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ATHENS – Stratford had 12 individual sectional qualifiers and cruised to the team title at the WIAA Division 3 wrestling regional on Saturday at Athens High School.
The Tigers piled up nine individual regional titles and 282.5 points to easily outpace second-place Athens (158) and third-place Edgar (152).
Auburndale placed fifth in the team standings with 132 points and had four wrestlers qualify for the individual sectional.
Stratford moves on to the WIAA Division 3 team sectional for the fourth year in a row. The Tigers will face a familiar foe, Coleman, in a sectional semifinal. Crandon and Weyauwega-Fremont will battle in the other semifinal, with both going simultaneously starting at 6 p.m. The championship dual will follow with the winner advancing to the 2017 WIAA State Team Wrestling Tournament at the University of Wisconsin Fieldhouse on March 3-4 in Madison.
Stratford beat Coleman at the sectional last year to advance to state after losing to them in both 2014 and 2015.
The top two finishers at the regional qualified for the Division 3 individual sectional next Saturday, Feb. 18, at Shawano High School. The top three finishers there move on to the 2017 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison on Feb. 23-25.
“I was extremely pleased on the performance of our kids,” Stratford coach Joe Schwabe said. “They tried to capitalize on nearly every chance they had. A few even ‘out-performed,’ which is always nice. We got a little beat up on the day, but we hope our team depth will be able to bail us out come Tuesday for the team sectional against No.2-ranked Coleman.
“We have had the injury bug all season which has given others a chance to show what they have and makes everyone continue to work hard because you never know when you may get called up.”
Regional champions that will move on to the sectional for the Tigers are: Manny Drexler (106 pounds), A.J. Schoenfuss (120), Derek Marten (126), Jake Drexler (132), Jeremy Schoenherr (138), Mason Kauffman (152), David Marquardt (160), Kade Ehrike (170), and Kamren Bornbach (220).
Jordan Becker (145), Aiden Hoffman (195), and Tyson Kauffman (285) each lost their respective championship matches for Stratford, but will move on to the sectional.
Stratford freshman Max Schwabe, a Marawood Conference champion who had piled up a 29-1 record this season, was forced to miss the tournament due to the flu. Coach Joe Schwabe said he hopes to be ready for the team sectional Tuesday, and/or the state team tournament should the Tigers advance.
Dylan Baird won the 113-pound title for Auburndale, edging Carter Brunke of Athens 10-8 in the championship match.
Also qualifying for the sectional for the Apaches were Isaiah Hasenohrl at 126, Dylan Altmann at 152, and Kellar Wolfe at 170. Altmann and Wolfe both had to survive second-place wrestlebacks to move on.
2017 WIAA Division 3 Wrestling Regional
Feb. 11 at Athens High School
Team scores: *1. Stratford 282.5; 2. Athens 158; 3. Edgar 152; 4. Pittsville 137.5; 5. Auburndale 132; 6. Marathon 61; 7. Thorp 26.
*Stratford qualifies for Division 3 team sectional Feb. 14 at Amherst
Top two wrestlers in each weight class qualify for Division 3 individual sectional Feb. 18 at Shawano
106 pounds
Championship: Manny Drexler (ST) def. Dane Klinger (MAR) 4-2.
Third place: Hunter Godard (AUB) pinned Chase Ellenbecker (ATH) in 1:42.
113 pounds
Championship: Dylan Baird (AUB) def. Carter Brunke (ATH) 10-8.
Third place: Evan Dammann (PIT).
120 pounds
Championship: A.J. Schoenfuss (ST) def. Matthew Grossman (PIT) 4-0.
Third place: Jakob Lipinski (ED) pinned Brent Lau (AUB) in 1:33.
126 pounds
Championship: Derek Marten (ST) pinned Isaiah Hasenohrl (AUB) in 0:34.
Third place: Nathan Franke (MAR) pinned Josh Kania (ED) in 3:16.
132 pounds
Championship: Jake Drexler (ST) def. Beau Merritt (PIT) 10-6.
Third place: Quade Webster (TH) pinned Fernando Zavaleta (MAR) in 1:36.
138 pounds
Championship: Jeremy Schoenherr (ST) won by technical fall over Tyler Dammann (PIT) 22-7.
Third place: Ty Guden (ED) pinned Eann Shepro (MAR) in 1:44.
145 pounds
Championship: Austin Engel (ATH) pinned Jordan Becker (ST) in 3:16.
Third place: Tony Borowski (TH) def. Ethan Heil (ED) 9-3.
152 pounds
Championship: Mason Kauffman (ST) pinned Dylan Altmann (AUB) in 1:51.
Third place: Brock Handrick (ED) def. Kody Kauth (PIT) 7-6.
Second-place wrestleback: Altmann (AUB) def. Handrick (ED) 9-5.
160 pounds
Championship: David Marquardt (ST) def. Nathaniel Morse (ATH) 10-6.
Third place: Scott Schooley (PIT) pinned Dawson Lemmer (ED) in 0:54.
170 pounds
Championship: Kade Ehrike (ST) def. Kellar Wolfe (AUB) 8-7.
Third place: Colton Heil (ED) def. Connor Westfall (ATH) 7-3.
Second-place wrestleback: Wolfe (AUB) def. Heil (ED) 7-4.
182 pounds
Championship: Will Raatz (ED) def. Marshall Westfall (ATH) 7-5.
Third place: Henry Myers (PIT) def. Dylan Schoenherr (ST) injury default.
Second-place wrestleback: Westfall (ATH) pinned Myers (PIT) in 0:24.
195 pounds
Championship: Alex Lemanski (ED) pinned Aiden Hoffman (ST) in 2:47.
Third place: Todd Parker (PIT) won by technical fall over John Birkholz (ATH) 16-1.
220 pounds
Championship: Kamren Bornbach (ST) won by technical fall over Dakota Venzke (ATH) 18-3.
Third place: Bryce Imhoff (ED) pinned Kyle Masanz (PIT) in 1:05.
285 pounds
Championship: Tyson Sommer (ATH) def. Tyson Kauffman (ST) injury default.
Third place: James Wolfe (AUB) pinned Ryan McKibben (ED) in 0:37.