Neither Tyson Martin nor Blake Thiry were particularly thrilled with how their final matches on the first day of the Bi-State Classic unfolded at the La Crosse Center on Friday.
Martin, an Aquinas High School junior, had a nine-point lead on Beaver Dam’s Mason Grow in their 215-pound quarterfinal before walking off the mat with an 11-8 victory.
Thiry, a Prairie du Chien senior and Indiana football commit, beat Waunakee’s McCoy Smith 12-2 to win last Badger State Invitational, but McCoy pushed him to a 4-3 match in Friday’s 215-pound quarterfinal.
Martin (14-0) was still searching for answers a little while after his match concluded. Thiry (19-2) had accepted that Smith had simply defended his offense much better this time around but seemed ready to put it behind him.
That’s something both would have to do by Saturday morning’s semifinals after their victories set up a rematch between two of the top 215-pounders in the state. The two crossed paths once earlier this season, and Martin pulled out an 11-1 victory.
Both were quick to tell people not to look into that score too much when watching them go head to head on Saturday.
“I don’t think that score tells the story of that match,” Martin said. “It was close early, and it was only 4-0 going to the third. I think he just got down a little when things started going my way in the third.”
Thiry said he understands the changes that must be made to get the best of Martin this time around. He’ll have to make the most of his attacks and try to dictate the pace much better than he did the last time.
“He’s really good at getting his hands on you and using his power,” Thiry said of Martin. “He’s a big, strong guy, and he does that well.
“I have to try and wear him down a little more.”
Martin was clearly bothered that a 10-1 lead of Grow shrunk significantly before their quarterfinal match concluded, but he was also ready to focus on the next challenge. Thiry’s dangers are clear after winning three medals at WIAA individual state tournaments, and Martin has to focus on those if he wants to wrestle for a championship Saturday night.
“He’s really good at re-attacking after shots,” Martin said of Thiry. “When I take a shot, I have to know it’s open, and I have to make sure I set up my shots the way I know I can. If I don’t, he’ll capitalize on it.”
GREENO READY FOR SEMIFINALS: De Soto senior Seth Greeno (20-0) had little trouble advancing to the semifinals at 175 on Friday. He started his first day with a couple of pins, then cruised to a 9-2 victory over Belmont/Platteville’s Kadyn Davis (19-4) in the third round.
Greeno then handed Mauston/Necedah’s Espyn Sweers a 10-3 loss in the quarterfinals to earn a semifinal match against second-seeded Caleb Dennee (21-0) of Marshfield.
“He stuck to the game plan,” De Soto coach Chad Johnson said of Greeno. “He came in undefeated and as the sixth seed and just did what he had to do.
“We knew Sweers was the three (seed), and he’d seen him once before this season and beat him, so he just had to stick with what he does really well.”
Greeno said the experience of competing in previous Bi-State Classics helped him through Friday’s matches. Johnson pointed out how much of a grind the meet can be, and Greeno said that could be tempered by the fact that he’s competed in it before.
“It does get a little easier because you know what to expect,” Greeno said. “You’ve seen things before, so it’s a little easier to deal with.”
POSSIBLE ALL-LOCAL FINAL?: Holmen’s Nathan Henderson and Aquinas’ Martez Sheard both advanced to the semifinal round at 120 pounds.
Henderson (13-1) meets Auburndale’s Derek Godard (17-1) in one semifinal, while Sheard (14-0) draws Bay Port’s Owen Wathke (22-0) in the other.
Henderson, a freshman, won three matches by technical fall, then pulled out an impressive 17-7 major decision over the very successful Javier Berg (11-1) of Chatfield. Berg has wrestled for big championships in his career, so the victory is significant.
Sheard, also a freshman, followed up a bye with three technical falls. His quarterfinal win was 21-4 over Stratford’s Trenton Courmoyer (21-1).
MORE LOCAL SEMIFINALISTS: West Salem/Bangor sophomore Teghan Moore (18-1, 106), Sparta senior Devon Lietzau (20-0, 138), Tomah senior Cameron Finch (20-0, 150), Prairie du Chien senior Bryce Lenzendorf (18-3,165) and Logan/Central senior Jayden Delao (21-0, 190) also swept through the first three rounds and quarterfinal matches on Friday.
