Norse boys, girls teams claim DC titles

The Whitehall boys and girls wrestling teams both found themselves on top of the Dairyland Conference as conference competition concluded at Osseo-Fairchild on Thursday.

The Whitehall boys were the only DC squad to field close to a full roster, but it also won some key matches last week. The Norse received 10 forfeits in a 66-14 win over Blair-Taylor. The team received six forfeits against Independence/Gilmanton, but also won a handful of matches in a 70-10 win that clinched the conference title. The Norse went undefeated in DC competition. 

The Whitehall girls team took advantage of four forfeits in a 24-18 win over Blair-Taylor to win the first-ever girls Dairyland Conference title.

The teams will turn their attention to postseason action now. 

For the area boys wrestling teams that means the first season with a new tournament format, which eliminated the regional round. Instead, there will be a sectional competition at Independence on Saturday. From there, the top six teams will advance to a team sectional to be held next Saturday in Auburndale. The top two finishers in each weight class will qualify for the individual state tournament to be held at the Kohl Center in Madison, Feb. 26-28. 

The girls tournament series begins with a regional at Mondovi on Friday. The first two finishers in each weight class will compete in a sectional in Stevens Point next Friday. From there, the top two finishers in each weight class will advance to the state tournament at the Kohl Center, Feb. 26-28. 

Whitehall 66 B-T 14

The Norse scored 60 points off forfeits in the win over the Wildcats.

Caden Bacino Hansche (190 pounds) pinned Ethan Sweno to make up for the other six points. Jason Hinrichs, Frank Juresh, Krue Frei, Gage Garbers, Kivin Juresh, Brayden Johnson, Ryan Eaton, Devin Hutsell, Travis Smith and Mason Bautch all received forfeits for the Norse.

B-T came away with three wins on the mat. Austin Clemens (144) pinned Rawley Matejka while Billy Miller (157) topped Ernest Peterson, 11-4, and Jonathan Aguilar (165) defeated Brodie Garbers by technical fall, 24-3. 

Whitehall 70 I/G 10

The Norse took advantage of forfeits, but also won six matches on the mat.

Hinrichs and Frank Juresh gave Whitehall an early advantage with pins of Jonah Rombalski and Jurgen Fankhauser. The next five Whitehall wrestlers, Frei, Kivin Juresh, Gage Garbers, Johnson, and Matejka all received forfeits. 

The Norse also got wins from Peterson, Hutsell, Bacino Hansche and Smith. Peterson pinned Landan Stamper while Hutsell took down Harold Choncoa in 32 seconds and Bacino Hansche stuck James Carrillo Taylor in 3:33. Smith defeated I/G’s Preston Solberg, 9-0. Mason Bautch received a forfeit to end the dual.

I/G came away with two wins as Owen Gierok pinned Ryan Eaton and Blake Slaby defeated Brodie Garbers, 13-3. 

OFAF 17 B-T 16

The Thunder topped the Wildcats on a tiebreaker in a forfeit-filled affair.

There were double forfeits in eight of the 14 weight classes. OFAF received forfeits at 126 and 132 pounds and Noah Krueger (190) defeated Sweno, 10-0. 

B-T won two matches with Clemens pinning Easton Hanson and Miller beating Henry Cash, 17-6. Jonathan Aguilar received a forfeit for B-T. 

Girls Wrestling

Whitehall 24 B-T 18

The Norse lost the three matches that were wrestled, but received four forfeits to get the win.

Ivonne Rojas Ortiz, Symphony Hass, Sophia Knutson and Lucy Frye all received forfeits for Whitehall.

B-T got wins from Jayda Ristey, McKenzie Killian and Maryjane Flynn, all via pin. Ristey pinned Cira Davis in 54 seconds, Killian took down Summer Wooden in 55 seconds and Flynn stuck Hannah Pirk in 1:47.

There were double forfeits in the 107-, 126-, 138-, 152- and 185-pound weight classes.