MARSHFIELD — The Holmen High School boys wrestling team made sure there will be a Division 1 entrant in the WIAA team state tournament at the La Crosse Center in a couple of weeks.
The Vikings, who have spent the season ranked second by Wisconsin Grappler, earned their spot for the tournament with a 45-28 semifinal win over New Richmond and a 45-21 championship victory over eighth-ranked Marshfield at the Marshfield Sectional on Saturday.
“I loved the effort, and I though they fought hard,” Holmen coach Justin Lancaster said of the performance. “They were in really good shape, and those are all key things.”
Holmen sophomore Rex Lancaster (45-4), who is ranked second at 120 pounds by Wisconsin Grappler, knocked off a pair of ranked opponents to follow up the individual sectional championship he won last week in Menomonie.
Lancaster beat New Richmond’s fifth-ranked Walker Waidelich for the second week in a row — he pinned Waidelich last week — and came away with a dominant 18-5 victory. He then beat 13th-ranked Marshfield’s 13th-ranked Carter Williquett 16-11.
Holmen also received two victories by pin from sophomore Nathan Henderson (37-2) at 138 and 144 and senior Noah Henderson (36-12) at 144 and 150.Freshman Brady Needham (37-17) won by pin and major decision at 106, junior Brock Needham (48-5) won by major decision and pin at 126 and sophomore Caleb Eggerichs (19-10) won one match at 132 and another at 138.
Senior AJ Alesch (45-7) won his only match at 150 by pin, and freshman Brendan Henderson (49-2) picked up one forfeit and won the only match he wrestled by major decision at 113.
Justin Lancaster said the performance came without addressing the WIAA’s new postseason setup of individual sectionals one week, team sectionals the next, individual state the next and team state to close out four consecutive Saturdays of competition.
Team sectionals used to be held on Tuesday night, just three days after individual regionals/ Individual regionals have been eliminated.
Crazy enough, I didn’t say a word about it all week,” he said. “We had a plan and the expectation to improve (after individual sectionals).
“We took another step in the right direction (Saturday).”
This team state appearance will be the 14th for the Vikings and their second in a row. Holmen was state runner-up in 2018 and 2022.
