Bonduel’s Sokolski, Bogacz place at state wrestling tournament

Shawano’s Brandt, Kohn, Timm also place
By: 
Morgan Rode
Sports Editor

Bonduel High School’s Max Sokolski and Tyson Bogacz each placed after competing in the Division 3 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament on Feb. 13 at Wausau East High School.

Sokolski came in fourth in the 152-pound weight class after posting a 2-2 record. Bogacz settled for sixth place in the 145 class after sustaining an injury.

Sokolski’s day started and ended with losses to De Soto’s Aiden Brosinski. In between those matches, Sokolski earned two decision wins.

“Ending my career with a fourth-place (finish) is something I’m proud of and I’ll never forget,” said Sokolski. “I will truly cherish this day and sport forever.”

Sokolski’s first match against Brosinski ended by pin in the first period. The Bonduel senior bounced back with a 10-4 decision win in the first round of the consolation bracket and then claimed a 12-6 decision in the consolation semifinals to work his way back to the third-place match.

In that match, Sokolski dropped a 9-1 major decision.

“Not many people in the history of Bonduel wrestling can say they made it to state three times and I’m proud to say I’m one of them,” said Sokolski, who ended the year with a 19-3 record. “I truly thank my coaches for pushing me so hard over the years to make me into the wrestler as well as the person I am today.”

Bogacz’s day started with a thrilling 7-6 decision win in the quarterfinals. The sophomore escaped late in the third period for the win.

“I thought I started wrestling pretty well my first match — just executing all my moves, kept moving, and just kept the pedal to the medal,” said Bogacz.

Bogacz then lost by technical fall, 15-0 in the semifinals, which bumped him to the consolation bracket.

In the consolation semifinal match, Bogacz trailed 7-1 before being awarded a point for a penalty. Bogacz had to concede the match by injury default right after.

Bogacz then forfeited the fifth-place match because of the injury. He ended the year with a 15-6 record.

“My goal was to get on the podium, which I achieved but I definitely feel like I should’ve been higher on the podium,” said Bogacz. “I’m pretty confident that I would’ve been higher on the podium if I could’ve finished out the day. But at the end of the day it was the right decision at the time, and I intend to be right back here next year, and hopefully do better than I did this year.”

Shawano

Shawano had four wrestlers competing at the Division 1 state tournament at Kaukauna High School.

Wyatt Brandt (126) and Nick Kohn (285) each placed fifth, while Gage Timm (195) came in sixth. Damien Wudtke (113) didn’t place after going 0-2.

Kohn’s day began with a 5-1 decision loss in the quarterfinals. The senior kept his season alive with a pin in 2 minutes, 14 seconds in the first round of the consolation bracket.

After a 6-1 decision loss in the consolation semifinals, Kohn earned a third-period pin in the fifth-place match to cap his career.

“Overall on the mat, I wrestled my hardest. There are a few things I could have done better but mistakes are bound to happen,” said Kohn, who ended the year with a 12-3 record.

“Still not sure how I feel knowing that these were my final matches, there’s mixed emotions going on there. Placing fifth is cool, though in the long run it’s not what I had hoped, but you gotta deal with the cards you’re dealt with and with my cards this year I’d say I did a pretty good job. I do wish things were different this year but that can’t be helped.”

Brandt’s day began with an 18-3 technical fall loss in the quarterfinals, but the senior bounced back with a 10-8 victory in overtime in the first round of the consolation bracket.

After suffering a 12-4 major decision loss in the consolation semifinals, Brandt won a 2-0 decision in the fifth-place match. He earned his two points on a second-period reversal.

“My conditioning and top position was really good today,” said Brandt, who finished with a 13-6 season record. “I was able to win my last match by riding out my opponent in the end of the second and all of the third period.”

“It means a lot to go out on a win my senior year securing fifth place. I couldn’t be more thankful for such a great experience for my senior year.”

Timm dropped a 6-2 decision in his first state match before pinning his opponent in 51 seconds in the consolation first round.

In the consolation semifinals, Timm suffered a 10-4 decision loss before being pinned in the second period of the fifth-place match.

“After I lost my first match I knew that I had to win to keep wrestling and I think that helped me a lot to get that win,” said Timm, who went 15-5 as a senior. “But overall being able to end my wrestling career at state was a great feeling.”

“It means a lot — being able to wrestle kids that are 10-15 pounds heavier and still place sixth in the state was a great feeling.”

Wudtke was pinned late in the first period of his quarterfinal match and then lost an 11-0 major decision in the first round of the consolation bracket.

“This experience is going to help me push myself harder to get high on the podium next year,” said Wudtke, who finished the year with a 9-5 record.

ONLINE

For full state results, visit www.trackwrestling.com.

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