B-T’s Shramek, I/G’s Bragger qualify for state wrestling tournament

A couple of familiar faces will be returning to Madison for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division Three State Tournament this year as Blair-Taylor’s Jackson Shramek and Independence/Gilmanton’s Gavin Bragger both qualified at the Richland Center sectional on Saturday.

Both Shramek (182) and Bragger (170) finished third in their weight classes and will wrestle on Thursday evening. Bragger (38-11) will take on Brad Demerath (40-4) of Shiocton. The winner of that match will wrestle the Richland Center sectional champion David Malin (39-3) of Aquinas. 

Shramek (45-4) wrestles Joe Schroeder (38-10) of Cedar Gove-Belgium on Thursday with the winner set to face Tyson Bogacz (42-1) of Bonduel. 

Both local wrestlers competed in the state tournament last year as they fell in the first round. 

They were among the 13 area wrestlers who competed at the Richland Center sectional.

Richland Center Sectional

After losing in the semifinal, Shramek won two matches to qualify for the state tournament.

The B-T junior opened the tournament with a 17-4 win, but allowed three points in the third period in a 6-2 loss to Kadin Rynes of Riverdale in the semifinal. Shramek stayed active in the tournament by pinning Whitehall’s Eric Kleinhans, then stuck Bryce Galle of Lancaster to clinch at least a third-place finish. Because Rynes finished second, the B-T wrestler didn’t have a chance to compete for runner-up status. 

Bragger had a similar tournament as the senior began competition with a third period pin then was pinned by Aquinas’ Malin. The I/G wrestler was in trouble in his next match as he trailed Dietrich Bucholz of Riverdale 5-4 at the start of the third period, but Bragger got a takedown 30 seconds in and held off Bucholz for the win. Bragger then defeated Collon O’Neil of Cashton, 5-2, to clinch third place. 

The I/G wrestler had a chance to take second, but fell to Nathan Blaschke of Fennimore, 10-6. 

None of the other area competitors won a match in the sectional.

I/G’s Jacobo Medina (285) was the top seed in his weight class, entering the tournament with a 42-2 record and he took a 7-2 lead in the first period, but was pinned by Ryan Biermeir of Ithaca Weston in the first round. Biermeier then lost his next match, meaning Medina’s tournament was over. 

Sam Marsolek (138) lost two matches in the tournament while Mason Gierok (160) and Drew Bragger (220) both lost their first and did not get to wrestle again.

Ben Lien (160) had two matches for B-T, but was pinned in both. Bryan Rogstad (195) and Dylan Elvaker (220) both lost their only matches.

Whitehall’s Eric Kleinhans (182) and Corbin Larson (220) both had two matches, but were pinned twice. Matthew Poulos (145) and Nolan Thompson (113) lost their only matches. Larson was added to the tournament after finishing fifth in the regional a week earlier, the second-place finisher in the regional — Brad Neve of Pittsville — was unable to compete in the sectional due to injury. 

Two Indees to compete in girls state tournament

Two Independence/Gilmanton wrestlers will hit the mat in the Kohl Center on Thursday of this week.

Gracie Rombalski (107) and Cora Sonsalla (114) both won their only matches in the Richland Center sectional to qualify for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Girls State Wrestling Tournament, beginning in Madison on Thursday.

Rombalski received three byes before pinning Hailey Yaktin of De Soto on Saturday. Sonsalla also received three byes then pinned Darci Jelinek of North Crawford/Seneca. 

Rombalski, a junior with a listed record of 6-2, will take on Adalyn Raue (4-2) of Hustisford on Thursday afternoon. Sonsalla, a senior with a 9-0 record, will take on Lauren Buehler (15-5) of Whitewater. 

The quarterfinal round will be wrestled on Thursday evenings before semifinals on Friday evenings and championships on Saturday afternoon. First-place matches will begin at 5:30 p.m. Saturday evening.