The new WIAA wrestling postseason is upon us, and boys sectionals are scheduled for Saturday.
If you think you missed the regional round, you didn’t. It was eliminated in a number of changes that line up the end of the season in a more preferred way for coaches.
Instead of different numbers of qualifiers for different divisions, everything is more uniform this time around.
Each division consists of seven sectionals, and the top two finishers from each bracket will qualify for the individual state tournament at the Kohl Center on Feb. 26-28. The top six teams in terms of points from each sectional will qualify for one of seven team dual sectionals next Saturday.
Champions from those sectionals will compete in the team state tournament at the La Crosse Center on March 6-7.
Here is the breakdown of where couleesports.com teams will compete in Saturday’s individual sectionals:
DIVISION 1: Holmen and Onalaska/Luther head to Menomonie, while the Logan/Central co-op competes at DeForest
DIVISION 2: G-E-T/Melrose-Mindoro and West Salem/Bangor compete at Osseo-Fairchild
DIVISION 3: Aquinas heads to Brookwood
A look at some of the wrestlers who are ranked among the state’s best (top 10) by Wisconsin Grappler as sectionals arrive:
DIVISION 1: Holmen freshman Brendan Henderson fourth at 106; Holmen sophomore Rex Lancaster third at 120; Holmen junior Brock Needham third at 126; Holmen sophomore Nathan Henderson fifth at 138; Holmen senior Noah Henderson eighth at 150; Holmen senior Jagger Jepson ninth at 285.
DIVISION 2: West Salem/Bangor senior Teghan Moore third at 126; G-E-T/Mel.-Min. senior Colton Koss fifth at 132; G-E-T/Mel.-Min. junior Brody Banse seventh at 144; West Salem/Bangor senior Mason Chambers second at 157; G-E-T/Mel.-Min. senior Jayce Stetzer sixth at 157; G-E-T/Mel.-Min. junior Braden Peterson ninth at 175; G-E-T/Mel.-Min. junior Aaron Dunigan fourth at 190; West Salem/Bangor senior Caden Anderson sixth at 190; West Salem/Bangor senior Kaiden Stello sixth at 285; G-E-T/Mel.-Min. sophomore Brock Kaz seventh at 285.
DIVISION 3: Aquinas sophomore Martez Sheard second at 126; Aquinas sophomore Lincoln Stanek 10th at 132; Aquinas sophomore Tyler Paulson sixth at 138; Aquinas senior Roger Flege second at 144; Aquinas senior Waylon Hargrove fifth at 165; Aquinas senior Tyson Martin first at 285.
The added draw of having the team state tournament take place in La Crosse is the anticipated participation of local teams.
Aquinas has spent the season ranked first in Division 3 and already has wins over a handful of the other teams currently in the top six. Holmen is second to Kaukauna in Division 1, and G-E-T/Mel.-Min. is sixth and West Salem/Bangor seventh in Division 2.
