Witt-Birn has 7 wrestlers qualify for sectionals

Updated: Jan. 31, 8:15 p.m.

The Wittenberg-Birnamwood and Menominee Indian wrestling teams each had individual wrestlers qualify for sectionals after competing at the Division 3 Three Lakes/Phelps Regional on Jan. 30 in Three Lakes.

Witt-Birn earned 186 points to place second as a team, behind only Crandon (203). Menominee Indian accumulated 82 points to place fourth.

The first- and second-place finishers in each weight class qualified for sectionals. Witt-Birn had seven wrestlers qualify, while Menominee Indian had two.

Witt-Birn’s Andres Sanchez (113), Pierson Potrykus (126), Dakotah Olson (132) and David Gauderman (220) all won their weight classes. Austin Worzalla (138), Bryce Zoromski (145) and Wyatt Esker (152) each took second.

Potrykus was the lone wrestler at the 126-pound weight class, meaning he didn’t have to compete on his way to first place.

Sanchez and Gauderman each wrestled just one time. Sanchez earned his win with a pin in the second period, while Gauderman pinned his opponent late in the first period.

Olson wrestled two times to earn his top finish. He earned a first-period pin in the semifinals before claiming an 11-4 win in the first-place match.

“It means that I’m going to have to continue to work hard to be able to make it to state and continue on,” said Olson of qualifying for sectionals. “My expectations are to qualify for state no matter the challenge, so I’ll be working hard and improving this next week.”

With three wrestlers in his weight class, Zoromski lost an 8-4 decision to start his day but was given a chance for redemption in the second-place match. The senior took advantage, winning by pin in the first period to punch his ticket to sectionals.

Worzalla started his day in the three-wrestler 138-pound weight class with a 12-5 decision win. He was pinned in the first-place match but didn’t need to wrestle again because he’d already defeated the wrestler he would have faced in the second-place match.

Esker, a state qualifier last year, had a similar fate in the 152 class that had five wrestlers in it. He pinned his opponent in 34 seconds in the semifinals before dropping a 4-1 decision in the first-place match. He was awarded second without having to wrestle again.

“It’s a good accomplishment, especially for my last season of wrestling,” said Esker of advancing. “It is not the ultimate goal, but it’s step one to reaching the state tournament.”

Menominee Indian’s Kanewin Dickenson (195) and Saswaen Shawanokasic (285) won their respective weight classes to qualify for sectionals.

Dickenson was one of three wrestlers in the 195 class but was awarded the double bye, meaning he wouldn’t wrestle until the first-place match. In that match, Dickenson won with a pin in the first period.

“I expect sectionals to be harder and one heck of an experience, and I may not be a beast yet. But I’m working hard, and I’ll be working even harder preparing mentally and physically,” said Dickenson.

Shawanokasic was also in a three-wrestler bracket at 220 pounds. In the semifinals, he pinned his opponent in the first period. Against the top seed in the first-place match, Shawanokasic earned a 4-0 decision win.

“My expectations are the same — maintain focus, take advantage of all the time others put into my training,” said Shawanokasic of sectionals.

“If I win, great. If I don’t, I represented the Menominee Nation and team the best I could.”

The sectional qualifiers from each team compete in the Division 3 Valders Sectional on Feb. 6.

Team scores: 1. Crandon 203; 2. Wittenberg-Birnamwood 186; 3. Three Lakes/Phelps 96; 4. Menominee Indian 82; 5. Elcho 74.5; 6. Wabeno/Laona 47.5.

ONLINE

Full results from the regional can be found at www.trackwrestling.com.

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