a wrestleback match at the WIAA Division 2 state tournament Friday at the Kohl Center. Murray (35-12), ranked sixth in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online Division 2 poll, assured himself of a medal at state. It marked a rematch for Murray against Lansing, who he beat 4-2 at the Bi-State Classic in December.
Monroe senior Hayden Arneson (33-7), ranked fourth in Division 2, also lost his first round match but then defeated junior Stephen Ronnfeldt of Prairie du Chien-Wauzeka Steuben 8-5 in a wrestleback to guarantee himself a medal.
"Every day it (the message about state) would pop up on my phone, and I could look at it," Murray said. "I knew I had to get one or two (points). I ended up getting the reversal. I then just had to keep him down to win the match."
Murray will wrestle Freedom sophomore Sam Peters (32-9) in a wrestleback match for a shot at third place today. Peters lost a semifinal match to top-ranked Viroqua junior Ryan Hannah (47-2) 8-0. It's Murray's first state berth for wrestling, and he's excited to earn a medal no matter the color.
"It's always been a goal of mine to place at state," Murray said. "It's a dream come true. I knew I could get here. I just had to wrestle up to my ability."
Both Murray and Arneson were tested early on as the Cheesemaker duo struggled in quarterfinal matches against the state's second-ranked wrestlers in their respective weight classes. Arneson also responded by knocking off Ronnfeldt. After a scoreless first period, Arneson scored on an escape and had a takedown in the second period to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Arneson stayed in control the entire match after building a 5-1 lead. He sealed the win with a near fall.
"Once I saw Cole win it in the end, I was like now I've got to win it and join my brother," Arneson said. "I have wanted this my whole life. I wanted to make it to the finals. I can't now. I want to finish as high on the podium as I can now. I know my dad is really proud of me."
Arneson will wrestle Lomira senior Collin Feucht in a wrestleback match for a shot at the third-place match. Arneson defeated Ronnfeldt 14-1 in the sectional last week, but he understood it wouldn't be a cakewalk this time.
"I knew it wasn't going to be easy," Arneson said. "I wrestled him (Ronnfeldt) last week and I think he had a bad match. He came back to beat the fifth-ranked kid to get to state."
The Monroe duo wasn't the only headliner at the state tournament. Six of the 11 area state qualifiers are still in contention for a medal. Evansville-Albany's Lucius Rinehart will compete for a gold medal tonight, and two other area wrestlers reached the semifinals - Evansville-Albany senior Chase Katzenmeyer (126) and Black Hawk-Darlington sophomore Kolbe Ubersox at 132 in Division 3.
Ubersox defeated Horicon junior Bill Condon 13-7 in a quarterfinal match. Cochrane-Fountain City junior Tate Murty (34-1) defeated Ubersox 6-0 in a semifinal match. Ubersox will face Stratford junior Jake Drexler this morning.
"I was shooting for a state championship," he said. "I think it takes some of the pressure off knowing I already have a medal. It feels good as a sophomore."
Ubersox said he always tries to get the first takedown.
"I just kept pushing the pace, running my offense and getting on a roll," he said.
Katzenmeyer pinned Kewaskum freshman Braden Maertz in 3 minutes, 13 seconds. Katzenmeyer then lost 4-3 to freshman Aiden Medora (37-3) of the St. John's Northwest Military Academy in a semifinal match. Katzenmeyer will face Freedom senior Mitch Garvey this morning.
Rinehart (35-0), ranked No. 1, rolled to a 12-1 victory over Feucht in a semifinal. He will face Spencer-Columbus Catholic junior Hunter Luepke in the final tonight.
It was a tough road early on Thursday for the area's state qualifiers. New London senior Scott Cook (32-2) defeated Murray 11-3 in a quarterfinal match. Cook scored on a takedown in the first 35 seconds. He then added a two-point near fall late in the first period to take a 4-0 lead. Cook took an insurmountable lead with a takedown with 40 seconds to go in the second period to take a 7-0 lead.
"I told my coaches I thought I wrestled a good match," Murray said. "Usually, when I choose down I can get up. He did a really good job and kept me down for the full two minutes."
Arneson also faced the state's second-ranked wrestler in a quarterfinal, Luepke of Spencer-Columbus Catholic. Luepke dominated the match, rolling to a 12-3 win over Arneson. Luepke jumped out to a 9-0 lead. He was fueled by a takedown with 1:20 left in the first period. Luepke then caught Arneson in a cradle hold for a two-point near fall to take a 4-0 lead with 55 seconds to go in the first period.
Arneson trailed 9-0 entering the third period after Luepke scored on a near fall at the end of the second period.
Arneson scored on an escape with 33 seconds to go in the third period and had a takedown with 1 second to go.
"Luepke is a very good wrestler," Arneson said. "He's just a different class I guess. He was just faster and outwrestled me."
Evansville-Albany junior Nolan Kicmol is still alive for medal. Oconto Falls senior Bryce Ash beat Kicmol in a nail-biter 6-5 in a quarterfinal match. Kicmol came back and slipped by Barron senior Noah Massie in an overtime wrestleback match 10-8.
Evansville-Albany junior Branden Lange and Black Hawk-Darlington junior Tyler Mosley's seasons came to an end. Lomira senior Adam Kinyon pinned Lange in a quarterfinal match in 6:16. Senior Nick Rueth of Neillsville-Greenway-Loyal clipped Lange 3-1 in a wrestleback match. Random Lake senior Helton Vandenbush (44-1) defeated Mosley 13-4 in a quarterfinal match. Then in a wrestleback, Boyceville junior Justin Malean beat Mosley 15-1.
