The Bi-State Classic invades the La Crosse Center with two days of high school wrestling on Friday and Saturday.
Representatives from 70 boys and 69 girls teams from around Wisconsin and Minnesota will compete for individual and team championships that will be crowned after finals matches on Saturday night.
Boys and girls matches will be separated on the first day, with the boys in the main arena and the girls in South Hall before all matches move to the main arena on Saturday. Matches begin at 9 a.m. Friday and conclude with placement matches in a session that begins with the parade of champions at 4:45 p.m. Saturday.
Here are some of the boys wrestlers to watch for the two-day extravaganza:
BOYS WRESTLERS TO WATCH
(Alphabetical order)
TREY BEISSEL, jr., Hastings: Won the 126-pound bracket here last year after winning twice by pin and twice by technical fall in his first four matches. … Recorded a 3-2 semifinal win over D.C. Everest’s Easton Cooper , who went on to become a state runner-up. … A sixth-place state finisher with a 51-2 record in Class AAA last year.
JAVIER BERG, sr., Chatfield: Bi-State runner-up at 113 last year and at 106 as a sophomore. … He also placed fourth at 106 as a freshman. … Wrestled for Minnesota’s Class A 106-pound championship the past two years, winning the title in 2022 and placing second last year.
JAXON BUSSE, jr., Iowa-Grant/Highland: Runner-up at 157 here a year ago after a loss to eventual unbeaten Division 1 state champion Charlie Millard of Mequon Homestead. … Beat Minnesota Class AA third-place state finisher Kaleb Lochner of Zumbrota-Mazeppa here last year. … Third-place state finisher last season.
ROEN CAREY, sr., Mineral Point: Was Bi-State runner-up at 120 as a sophomore before winning the 132 bracket last year. … Division 3 state runner-up at 132 last season. … Beat Minnesota Class AA third-place finisher Jack Krier of Zumbrota-Mazeppa in last year’s Bi-State.
CALEB DENNEE, sr., Marshfield: Won the 165-pound bracket here as a junior and went on to place second in Division 1 at the same weight. … Won three matches by pin here last year and beat Mineral Point’s Kade Rule — the eventual Division 3 state champ at 165 — in last year’s Bi-State champion.
OWEN GRIESBACH, sr., Marshfield: A two-time Bi-State runner-up, placing second at 175 last year and at 170 as a sophomore. … Third-place state finisher at Division 1 175 a year ago, rebounding from a quarterfinal loss with four straight wins. … Lost last year’s Bi-State title to eventual Division 3 state champ Davis Malin of Aquinas.
DANNY HEISER, sr., Evansville: Attempting to become a three-time Bi-State champion after winning at 132 as a sophomore and at 150 as a junior. … Also placed fifth at 120 as a freshman. … Already a three-time WIAA state champ and Missouri commit whose closest match at Bi-State last year was a major decision in the semifinals.
GARETT KAWCZYNSKI, jr., Port Washington: Champion at 215 here last year and runner-up at 220 as a freshman. … Advanced to Division 1 215 state finals but finished second. … Won four matches by pin before taking care of Prairie du Chien’s Blake Thiry — an Indiana football commit — in the Bi-State finals last year.
TYSON MARTIN, jr., Aquinas: A third-place finisher here at 190 last year, but a two-time Division 3 state finalist. … Martin is a two-time state runner-up who has won by major decision over three-time state medalist Blake Thiry of Prairie du Chien this season.
LIAM NEITZEL, sr., Hudson: Has appeared in the Bi-State finals twice and recorded runner-up finishes at 120 last year and at 106 as a freshman. … Was denied last year’s 120 Bi-State title by Minnesota Class AA third-place state finisher Blake Beissel of Hastings. … Wisconsin’s Division 1 state champ at 120 last season.
SHANE ROCHON, so., Dodgeville: Last year’s Bi-State winner at 106 after beating five straight wrestlers with winning records and handling G-E-T/Melrose-Mindoro’s Colton Koss — the Division 2 third-place state finisher at 106 — in the finals. … Kicked off varsity career by winning the Division 3 state championship at 106.
BLAKE THIRY, sr., Prairie du Chien: A powerhouse and Indiana football commit looking for his first Bi-State championship. … A runner-up at 215 last year with the title loss coming to Division 1 state runner-up Garett Kawczynski of Port Washington. … Also placed third at 195 as a sophomore and owns Division 2 state finishes of third, fourth and sixth.
COLTON WEILER, sr., Auburndale: Bi-State runner-up at 144 a year ago with the championship loss coming to eventual Minnesota Class AA 145- state runner-up Owen Denstad of Caledonia. … Won first five Bi-State matches by pin, technical fall or major decision. … Division 3 state runner-up at 144 last year.
GIRLS WRESTLERS TO WATCH
(Alphabetical order)
CARLY CESHKER, jr., Lake Geneva Badger: Last year’s 138-pound champion who is ranked first at 138 by The Grappler.
ADRIANNA LOGUE, jr., North Crawford/Seneca: Last year’s 185-pound winner who is ranked second at 165 by The Grappler.
AVA PETERS, jr., Pulaski: Last year’s 107-pound champion who is ranked second at 120 by The Grappler.
RENEZMAE RHOADES, so., Bay Port: Last year’s 152-pound winner 10th at 165 by The Grappler.
ZOEY RODDIS, eighth, South Saint Paul: Last year’s 100-pound champion and ranked seventh by The Guillotine.
HARLOW SKENADORE, so., Pulaski: Last year’s 145-pound champion who is ranked first at 145 by The Grappler.
ERIKA SLEZNIKOW, so., Marshfield: Last year’s 126-pound champion who is ranked eighth at 132 by The Grappler.
