Wrestling: Witt-Birn's Moegenburg, Esker qualify for state

Updated: 10:45 a.m., 2/24

OCONTO FALLS — Chad Moegenburg and Wyatt Esker will represent the Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School wrestling team at state after they each placed second in their weight classes at the Division 2 Oconto Falls sectional Saturday.

Moegenburg, a senior, came in second in the 126-pound weight class. Esker, a junior, took second in the 145 class.

Each wrestler won their first two matches to advance to the first-place match.

Moegenburg earned a first-period pin to open the day before pinning his semifinal opponent late in the second period. The senior dropped a 5-1 decision in the final.

Moegenburg wasn’t forced to take part in a wrestleback, having already defeated the wrestler he would have faced in the second-place match.

“It’s insane,” said Moegenburg, of making it to state as a senior. “It was my goal. I didn’t want to make today my last tournament of the year.”

Esker started his day with a second-period pin before claiming a 4-2 decision in the semifinal. The junior dropped a 12-5 decision in the first-place match.

Like Moegenburg, Esker did not have to compete in a wrestleback.

“It means a lot,” said Esker, of making state. “I’ve been putting in a lot of work over the summer — went to JROB 28-Day (Intensive Camp), wanting to push myself and get to the next level. Last year didn’t turn out how I wanted it to. But this year I put in the work, gave it my all and went out there and performed.”

Moegenburg and Esker will now prepare for the 77th annual WIAA Individual Wrestling Championship Tournament, which runs Thursday through Saturday at the Kohl Center in Madison.

Both Witt-Birn wrestlers will take the mat Thursday night for the preliminary round, which starts at 7 p.m.

Moegenburg, boasting a 41-5 record heading into state, will wrestle Prairie du Chien freshman Luke Kramer (43-11) on Thursday, with the winner advancing to take on Baldwin-Woodville senior Jordan Bonte (30-5) on Friday.

Moegenburg made it to state as a sophomore and placed second in the Division 3 113-pound weight class. He missed last year’s postseason with an injury, making his state qualification that much more special this year.

“It’s really nice, especially because we were always D3 and D3 guys aren’t (viewed) as good as D2 or D1,” said Moegenburg. “We bumped up. I don’t know if they really knew us, but we knew them and we were ready. Our coaches always told us that it’s always us. We’re the ones that can take it to them; it’s not divisions.”

Esker (41-5) will open his first state tournament battling Richland Center senior Warrick Wolf (36-8) on Thursday. The winner will wrestle Ashland junior Jared Stricker (44-0) on Friday.

”I hope to place this year, at least place. Just go out there and at least win a match, for sure,” said Esker, of his state goals. “Just do what I can, fight every second, win every match I can and see what happens.”

Both wrestlers said their losses in the first-place matches at sectionals would serve as motivation at practice leading up to state.

“Anytime a wrestler qualifies for the state wrestling tournament, it is a big deal,” said Witt-Birn coach Troy Ostrowski. “These two individuals have put a lot of time into this sport and and have accomplished something many won’t. I am very proud of them and the the whole Wittenberg-Birnamwood wrestling team.”

Witt-Birn’s Pierson Potrykus (113) and David Gauderman (182) just missed out on qualifying for state with fourth-place finishes at the sectional.

Potrykus lost a tough 4-3 decision to start the day before fending off elimination with a 3-1 decision win. The sophomore suffered a 5-4 decision loss in the third-place match.

Gauderman won his opening match by forfeit before dropping a 7-4 decision match in the semifinals. He bounced back with a 17-4 major decision win, but he came up short in a 6-5 decision loss in the third-place match.

Damien Wudtke (106), Will Urquhart (152) and Larken Betry (160) lost their only matches of the day.

Caden Young (152) and Caleb Moore (182) each competed at the sectional for the Clintonville/Marion co-op.

Young won his first match, but he was eliminated after losing the next two matches. The two losses were the freshman’s only setbacks of the season.

Moore dropped his opening and only match of the day.

State qualifiers

Wittenberg-Birnamwood: Chad Moegenburg (126), Wyatt Esker (145).

Clintonville/Marion: None.

ONLINE

Full results from the sectional can be found at trackwrestling.com

sports@newmedia-wi.com