Titans victorious at Richland Center Invite

For the first time in the 2025-26 season, the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau/Melrose-Mindoro wrestling co-op can celebrate an invitational victory.

The Titan boys enjoyed a victorious weekend by placing first as a team at last Saturday Richland Center Invite, fueled by seven different wrestlers finishing inside the top three in their respective weight classes.

G-E-T/Mel-Min compiled 212.5 points collectively to grab hold of first place among the 20 teams competing, finishing ahead of Reedsburg (174.5 points) in second, Iowa-Grant/Highland (163.5) in third, Boscobel/Wauzeka-Steuben (118.5) in fourth and Belmont/Platteville (110.5) in fifth.

Senior Colton Koss highlighted the day for the Titans by placing first in the 132-pound bracket. After earning a first-round bye, Koss pinned Iowa Grant/Highland freshman Oliver Christiansen in the quarterfinals and Tomah sophomore Grayson Steen in the semifinals, then defeated Boscobel/Wauzeka-Steuben junior Ashton Udelhoven via technical fall in the first-place match.

The Titans had four wrestlers earn second-place finishes: senior Koda Purney (120 pounds), junior Brody Banse (144), junior Aaron Dunigan (190) and sophomore Brock Kaz (285).

Like Koss, Purney had a first-round bye. He picked up wins in the quarters and semis before losing the first-place match. Banse, Dunigan and Kaz each won three matches to get to the first-place match in their brackets.

Senior Jayce Stetzer (157) and sophomore Merek Windsor (165) each had third-place finishes for G-E-T/Mel-Min, with their only blemishes coming in the semifinals. Stetzer went 2-1 on the day since he had a first-round bye while Windsor was 3-1 in his matches.

Other placing Titan wrestlers were freshman Evan Johnson (113) and senior Gunnar Kremer (126) in fourth, sophomore Jace Anderson (138) in fifth, freshman Moises Ramirez (113) and junior Mason Berg (157) in sixth, and sophomore Brent Cox (175) and junior Andrew Bishop (215) in seventh.

The night prior, Melrose-Mindoro High School played host to the Friday Night Fights event for varsity girls and junior varsity boys wrestlers. Junior Payten Craig represented the Titans well in the girls’ 126-pound bracket by placing fifth.

Following a first-round bye, Craig lost in the quarterfinals but fought back well by winning her subsequent three matches by pinfall.

Titan wrestlers will be back in action at the annual Bi-State Classic next Monday and Tuesday at the La Crosse Center.