Wrestling: Lena's Misco qualifies for state

Freshman takes second in 106 class at sectional
By: 
Morgan Rode
Sports Editor

Updated: 10 a.m., 2/24

SHAWANO — Luke Misco will represent the Lena High School wrestling team at the state tournament after placing second at the Division 3 Bonduel sectional, which was hosted by Shawano Community High School on Saturday.

Misco, a freshman, won two of his three matches for a second-place finish in the 106-pound weight class.

Misco opened the day with a high-scoring 13-10 decision win before a 21-8 major decision win in his semifinal match.

“My dad (coach Chad Misco) isn’t just my biggest fan or my hero, but he is my mentor and he has taught me everything I know — not just as a wrestler, but as a young man,” said Luke Misco. “As soon as I came off the mat after my hard-fought semifinal win, I gave him the biggest hug of my life, and it was the greatest feeling on earth.”

The freshman was pinned in the first period of the first-place match, but he was awarded second without having to wrestle again because he had already defeated the wrestler he was set to face in the second-place match.

“Very proud of the way he wrestled today and the way he has worked at practice all year,” said Chad Misco. “He puts the time in the weight room and practices in the offseason. Good to see hard work pay off.”

Misco will get ready to showcase his talents at the 77th annual WIAA Individual Wrestling Championship Tournament, which runs Thursday through Saturday at the Kohl Center in Madison.

Misco and the rest of the Division 3 state qualifiers will wrestle in preliminaries Thursday, starting at 7 p.m.

The Lena wrestler is one of five freshman in the D3 106 weight class at state. Three sophomores, two juniors and two seniors round out the class.

Misco, who owns a record of 32-9 going into state, will open his state tournament wrestling Riverdale sophomore Jonah Dennis (40-12). The winner will advance to take on Cadott freshman Brayden Sonnentag (36-1).

“I hope to wrestle the best I have all year, and it would be awesome to place,” said Misco of his state goals.

Five other Lena wrestlers also participated in the sectional.

Alex Decoursin (145) opened his day up with a first-period pin. Decoursin was eliminated after dropping back-to-back matches by second-period pins.

Sam Marquardt (126) and Frank Desjarlais (285) each wrestled twice on the day.

Marquardt lost by two first-period pins. Desjarlais was pinned in the second period of both his matches.

Cody Dellise (160) and Dylan Comins (113) both lost their only match of the day.

State qualifiers

Lena: Luke Misco (106).

ONLINE

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

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