Looking ahead to sectionals

Sparta’s 2013 sectional qualifiers

With eight wrestlers in Saturday’s sectionals, Sparta will have ample opportunity to send a solid contingent to the Kohl Center next week. It won’t be easy as there are a number of very good and highly ranked wrestlers joining Sparta in Richland Center on Saturday. Here are the teams sending wrestlers Sparta’s way this weekend…

Adams-Friendship, Belleville/Monticello/New Glarus, Belmont/Platteville, Brodhead/Juda, Clinton, Columbus, Cuba City/Southwestern, Dodgeville, Edgerton, Evansville/Albany, Jefferson, Lake Mills, Lakeside Lutheran, Lodi, Marshall, Mauston, Monroe, Prairie du Chien/Wauzeka-Steuben, Richland Center, River Valley, Turner, Viroqua, West Salem/Bangor, Westfield Area and Wisconsin Dells

The top three finishers Saturday at each weight class will advance to the state tournament beginning Thursday, February 21st at the Kohl Center. Unlike the division one sectional, if you lose your first match, your day is not done. Now let’s see each of the ranked wrestlers on each of the teams…

• Adams-Friendship  –  Trenton McManus is 7th at 106, Trevor McManus is 8th at 120
• Belleville/Monticello/New Glarus  –  Jack Nelson is an honorable mention at 195
• Belmont/Platteville  –  No ranked wrestlers
• Brodhead/Juda  –  Brady Colden is an honorable mention at 160, Hunter Colden is ranked 2nd at 170, Gavin Baade is 9th at 182 and Logan Maurer is 4th at 285
• Clinton  –  Tim Clothier is an honorable mention at 145
• Columbus  –  Mitchell Hasey is an honorable mention at 145
• Cuba City/Southwestern  –  JJ Donar is ranked 5th at 126
• Dodgeville  –  Trevor Wunnicke is ranked 9th at 113 while Austin DeVoss is an honorable mention at 120
• Edgerton  –  No ranked wrestlers
• Evansville/Albany  –  Brandon Robinson is an honorable mention at 120 while Ben Reed is also an honorable mention at 195
• Jefferson  –  No ranked wrestlers
• Lake Mills  –  No ranked wrestlers
• Lakeside Lutheran  –  Brandon Schilling is an honorable mention at 138
• Lodi  –  Jason Clapper is ranked 9th at 106, John Joutras is ranked 7th at 120 and Grant Robertson is an honorable mention at 126
• Marshall  –  Jensen Langer is an honorable mention at 113, Josh Murray is ranked 6th at 120, Devin Weber is ranked 4th at 145, Cole Hansen is an honorable mention at 160 and Alex Marshall is ranked 8th at 220
• Mauston  –  Spencer Davies is ranked 3rd at 126, Colin Dolata is 3rd at 138, Cameron Dahlgren is an honorable mention at 152 and Justin Dolata is an honorable mention at 160
• Monroe  –  Aaron Hesgard is an honorable mention at 132, Kevin Klopfenstein is 4th at 138, Trevor Gorr is 4th at 220 and Brett Zimmerman is 10th at 285
• Prairie du Chien/Wauzeka-Steuben  –  Taylor Elliott is 3rd at 106 and Clayton Beers is 6th at 113
• Richland Center  –  No ranked wrestlers
• River Valley  –  Joe Crook is 5th at 145, Seth Liegel is 1st at 152, Garrett Riek is an honorable mention at 170 and Zach Koch is ranked 9th at 195
• Sparta  –  Dylan Winchel is 7th at 113, John Roddick is 9th at 120, Brock Polhamus is 8th at 132, Michael Murnane is 6th at 145, Kyle Burkhalter is 6th at 182 and Daniel Dawley is 6th at 195
• Turner  –  No ranked wrestlers
• Viroqua  –  JJ McClelland is 1st at 113, Erik Vesbach is an honorable mention at 152 and Clay Fitzpatrick is 4th at 170
• West Salem/Bangor  –  Alex Peters is 4th at 160 and Nick Buisman is 3rd at 195
• Westfield Area  –  No ranked wrestlers
• Wisconsin Dells  –  Jon Mor is an honorable mention at 138

Now let’s look at this same list by weight class…

• 106  –  Trenton McManus of Adams-Friendship is 7th,  Jason Clapper of Lodi is ranked 9th, Taylor Elliott of Prairie du Chien/Wauzeka-Steuben is 3rd
• 113  –  Dodgeville’s Trevor Wunnicke is ranked 9th, Marshall’s Jensen langer is an HM, Prairie du Chien/Wauzeka-Steuben’s Clayton Beers is 6th, Sparta’s Dylan Winchel is 7th and Viroqua’s JJ McClelland is 1st
• 120  –  Adams-Friendship’s Trevor McManus is 8th, Dodgeville’s Trevor Wunnicke is an HM, Evansville/Albany’s Brandon Robinson is an HM, Lodi’s John Joutras is 7th, Marshall’s Josh Murray is 6th, Sparta’s John Roddick is 9th
• 126  –  Cuba City/Southwestern’s JJ Donar is 5th, Lodi’s Grant Robertson is an HM and Mauston’s Spencer Davies is 3rd
• 132  –  Monroe’s Aaron Hesgard is an HM at 132, Sparta’s Brock Polhamus is 8th
• 138  –  Lakeside Lutheran’s Brandon Schilling is an HM, Mauston’s Colin Dolata is 3rd, Monroe’s Kevin Klopfenstein is 4th and Wisconsin Dells’ Jon Mor is an HM
• 145  –  Clinton’s Tim Clothier is an HM, Columbus’ Mitchell Hasey is an HM, Marshall’s Devin Weber is ranked 4th, River Valley’s Joe Crook is 5th and Sparta’s Michael Murnane is 6th
• 152  –  Mauston’s Cameron Dahlgren is an HM, River Vallery’s Seth Liegel is 1st and Viroqua’s Erik Vesbach is an HM
• 160  –  Brodhead/Juda’s Brady Colden is an HM, Marshall’s Cole Hansen is an HM, Mauston’s Justin Dolata is an HM and West Salem/Bangor’s Alex Peters is 4th
• 170  –  Brodhead/Juda’s Hunter Colen is 2nd, River Valley’s Garrett Riek is an HM while Viroqua’s Clay Fitzpatrick is 4th
• 182  –  Brodhead/Juda’s Gavin Baade is 9th and Sparta’s Kyle Burkhalter is 6th
• 195  –  Belleville/Monticello/New Glarus is an HM, Evansville/Albany’s Ben Reed is an HM, River Valley’s Zach Koch is 9th, Sparta’s Daniel Dawley is 6th and West Salem/Bangor’s Nick Buisman is 3rd
• 220  –  Marshall’s Alex Marshall is 8th while Monroe’s Trevor Gorr is 4th
• 285  –  Brodhead/Juda’s Logan Maurer is 4th and Monroe’s Brett Zimmerman is 10th

Sparta leads all teams with six ranked wrestlers followed by Marshall with five, Brodhead/Juda with four, Mauston with four, Monroe with four and River Valley with four.  The 120 pound weight class is shaping up to be one of the toughest with six ranked wrestlers followed by 113, 145 and 195 with five apiece, 138 and 160 with four and 106, 126, 152 and 170 with three.  Top ranked wrestlers in the sectional include Viroqua’s JJ McClelland (1st at 113) and River Valley’s Seth Liegel (1st at 152).

Spartans with the top ranking in their respective weight class include Brock Polhamus at 138 and Kyle Burkhalter at 182.  Since the top three at each weight class advance to Madison, let’s look at the Spartans who find themselves among the three highest ranked wrestlers in their brackets. They include Dylan Winchel at 113, Michael Murnane at 145 and Daniel Dawley at 195.  At 120 pounds, John Roddick is the fourth highest ranked wrestler.  At the end of the day, the rankings mean nothing.  Spartan wrestlers need to win their matches and take care of business.  If the world of wrestling went according to rankings, Mauston would be sitting home tonight and Sparta would be looking to advance to their third straight state team tournament appearance.

Tomorrow we will look at who Sparta has wrestled from the above teams this year and what each Spartans’ first round bout looks like for this Saturday.