Demons improve to 2-0 in SLC, capture tournament title
By Troy Sparks
Sports Correspondent
It wasn’t supposed to be that easy, but Burlington wrestling coach Jade Gribble probably didn’t think that his wrestlers would dominate the dual match against Elkhorn, Dec. 7, in a Southern Lakes Conference showdown. The Demons defeated the Elks, 51-18.
“I don’t know if we had our way with them,” Gribble said. “I think we wrestled well tonight, but we lost some close matches that we are going to work on and there’s still a lot to improve on. But I’m real happy with the effort that we had from our guys and I think we got more in the gas tank and we’re just going to keep battling and hopefully try to keep getting better.”
Ten individual wrestlers from both teams (Burlington 6, Elkhorn 4) entered the match that began at 182 pounds ranked in the top 12 according to wiwrestling.com.
Junior Nate Crayton of Burlington, the fifth-ranked wrestler in Division 1, faced No. 12 Elkhorn senior Myles Schumaker. Crayton led 2-1 after the first period and had a four-point margin heading into the third period (5-1). He held on to an 8-5 victory.
Elkhorn senior Nathan Welsh put his team ahead 6-3 with a pin of Burlington junior Nate Bousman in 2 minutes 56 seconds at 195. Max Travis overcame a lost point for an illegal hold to pin Elkhorn senior Dakota Biefield in 3:32 at 220 as the Demons regained the team lead at 9-6. Senior Hunter Hummel picked up a forfeit win for Elkhorn at 285.
Burlington freshman Jaden Bird scored an upset win over Elkhorn freshman Payton Jacobson, No. 6 in the state at 106. Bird broke a 5-5 tie in the third period with about a minute to go with an escape then held on to win 6-5.
Hayden Halter, another Burlington freshman wrestling at 113, pinned Elkhorn freshman Luke Truesdale in 5:02.
Sophomore Cody Welker received a forfeit win for Burlington at 120 over Elkhorn sophomore Quentin Woyak. Ben Stevenson (honorable mention) made quick work of Elkhorn junior Ted Woyak with a pin in 34 seconds at 126. Burlington held a commanding 30-12 lead after eight matches.
Elkhorn got two consecutive victories at 132 and 138. Senior Grant Truesdale upset Burlington junior Zac Weiler (No. 9 at 132) 9-4 and junior Dan Stilling (No. 4 at 138) defeated No. 10 Max Ehlen 6-3.
The Elks’ team score ended while Burlington ran off the last 21 points on three straight pins and a decision.
Sixth-ranked sophomore Jake Skrundz (Burlington) pinned No. 10 Elkhorn sophomore Colman Karl in 5:01 at 145. Senior Ben Kumprey (No. 7, 152) pinned Elkhorn senior Brandon Constable in 49 seconds. Sophomore 160-pounder Qwade Gehring pinned Elkhorn senior Charlie Schweinler in 2:51. Zach Wallace’s two-point reversal late in the third period over Elkhorn sophomore Aaron Taylor at 170 broke a 5-5 tie and ended the scoring for both teams.
“I think we had some huge matches,” Gribble said. “Obviously, getting the pin at 220 (was big). I think that was a huge win at 106 for us and then dominating at 113 and 120 and then kind of going up from there.”
Burlington 51, Elkhorn 18
106 – Jaden Bird (BUR) def. Payton Jacobson (ELK) 6-5; 113 – Hayden Halter (BUR) pinned Luke Truesdale (ELK) 5:02; 120 – Cody Welker (BUR) won by forfeit; 126 – Ben Stevenson (BUR) pinned Ted Woyak (ELK) 34 secs; 132 – Zac Weiler (BUR) lost to Grant Truesdale (ELK) 9-4; 138 – Max Ehlen (BUR) lost to Dan Stilling (ELK) 6-3; 145 – Jake Skrundz (BUR) pinned Colman Karl (ELK) 5:01; 152 – Ben Kumprey (BUR) pinned Brandan Constable (ELK) 49 secs; 160 – Qwade Gehring (BUR) pinned Charlie Schweinler (ELK) 2:51; 170 – Zach Wallace (BUR) def. Aaron Taylor (ELK) 7-5.
Demons take 24-team scramble
Burlington had only one champion in the Bob Downing Scramble but still won the overall team title in the 24-team invitational last Saturday at Sun Prairie. The Demons totaled 670 points, which was 145 ahead of Sauk Prairie (525) and had wrestlers finish at least fifth in 12 weight classes. Freshman Hayden Halter moved up to 113 pounds and pinned all four of his opponents to go 12-0 on the year, with 10 victories ending with pins.
Sophomore Max Ehlen (9-3) lost his title match to Wyler Lubeck of Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln 3-1 in overtime at 138. Junior Zach Weiler (10-2) and senior Nate Crayton (11-1) were also runner-up at 132 and 182, respectively.
Team Scores
Burlington 670, Sauk Prairie 525, Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln 480, Fennimore 443, River Valley 432, Sun Prairie 431, Kewaskum 426, Oconomowoc 417, Lodi 410, Union Grove 386.
Burlington Individual Results
106 – Jaden Bird 4-1, dec. Casey Reigstad, Menomonee Falls 7-4 (third-place match). 113 – Hayden Halter 5-0, pinned Cale Benitz, Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln, 4:30 in championship match. 120 – Cody Welkerlost 6-2 lost to Ethan Pogorzelski, Menomonee Falls (third-place match). 126 – Ben Stevenson 4-1 dec. Alex Birchman, Fennimore 7-3 (third-place match). 132 – Zach Weiler 4-1, pinned by Zach Licht, River Valley 3:41 in championship match. 138 – Max Ehlen 4-1, lost to Wyler Lubeck, Lincoln 3-1 (overtime) in championship match. 145 – Jake Skrundz 4-1, tech fall over John rawford, Kettle Moraine, 5:43 (fifth-place match). 152 – Ben Kumprey 4-1, injury default over Devon Bournonville, Sun Prairie (third-place match). 160 – Quade Gehring 4-1, dec. Jacob Hendrix, Madison LaFollette, 6-5 (third-place match). 170 – Zach Wallace 4-1, injury default over Sam Larson, Kewaskum, 1:06 (fifth-place match). 182 – Nate Crayton 4-1, major-decision loss to Shane Liegel, River Valley, 16-6 in championship match. 220 – Max Travis 4-1, dec. Reece Bierstaker, Sun Prairie, 6-4 (third-place match).
Gymnastics wins first meet of season
The Burlington/Badger/Union Grove/Wilmot/Williams Bay combined gymnastics team won their first dual meet of the season at home on Dec. 5. Sophomore Regan Cassidy (Badger) took first on uneven bars and second on the balance beam and floor exercise. Freshman Ava and junior Mari Trent (Badger) did well. Ava was first on the vault and second on the uneven bars and all-around and Mari was second on vault. Freshman Malia Bronson (Williams Bay) took third on the balance beam, floor exercise and in the all-around in her high school debut.
“There were a few jitters but the girls looked great overall and ended up winning the meet against a very respectable Brookfield team,” BUW coach Andrea Chart said. The BUW team will compete against the Mukwonago/Kettle Moraine combined team on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at Karcher Middle School and at the Frosty Invitational on Saturday at the Altius Gymnastics Academy at 4:30 p.m.
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