'Relentless' Stoffel headlines area wrestlers reaching state finals
MADISON – There’s plenty of technique when it comes to Jake Stoffel’s wrestling style.
But as he explains it, there’s also a strong urge to be “relentless” on the mat and the Appleton North junior had a strong finish to his showdown with fellow Fox Valley Association opponent Karsen Otis in Friday's WIAA Division 1 state semifinal at 152 pounds at the Kohl Center.
Stoffel (43-1) beat the Kimberly senior 5-3 and will wrestle Marshfield sophomore Caleb Dennee (45-5) in today’s title match. Stoffel is one of 13 area wrestlers advancing to Saturday’s title matches, including seven from the Fox Valley Association.
The Stoffel vs. Otis semifinal was one of the highlights of the night for area grapplers.
“I’m amazed,” Stoffel said about reaching the title match. “I know I came in as the top seed and all I had to do was score points. That’s what it came down to. I wrestled Otis four times this year … we battled there. It’s tough. I’m excited. Now I have one more match. Got to score more points. Got to stay relentless.”
Appleton North coach Scott Clough said Stoffel and Otis had never met prior to this season.
MORE:Here are Friday's high school sports results
MORE:Neenah's Ron Einerson Fieldhouse entering final days as 'mecca of high school sports'
“Jake was much smaller last year. Jake was 132 pounds and Otis was 152, same weight for him this year,” Clough said. “They met at conference for the first time and this is the fourth time in a row – four weekends in a row – that they’ve wrestled each other. Thankfully, we’re 4-0.
“We know Otis very well. He’s a hard-nosed kid and a hard worker. He’s put in a lot of time. We knew he would bring his best game today and Jake did the same. It was two great competitors going after it.”
Appleton North teammate Brock Arndt also advanced, outlasting Port Washington’s Garrett Kawczynski in a 220 semifinal, 4-3.
The match was tied at 3-3 heading into the third period and Arndt registered an escape early in the period and then held on to advance.
"My defense was good enough to seal the win out," Arndt said. "I wish I could have gotten another takedown in there and pulled away but a win's a win and we're on to the finals."
Arndt (33-1) faces undefeated Aedon Sinclair (44-0) of Milton in Saturday's 220 championship.
"Ever since last year and losing in the quarterfinals, I had one goal and that was making it to the finals," he said. "Don't have to wrestle on the backside now and gotta go out there and wrestle as hard as I can and do what I know I can do. I'm here now and let's finish it."
Ghosts lead FVA party into finals
Kaukauna leads all area teams with three wrestlers in the finals, including three-time state champ Greyson Clark at 138. Lucas Peters (126) and Bryan Winans (132) are also competing for state crowns in their respective weight classes.
Neenah’s Jacob Herm beat Milton’s Matt Haldiman 7-4 to advance at 126 with Hortonville’s Wyatt Skebba recording a technical fall victory over New Richmond’s Carter Sterba, 17-2, to reach the 113 final. Skebba will face Menomonie's Brayten Casey in the championship.
Clark, who pinned his first two opponents in reaching the semifinals, got a 10-2 major decision over Marshfield’s Brett Franklin. Peters beat Arrowhead’s Collin McDowell 7-3 and Winans held off Milton’s Tyson Peach, 7-2.
Peters battles Herm in an all-FVA final on Saturday with Winans taking on Menomonie’s Kellan Aure in the 132 championship. Clark will be gunning for his fourth consecutive individual title and takes on Germantown’s Riese Thornberry in the 138 championship.
Kaukauna coach Jeff Matczak said Clark, Peters and Winans all wrestled tough Friday and were also willing to take risks on the mat.
“One thing about our guys is they wrestled fearless. They took some risks and it paid off for them,” Matczak said. “Were they risky? Some would say yes … it had me a little nervous a few times.
“Bryan with his turn on first turn and Peters with his second takedown - it was a turn at the end with an arm bundle he did stepping over. Those are things we do, but he went after that. They went full gusto.”
Matczak added he expects his trio of wrestlers to continue that “go-for-it-all” mentality in the finals.
“I think you have to stay with what got you here and if that’s your mentality going in, ‘I’m going to go for broke’ … they’re really going after it. That’s what they want to do and they want to go out and perform."
One win from gold
Other wrestlers advancing to the finals include Brillion’s Logan Mueller at D2 106; Winneconne’s Brody Hart at D2 138; Freedom’s Nathan Vande Hey at D2 145; and Wrightstown’s Nick Alexander at D2 152.
Mueller beat Chetek/Prairie Farm’s Brady Gesler 7-5 and takes on Dodgeville freshman Haakon Peterson in the final. Hart outlasted Seymour’s Ryan Tomazevic, 8-7, to earn a title shot and will face Prairie du Chien’s Rhett Koenig in the 138 championship.
Vande Hey advanced with a 6-2 decision against Omro’s Bryce Crowley and will battle Luxemburg-Casco’s Max Ronsman in the 145 final. Alexander blanked Prairie du Chien’s Luke Kramer 6-0 to reach the 152 championship match. He’ll face Lodi’s Zane Licht.
In the girls competition, Menasha’s Lillie Banks pinned Plymouth’s Brooke Schuenemann in 5:10 to advance to the 126 final with defending champ Hailie Krueger of New London pinning Natalie Maceau of Milwaukee Reagan in 1:45 to reach the 145 final for the second consecutive season.
Banks takes on Badgers’ Carley Ceshker in the 126 title match with Krueger battling Cuba City/Benton/Southwest’s Chloe LaRue in the 145 championship.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton North's Stoffel headlines wrestlers headed to state finals
