By Autumn Peissig
SEYMOUR – On Saturday, Feb. 6, the Hatchet wrestling team traveled to Seymour High School to compete in the WIAA Division II Sectional Wrestling Meet. In order to advance to the State Meet, wrestlers would need a first or second-place finish in the Seymour Thunder Dome. The Hatchets would have nine wrestlers attempting to be the next state qualifier in a long and strong tradition of wrestling in Tomahawk.
The day started off at the 106-lb. weight class. Freshman Presley Gutbrod came into the tournament as a regional champion with a record of 13-2. Gutbrod’s first round matchup against T. Nicklaus (Brillion) would prove to be a difficult one, as Gutbrod was pinned in 3:16. Gutbod would come back with a quick pin in the second round over C. Sherman (PESH) in 18 seconds. Gutbrod would give up a pin in the third round to C. Kleinschmidt (Winn) at the 3:02 mark to put him in the fifth-place match, where he would pin G. Ganter (OCFA) in 1:53.
Sophomore Addison Peissig’s first round match would pit him against the #7-ranked wrestler in the state, G. Pankratz (OCFA). Pankratz would prove to be too much for Peissig, beating him 16-0. Pankratz would go on to be the eventual champion. Peissig’s second round match against G. Deiter (BRIL) would be more evenly matched. Late in the third period, Peissig was losing 3-1, where he gambled on a move to take down Deiter that failed. The final score was 5-1, Deiter.
At 120 lbs., freshman Ryan Larsen would not compete due to non-COVID-19-related illness.
Tomahawk junior Blake Felser took on C. McHough (FREE) in the opening round and gave up a pin in 3:08. Felser’s second match would prove equally challenging, as he would give up another pin to J.Ganter (OCFA) in 4:22.
In the 145-lb. weight class, sophomore Mason Evans faced N. Alexander (WRIG) in a very competitive match that would see Evans take Alexander down in the first period to go up 2-0. In the second period, Alexander would ride Evans out, only giving up a penalty point, giving Evans a 3-0 lead. The third period would be a different story. Alexander’s riding ability would eventually wear down Evans. The final score was 6-3, Alexander. Evans’ next match would be against senior B. Linsmeyer (Seymour). After a tight first period, Linsmeyer would pull away for an 8-4 win.
Junior Logan Bishop wrestled at 152 lbs., dominating his first round match against J. Caldwell (OCFA), 14-0. Bishop’s second round match would be a little more challenging, as he would face the returning state runner up and #1-ranked wrestler at 152, senior B. Thelen (TWRI). Bishop would challenge Thelen’s physical nature; however, Thelen would not be denied his desire to be in the finals and went on to beat Bishop 6-0. Bishop came back with a vengeance, pinning his next two opponents, R. Hagerty (Antigo) in 2:26 and J. Bieber (MARI) in 1:25. Bishop’s wrestle back match for second place would be against senior B.Bredael (Freed). Bishop would get caught in a throw in the first period to go down 5-0. In the next frame, Bishop would get a two-point reversal only to give up a reversal, 7-2. The final period saw Bredael pull away and win the match 11-4. Bishop ended up as a third-place finisher.
Hatchet senior Isaiah Scheffler would also find himself with a challenging first round matchup against two-time state champion and #1-ranked wrestler at 182, C. Whiting (OCFA). Scheffler would give up the pin in 1:24 (Whiting would go on to pin everyone he faced on the day). Scheffler would give up a pin in his consolation match as well at the 3:31 mark when he wrestled L. Koel (WRIG).
Tomahawk senior Kade Wenninger (2019 State Qualifier) competed at 195 lbs. At 15-0 and crowned regional champion the weekend prior, hopes were high for him to return to the state meet. Wenninger controlled D. Krings (WINN) in his first match, winning 4-1. Wenninger’s second match would be much like the first, where he strolled to a 6-2 win over C. Thomas (PESH). In his final’s match against S. Galoff (BRIL), Wenninger would tie up in a collar tie when Galoff would catch Wenninger in a throw and pin him in 1:03. Wenninger would now have to beat M. Janssen (Little Chute) to earn his way to the state meet. Wenninger would take a beautiful shot in the first period only to see Janssen roll through and put Wenninger on his back and get the surprising pin in 1:53. Wenninger would finish in third place.
In the final weight class of the day, senior Erik Decker would wrestle at heavyweight in a very talented bracket where five of the eight wrestlers in this bracket were ranked. Decker (2019 State Qualifier) would show off his work in the weight room by controlling his first match against M. Kallies (OCFA) before pinning him in 5:28. Decker’s semi-finals match would be against the #6-ranked wrestler in T. LeGrave (LUCA). LeGrave’s flat-out size was too much for Decker’s strength. LeGrave got the pin in 1:15. K. Pues (NELO) would be Decker’s next match, now in the consolation side of the bracket. Pues would pin Decker in 3:25. Decker’s final match of the day and his career would be a rematch of the regional finals with J. Schaefbauer (NEKO). Schaefbauer, a large, powerful junior, would pin Decker in 54 seconds. Decker would finish in sixth place.