By Mike Ramczyk
Sports Editor
If the beginning of the season is any indication, it’s going to be another big year for the Burlington wrestling team.
The Demons, who only lost three wrestlers from last year’s Southern Lakes Conference championship and team state squad, won the Gunslinger Invite against top competition last weekend.
Sparked by first-place finished from Hegeman Tiedt, Tristan Lind, Ben Hornickle and Josh Bird, Burlington took the title by 12.5 points over second-place Cedarburg.
All but two weight classes finished in the top six, and the Demons scored plenty of bonus points with pin falls and major decisions.
Head coach Jade Gribble said this year’s team is full of experience.
“Our varsity lineup is an experienced group with several returning starters,” he said Tuesday. “We are a solid team, but we currently are without much depth in the the lower weights. Overall, our numbers are down but I’m excited to coach the kids that are here.”
Luke Iverson (113), Robbie Elsbury (126), Bird (132), Hornickle (138), Lucas Shenkenberg (145), Wes Gavin (152), Isaiah Brenner (160), Lance Otter (160), Chris Marks (195) and Tiedt (220) were all sectional qualifiers last year.
Bird, Hornickle and Shenkenberg all advanced to state.
Josiah Kusik (113), Lind (182) and Nick Otter (285) round out the returning crop, while newcomers Nate Crayton (160/170) and Jared Bird (126/132) figure to contribute.
Burlington has been a part of the last five SLC titles, but this year won’t be easy with Elkhorn, Badger and Waterford all gunning for the top spot.
What will it take to continue the Demon dominance?
“We have experience but we need to get better,” Gribble said. “There are some very good teams in the SLC, and we have to wrestle very well to give ourselves a shot. Elkhorn, Badger and Waterford are all going to be very tough dual meets.”
Gribble said Elkhorn is very balanced, and Waterford has some great individuals.
Burlington opened the SLC season with a lopsided victory over Wilmot. Things will get much harder Thursday night at the home opener against Elkhorn.
It’s T-shirt night, which means the program will be giving away more than 600 shirts to fans.
Though it’s early in the season, Gribble understands a victory over Elkhorn would be huge.
“Every dual with a tough conference team is important, but win or lose you understand it’s still very early in the season and we need to continue to get better and peark at the right time.”
Schedule
(HOME MEETS ALL CAPS)
December – 11: ELKHORN. 18: at Delavan-Darien. 20: at Fond du Lac Invite. 29-30: at Bi-State Classic in La Crosse. January – 8: at Westosha Central. 10: BURLINGTON INVITE. 15: UNION GROVE. 17: at Freedom Invite. 22: LAKE GENEVA BADGER. 23: at Homestead Invite. 29: at Waterford. February – 7: SLC meet at Wilmot.
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