Three G/M wrestlers qualify for state tournament

Three wrestlers from the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau/Melrose-Mindoro Titans co-op will have a chance at a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association state title this week at the Kohl Center in Madison.

Tanner Andersen (132 pounds), Braydon Lockington (220) and Jackson Blaken (126) each qualified for the meet by placing in the top three at last Saturday’s Division Two sectional meet in Amery.

G/M coach Pete Peterson expects strong state tournaments from the three Titans advancing. Competition opens Thursday with finals on Saturday.

“We’re hoping all three are on the podium this year, and all three are capable,” Peterson said. “We’re excited just to get down and get in the Kohl Center and see how it goes.”

Andersen won his weight division, beating Osceola’s Lucas Sedivy in an 8-0 major decision before pinning Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal’s Hudzon Sebesta-Opelt in just over a minute in a semifinal match.

He closed the day with a win in the first place match, deciding Tyler Fink of Baldwin-Woodville 6-1. Peterson said the senior has high aspirations for the state tournament after reaching the podium the last three years.

“He was just taking care of business, and nobody was even close on Saturday,” Peterson said of Andersen’s sectional. “He doesn’t let anybody get into the match. He controls it from the get-go.”

Lockington finished second on Saturday, his only blemish a loss to Amery’s Koy Hopke by pin in 30 seconds in the first place match.

Lockington reached the championship round by pinning Devon Walker of Northwestern in 2 minutes, 54 seconds before pinning Jacob Berends of Saint Croix Central in just over four minutes in a semifinal match. The sophomore secured second place by deciding Isaac Pearce of Ashland 7-3.

It’s big progress for the kid who wasn’t going to go out for wrestling last year as a freshman, Peterson said.

“Great kid in the room, he practices hard, lifts a lot, and is just a great athlete. He put himself in a position to have a good tournament,” Peterson said.

Blaken advances to state after finishing third at 126 pounds on Saturday, finishing 2-2.

Blaken was beaten in a quarterfinal match by Austin Defoe of Ashland in a 10-1 major decision before rebounding with a forfeit win in his next match and following it up with a win over William Penn of Ellsworth in an 8-6 decision.

He lost the second place match in an 11-6 sudden victory to Derek Zschernitz of Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal. Blaken has had a big turnaround from a 2-5 start to the year against tough competition.

“You could see it in his eyes like ‘What’s wrong?’ because he wrestled really tough matches against really good kids,” Peterson said of the sophomore’s start to the year. “Then it started clicking for him, and this whole year he’s been growing and getting better.”

Carson Koss won his quarterfinal match by a 13-2 major decision before losing both a semifinal and consolation semifinal match at 145 pounds. Ben Peterson finished 0-2 for the Titans at 160 pounds, and Raef Radcliff was beaten in his only match at 195 pounds thanks to a pin from Abbotsford/Colby’s Carter Grewe.

Justice Vaaler placed fourth at 285 pounds, narrowly missing the state tournament after being bumped up to the heavyweight division. Vaaler lost his opening match to Baldwin-Woodville’s Mason Baribeau in a 4-3 decision before responding with a 6-5 decision win over William Wiese of Barron.

His tournament ended with a loss in the third place match after being pinned in 2:43 by Amery’s Robert Beese, and the senior was likely one takedown short of a trip to state, Peterson said.