Martez Sheard battled his way through his first Bi-State Classic bracket and qualified for a championship on the stage in the middle of the La Crosse Center as an Aquinas High School freshman.
He then beat a local competitor — Holmen’s Nathan Henderson — to win his first Bi-State championship.
Sheard is back for his second Bi-State Classic this week, and if he wins it a second time, he may have to navigate a similar path.
Sheard (12-1), who won at 120 pounds a year ago, is the second seed in the 126 bracket Monday and Tuesday, and he is positioned opposite of West Salem/Bangor senior Teghan Moore (16-2). Should the two push their way to the finals, they will square off on that same stage Tuesday night.
Moore was runner-up at 106 last year, and he and Sheard will have local eyes on 126 during a competition that includes entries from 68 teams across three divisions and boys and girls brackets.
Wrestling begins at 9 a.m. Monday and continues through the championship round at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Quarterfinals will begin at 7:15 p.m. Monday, and semifinals kick off at 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Watch for heavy coverage Monday and Tuesday at couleesports.com. Here is a look at some of the wrestlers to watch during the event:
RETURNING CHAMPIONS
BOYS
JAMESON PRIEBE, so., Chatfield: Last year’s 106 champion is entered at 120 this year and owns an 11-1 record as the fourth seed.
KOLTEN BOLLIG, so., Evansville: Last year’s 113 champion has bumped up to 120 and is seeded first with his 18-0 record.
MARTEZ SHEARD, so., Aquinas: He won at 120 as a freshman and is seeded second at 126 with a 12-1 record.
ALOIS SCHLUMPF, sr., Bay Port: A 126-pound champ as a junior, Schlumpf is at 132 this week. He is seeded fourth with an 18-1 record.
ELI MAIER, jr., Mount Horeb/Barneveld: Last year’s winner at 165 is at 175, where is he seeded first with a 14-0 record.
ELI LEONARD, sr., Mount Horeb/Barneveld: The returning champion at 175 is at 190 and seeded first with a 14-0 record.
GIRLS
EMJAY NEUMANN, sr., Manitowoc: Last year’s champion at 120 is back at 120, where she is seeded first with a 12-2 record.
ERIKA SLEZNIKOW, jr., Marshfield: Last year’s winner at 126 is seeded first at 138 with a 15-1 record.
AZARIAH HOFFMANN, jr., Spencer co-op: Returning champ from 145 bracket is back in same bracket at the top seed with her 11-2 record.
KIMURA HUTTER, jr., Adams-Friendship: Won at 165 last year and is back in the same bracket as the No. 1 seed with a 3-1 record.
OLIVIA KONSHAK, jr., Bay Port: Won at 185 last year and returns to the same bracket as the second seed with a 14-5 record.
OTHER LOCALS TO WATCH
BOYS
BRENDAN HENDERSON, fr., Holmen: Seeded seventh at 113 with a 14-0 record.
REX LANCASTER, so., Holmen: Seeded sixth at 120 with a 12-2 record.
AIDEN BURNS, sr., Caledonia/Houston: Seeded seventh at 120 with an 8-1 record.
NATHAN HENDERSON, so., Holmen: Seeded third at 138 with a 14-0 record.
ROGER FLEGE, sr., Aquinas: Seeded third at 144 with an 8-2 record.
MASON CHAMBERS, sr., West Salem/Bangor: Seeded fourth at 157 with a 15-2 record.
JAYCE STETZER, sr., G-E-T/Melrose-Mindoro: Seeded seventh at 157 with a 10-2 record.
WAYLON HARGROVE, sr., Aquinas: Seeded third at 165 with a 13-2 record.
WILL ALLEN, sr., Caledonia/Houston: Seeded eighth at 165 with a 9-1 record.
CADEN ANDERSON, sr., West Salem/Bangor: Seeded fourth at 190 with a 15-2 record.
AARON DUNIGAN, jr., G-E-T/Melrose-Mindoro: Seeded fifth at 190 with an 11-1 record.
TYSON MARTIN, sr., Aquinas: Seeded third at 285 with a 13-1 record.
GIRLS
AINI ANDERSON, jr., Holmen: Seeded first at 100 with an 11-1 record.
SOPHIA ANDERSON, West Salem/Bangor: Seeded seventh at 107 with a 14-1 record.
KAINA WESTLIE, fr., Holmen: Seeded seventh at 126 with a 10-1 record.
RACHAEL HANG, jr., Logan/Central: Seeded seventh at 138 with a 14-3 record.
AVALEE EULER, jr., Holmen: Seeded fifth at 165 with a 7-1 record.
MYRIKAL JOHNSON, jr., Logan/Central: Seeded eighth at 185 with a 9-4 record.
SOPHIA WALTER, sr., Holmen: Seeded seventh at 235 with an 11-1 record.
