For the second consecutive season, the Waterloo wrestling Pirates are Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) regional champions. Last season, they outpaced the rest of the field at the Horicon High School regional. This time around, they got to play host for Regional 2 in Sectional D of Division 3.
Other teams in attendance at Waterloo on Saturday, Feb. 10 included Cambridge, Catholic Central, Deerfield, Dodgeland, Horicon, Hustisford, Johnson Creek, Kenosha Christian Life, Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic, Living Word Lutheran, Marshall, and Palmyra-Eagle. The Pirates beat them all, winning the regional with a team score of 202.5. Two Pirates claimed individual regional titles with eight more finishing in at least fourth place in their respective weight classes to qualify for individual sectionals.
Senior Trevor Firari used his wealth of state tournament experience to bring Waterloo a regional title in the 190 lbs. weight class. He’s already made it all the way to the state finals twice in his high school career, and Saturday’s regional championship was his third.
Firari entered as the top seed in his weight class and was hardly challenged on his way to his title. After opening with a bye, he pinned a Cambridge opponent in 28 seconds in the quarterfinals and a Dodgeland wrestler in 3:32 in the semifinals. This trend of pins continued in the championship, as Firari reigned supreme again with a pin at 1:13 against a Johnson Creek wrestler.
Joining Firari atop his respective weight class was junior Owen Koele at 138 lbs.. He, too, entered the day as the top seed and backed up that billing. He received a pair of byes to advance directly to the semifinals, where he dominated a Living Word Lutheran wrestler in an eventual 17-0 tech fall win. He was just as good in the championship, where he pinned a Deerfield wrestler in 1:42.
Sophomore Brady Ebert came close to making it three individual regional titles, instead claiming a runner-up finish in the 126 lbs. weight class. After an opening bye, he pinned a Living Word Lutheran wrestler in just 57 seconds. He ran into the No. 2 seed from Cambridge in the semifinals, whom he advanced past with a 12-4 major decision victory. Ebert’s run fell just short in the championship match as he was pinned by the top seed from Kenosha St. Joseph early in the third period.
Third place was a common position for Waterloo wrestlers on Saturday. Five Pirates bounced back from early losses to finish strong and nab the spot.
Freshman Zack Aguero got it done in the 106 lbs. bracket. He started strong with a 4-2 decision win in the quarterfinals, buying him a matchup with the top seed from Living Word Lutheran in the semifinals. Aguero took a pin late in the first period to the eventual weight class champion, knocking him down into contention for second place. Aguero muscled out a 14-5 major decision win over a Deerfield wrestler for a shot at Cambridge’s Curtis Peterson, who had lost to the Living Word Lutheran wrestler in the championship. The second place match was highly contested and went the distance. Peterson’s one escape in the third period was the difference in a 1-0 decision win over Aguero.
A couple of weight classes up, sophomore teammate Avery Skalitzky earned third place at 120 lbs.. Much like Aguero, he won his opening match before running into the top seed. Skalitzky pinned a Johnson Creek wrestler in 5:40 in the quarterfinals before getting pinned in 15 seconds by the top seed from Kenosha St. Joseph. Now in contention for second place, Skalitzky earned a major decision win, 13-4, over a Horicon wrestler to face the second seed from Cambridge, fresh off a pin loss in the championship match. In another tightly contested match, Skalitzky was on the losing side of an 8-7 decision to take third place.
Up at 144 lbs., freshman Gavin Schroud handled his first taste of the state tournament well with another third place finish. He pinned his quarterfinal opponent in 3:17 before falling to a Johnson Creek’s Luke Hartz via second period pin in the semifinals. He bounced back with a win over Marshall senior Kody Finke, a 10-8 decision. The second place match was ruled a “no contest” as Schroud would have been up against Hartz again, who had lost in the championship match. Schroud took third.
The third place finishes kept rolling in the 157 lbs. weight class thanks to senior Ryan Sturgill. He followed a similar script as many of his other third place teammates. He won his quarterfinal match with a pin in 53 seconds before getting pinned by Marshall junior Turner Cobb in the semifinals. Sturgill rebounded a 10-1 major decision win over a Cambridge wrestler. This second place match was also a “no contest” as Sturgill would have met Cobb again, who lost in the championship match. Cobb placed second, Strugill third.
Sophomore Andy Carrillo finished out the third place finishes with another in the 125 lbs. weight class. He got byes all the way to the semifinals, where he took a 3-1 decision loss to a Kenosha St. Joseph wrestler. Carrillo had to work hard to pick up his first win of the day in the consolation bracket, but muscled out a 12-11 decision win over a Cambridge wrestler to get to the second place match. This was another “no contest” as the Kenosha St. Joseph wrestler that had beaten him earlier was waiting for him there.
As a cherry on top, junior Derek Pochowski (175 lbs.) and senior Modou Demba (285 lbs.) both picked up fourth place finishes to advance as individuals. Pochowski got his by default as there were only four wrestler in his weight class.
As for Demba, he entered as the top seed but was upset by a Dodgeland wrestler in the semifinal round. Things got even tougher in the consolation bracket as he took a pin loss to a Palmyra-Eagle wrestler. His last chance for a win came in the fourth place match against a Living Word Lutheran wrestler. Demba finished on a high note with a pin win at 51 seconds.
Elsewhere for Waterloo, freshman Wyatt Toay (132 lbs.) placed fifth while both freshman Paxton Culbert (150 lbs.) and senior Dakota Sturgill (165 lbs.) earned sixth.
Waterloo's trend of home mat advantage in the state tournament will continue at team sectionals, as the Pirates will again serve as host on Tuesday, Feb. 13. Individually qualified wrestlers will also head to Dodgeland High School on Saturday, Feb. 17 for individual WIAA sectionals.
--
WIAA Division 3, Regional DII team scores
1. Waterloo, 202.5
2. Cambridge, 172
3. Deerfield, 161
4. Living Word Lutheran, 149
5. Horicon, 117
6. Johnson Creek, 105
7. Kenosha St. Joseph, 99
8. Kenosha Christian Life, 85
9. Marshall, 81
10. Dodgeland, 62.5
11. Hustisford, 54
12. Palmyra-Eagle, 48
13. Catholic Central, 0
Most Popular
Comments / 0