INDIVIDUALS COMPETE FOR STATE BOYS & GIRLS WRESTLING TITLES THIS WEEKEND
THE TOURNAMENT: The 81st Annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Individual Wrestling Tournament and the third Girls Individual Wrestling Tournament will be held in conjunction Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 22-24, at the Kohl Center on the campus of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wis.
TICKET INFORMATION: Ticket prices per tournament session are $11 plus online fees. Tickets are available on-line on the WIAA website prior to any respective session with the printing of the ticket by the purchaser. Tickets are also available at the Kohl Center during the tournament.
THE SCHEDULE: Below is the schedule of competition for the individual tournament. All weight classes will be wrestled in consecutive order through the classes on a “next available mat” basis within the mat assignments.
Thursday, Feb. 22
Session 1:
Division 1 & Girls Preliminaries - 3 p.m.
Division 1 Quarterfinals - approximately 5:15 p.m.
Divisions 2 & 3 Preliminaries & Girls Quarterfinals - 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 23
Session 2:
Division 1 & Girls Consolations - 10 a.m.
Divisions 2 & 3 Quarterfinals - approximately 11 a.m.
Division 1 & Girls Consolation Quarterfinals - approximately 1:15 p.m.
Divisions 2 & 3 Consolation Quarterfinals - approx. 2 p.m.
Session 3:
Division 1 Semifinals at 7 p.m. on mats 1 & 2
Division 2 Semifinals at 7 p.m. on mats 3 & 5
Division 3 Semifinals at 7 p.m. on mats 7 & 8
Girls Semifinals at 7 p.m. on mats 4 & 6
Saturday, Feb. 24
Session 4:
Divisions 1, 2, 3 & Girls Consolation Semifinals - 10 a.m.
Divisions 1, 2, 3 & Girls Fifth-place Matches*
Divisions 1, 2, 3 & Girls Third-place Matches*
* Third-place and fifth-place matches will run concurrently by weight class within divisions after all consolation matches are completed.
Session 5:
Division 1 Championships at 5:30 p.m. on mat 1
Girls Championships at 5:30 p.m. on mat 2
Division 2 Championships at 5:30 p.m. on mat 3
Division 3 Championships at 5:30 p.m. on mat 4
FINALS ON STATE TELEVISION NETWORK: The championship final matches of all three divisions will be aired live on the WIAA State Television Stations WKOW 27.2, WAOW 9.2, WQOW 18.2 and WXOW 19.2, WVTV 24.1 in Milwaukee and WLUK (FOX)/WCWF(CW) in Green Bay/Appleton. The live programming will begin at 5 p.m. The finals will also be streamed live on the Network stations’ websites.
PRE-FINALS MATCHES STREAMED LIVE: All mats of the pre-finals matches and the third- and fifth-place matches will be streamed live on WIAA.TV with a subscription to the NFHS Network. To purchase a subscription to the live programming for $11.99 per month, log-on to www.wiaa.tv or www.nfhsnetwork.com and click on the subscription button at the top right of the page.
2024 TOURNAMENT BY THE NUMBERS: There will be champions crowned in 14 weight classes in three divisions for boys and 12 weight classes in one division for girls. Wrestlers who finished first or second in each weight class at last weekend’s eight Division 1 and girls sectionals qualified for the State Tournament. The top three finishers in each weight class at the four Division 2 and 3 sectionals qualify for the tourney. There are 224 qualifiers for the championships in Division 1 and 168 in both Divisions 2 and 3. The girls have 192 qualifiers in the third year a Tournament Series has been conducted. There are 211 programs represented at this year’s individual championships for the boys, including 81 in Division 1, 68 in Division 2 and 66 in Division 3. There are 138 programs represented in the girls tournament.
MORE NUMBERS: Franklin, Homestead and Waukesha West have qualified the most wrestlers in the Division 1 field with eight. Luxemburg-Casco has the distinction of qualifying the most individuals in Division 2 with nine, Kewaskum is next with eight, and Prairie du Chien is third on the list with seven qualifiers. In Division 3, Aquinas, Stratford and Weyauwega-Fremont all claim the most qualifiers with eight. In addition, there are 28 former champions in the boys tournament field this year, including 25 that won the title in 2023. Holmen lays claim to the most State qualifiers in the girls tournament with seven. Cameron, Eau Claire North and Milwaukee Reagan/Salam are next on the list with five. There are eight returning champions from last year’s individual tournament.
TOTAL INDIVIDUAL TITLES BY SCHOOL: Mineral Point and Stoughton have produced the most individual champions with 55, followed by Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln with 45 and then Luxemburg-Casco with 44. Others with significant totals are Coleman and Milwaukee South with 39.
DIVISION 1 RETURNING CHAMPS: The Division 1 field features 10 former champions on a quest for another crown. Among them is senior Connor Mirasola of West Bend West, who is attempting to join an elite group of wrestlers that have won four State titles. He won the championship at the 195-pound weight class last season after winning at 182 in 2022 and at 170 as a freshman in 2021. He qualifies at 190 this year sporting a 47-0 record, which gives him a 213-7 career mark to this point. In addition, three other qualifiers in the division are attempting to win their third State championship. Senior Cole Mirasola of West Bend West, Connor’s brother, seeks his third State championship after he won the 285 crown last season and the 195 title in 2022. He placed fifth at 182 in 2021. He’s back at 285 this year with a 47-1 record. Senior Aeoden Sinclair of Milton leaped two weights last season to win the 220-pound bracket after earning the championship at 170 in 2022 and placing fifth at 152 in 2021. He qualifies at 215 this season with a 33-0 tally heading into the State Tournament, giving him a 122-1 record spanning the last three seasons. Senior Wyatt Duchateau of Arrowhead qualifies at 150 with a 42-2 mark this season and seeking his third championship. He won the 145 title last year and the 132 championship in 2022. Senior Brayten Casey of Menomonie qualifies at 113 for the second straight season after winning the 106 title in 2022. He placed runner-up last season and enters action this week with a 47-6 record. Junior Liam Neitzel of Hudson improved on his fourth-place at 106 in 2022 to capture the gold at that weight last season. He moves up to 120 this season with a 51-2 record. A pair of former champions appear to be on a collision course to dual in the final if they can navigate their path through the competition at 132. Senior Lucas Peters of Kaukauna possesses a 44-3 record this season after earning the title at 126 last season, which came on the heels of a runner-up finish at 120 in 2022. Sophomore Kellen Wolbert of Oconomowoc moves up to 132 after winning the 120-pound weight class a year ago. He begins the State Tournament with a 40-2 mark this year and an 87-2 career record. Senior Charlie Millard of Homestead has placed in the top four in each of his first three seasons, including the 160 championship last year. He also finished runner-up at 152 in 2022 and fourth at 138 in 2021. He has qualified at 157 this season with a 48-0 record to give him a 100-2 mark the last two seasons. Senior Jake Stoffel of Appleton North moves up to 175 after winning the 152 crown last year and placing third at 132 in 2022. He enters the tourney with a 38-0 mark and an 82-1 record the last two seasons.
DIVISION 2 RETURNING CHAMPS: The Division 2 field has 10 former champions, including one that is pursuing his fourth championship and three seeking their third title. Senior Koy Hopke of Amery is attempting to win his fourth State gold medal, winning the 220-pound title the past three seasons. He moves up to 285 this season with a 35-2 record, which gives him an impressive 164-2 mark to this point in his career. Senior Charlie Meudt of Dodgeville will move up a class to 120 after earning the championship at 113 last year and at 106 in 2022, which improved upon his sixth-place finish in 2021. He has amassed a 44-0 record this year and a 133-3 mark the last three seasons. Senior Reid Spurley of Dodgeville was the champion at 120 in 2023 and at 113 in 2022. He bumps up a weight class to vie for the 126 title this season with his 6-0 record in limited matches this season. Since the start of his sophomore season, he has compiled a 100-1 record. A pair of former champions may contend for the crown at the150-pound weight class. Junior Danny Heiser of Evansville captured gold at 132 last season and at 120 as a freshman. He jumps three weights to 150 with sights of a third title with his 50-1 record this year and 154-8 mark the last three seasons. Senior Max Ronsman of Luxemburg-Casco was runner-up last year at 145 after he won the 138 title in 2022 and finished runner-up at 126 in 2021. He has moved up to 150 to post a 40-5 record this year. Senior Brody Hart of Winneconne is three years removed from winning the 120-pound bracket in 2021. Since that time, he has placed sixth at 132 in 2022 and runner-up at 138 last season. He is among the contenders for the 157 title with a 19-0 record this season. Another pair of former champions may meet in the 190 championship match if both advance that far. Senior Wyatt Ingram of Amery qualifies with a 31-1 record this year after claiming the 182 crown last season and placing fourth at 152 in 2022. Senior Silas Dailey of Plymouth has medaled in each of his first three seasons. He was the champion at 170 last year and was third in 2022 to go with a third-place finish at 145 in 2021. Dailey enters competition this week with a 47-3 record. Senior Ian Smith of Northwestern qualifies at 215 with a 16-0 record. He has advanced to the championship final in each of his first three seasons. Smith won the 195 championship last season and finished runner-up at 182 in 2022 and 2021.
DIVISION 3 RETURNING CHAMPS: The Division 3 field has eight former champions looking to add another gold medal to their collection, including senior Dawson Johnson of Cumberland, who is attempting to win his fourth championship. He moves up to 138 after winning the 126 title last year, the 120 championship in 2022 and the 106 crown in 2021. Johnson has compiled a 53-0 record this season to give him a four-year tally of 173-3 heading into the individual and team tournaments. Junior Co’ Ji Campbell of Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic won the 120-pound weight class last year and the 113 title in 2022. He returns to defend his title at 120 with a 35-1 mark. In his first three seasons, he’s compiled a 112-1 record. A pair of champions highlight the 113 bracket. Senior Jake Fitzpatrick of Aquinas returns to the weight class after a third-place finish last year with a 40-0 record. He won the 106-pound weight class in 2022 after finishing fourth at the same weight in 2021. Senior Drew Dolphin of Kenosha Christian Life is a four-time qualifier and three-year medalist. He won the 106 title last season after finishing fourth at the weight in 2022 and sixth in 2021. Dolphin moves up to 113 this season with a 39-1 record. At 157, junior Tristan Steldt of Fennimore earned gold at 160 a year ago after placing third at 138 in 2022. He possesses a 38-4 record leading up to action this week. At 175, senior David Malin of Aquinas seeks his second title after winning at 170 in 2023. The three-time medalist also finished third at 170 in 2022 and fourth at 160 in 2021. He enters the tournament with a 39-2 record this season. Senior Jackson Shramek of Blair-Taylor moves up to 215 after winning the 182-pound weight class a year ago. He has wrestled to a 39-3 record this year. Senior Evan Gratz of Fennimore returns to the 285-pound weight class with sights on back-to-back titles. His pursuit of another title begins this week with a 36-5 record.
BOYS UNDEFEATED QUALIFIERS: There are 24 undefeated boys wrestlers that have qualified for the State individual championship. In addition to the 11 former champions that enter the tournament without a loss, the other 13 undefeated wrestlers by division, beginning with Division 3, are junior Wyatt Unser of Glenwood City (49-0) at 126, senior Elliott Biba of Iowa-Grant/Highland (33-0) at 138 and junior William Becker of Pardeeville (53-0) at 175. In addition to undefeated former champions in Division 2, wrestlers without a loss include freshman Max Gonzalez of East Troy (49-0) at 126, junior Owen Seffrood of Darlington/Black Hawk (46-0) at 144, senior Owen Wasley of St. Croix Central (53-0) at 165 and senior Chase Matthias of Two Rivers (37-0) at 215. In Division 1, the undefeated wrestlers without a previous championship are junior Jacob Herm of Neenah (43-0) at 144, sophomore Sam Zanton of Middleton (42-0) at 150, junior Caleb Dennee of Marshfield (50-0) and sophomore Liam Crook of Kaukauna (35-0) at 165, senior Cayden Brandenburg of Janesville Parker (48-0) at 175 and senior Jesus Gonzalez of Reedsburg (30-0) at 215.
GIRLS TOURNAMENT NOTES: There are eight individuals returning after winning State titles last year. Three wrestlers will be pursuing a third State title in the third year of a championship tournament for girls. Junior Brooke Corrigan of De Pere is back to defend the titles she won at the 100-pound weight class in 2023 and 2022. She is 9-0 in a limited number of matches this season to give her a 25-0 career record. Junior Hailie Krueger of New London moves up to 152 after winning titles at 145 the past two years. She enters matches this week with a 38-0 record this year and a 79-2 mark in the last three seasons. Junior Cyriana Reinwald of Horicon is the returning two-time champion in the 165 bracket. She enters action this week with a 20-0 record and a 44-1 tally in three years. Sophomore Taylor Whiting of Lena returns to the 107-pound weight class with an 8-0 record after winning the championship last season. Sophomore Carley Ceshker of Badger moves up to 138 this season after claiming the 126 championship in 2023. She has compiled an 18-0 record this year. At 145, junior Madalyn Sokolski of Bonduel has a 7-0 record this season. She has advanced to the championship final in each of the past two tournaments, winning the title at 138 in 2023 and finishing runner-up at 132 in 2022. Senior Ella Creighton of Badger returns at 185 to defend the title she won at that weight last year. She has compiled a 39-3 mark heading into this week’s action. Junior Madison Burns of Ashland is back to defend the title she won at 235 after placing fifth in the weight class in 2022. She embarks on her quest for the title with a 32-1 record.
GIRLS UNDEFEATED QUALIFIERS: There are several qualifiers with undefeated records entering the tournament. Apart from the aforementioned returning champions, those not having dropped a match this year are sophomore Ava Peters of Pulaski (15-0) at 107; sophomore Angie Bianchi of Two Rivers (26-0); junior Mackenzie Usher of Milton (11-0) and senior Sophia Wagner of Princeton/Green Lake (21-0) at 114; senior Mya Delleree of Ozaukee (11-0) at 120; sophomore Madi Peach of Milton (19-0) at 126; sophomore Lillie Banks of Menasha (43-0) at 132; senior Sophia Bassino of Sun Prairie East/West (33-0) and senior Rachel Schauer of Fennimore (21-0) at 165; and freshman Brooke Huffman of Wittenberg-Birnamwood (37-0) at 185.
ORDER STATE MEET APPAREL ONLINE: Fans can commemorate their experience at the 2024 individual wrestling championships at the Kohl Center with exclusive souvenir merchandise for sale at Bucky’s Locker Room located in the concourse outside Section 101. Additional WIAA State Individual and Team Wrestling Tournaments merchandise is available online now through Sunday, March 3 prior to midnight. Access the individual and team wrestling tournaments online store through a partnership with Sports World at https://sportsworld.chipply.com/WIAA24ISWT/.
NEED LIVE RESULTS?: Access results through the WIAA website by navigating to the wrestling homepage and selecting the Tournament Information option in the right column or by accessing the Trackwrestling.com website.
FOLLOW STATE MEET ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Receive updates of the State Individual Wrestling Tournament on the WIAA State Tournament Twitter account @wiaawistate with the hashtag #wiaawr. Also follow daily recaps on Facebook.
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