Five Demons finish season at state tournament
By Andrew Horschak
Sports Correspondent
Burlington wrestling coach Jade Gribble is already looking forward to next season.
Who can blame him?
The 2017-18 Demons will feature four returning state qualifiers and two additional sectional qualifiers who just missed moving on to Madison. Not only were three of those six standouts freshmen this season, but five other freshmen were regulars in the varsity lineup.
“The future is bright,” Gribble agreed. “To be honest, I thought this year was going to be one of those big learning experiences. It definitely was, but I think we were able to be competitive with some good teams.
“Hopefully, as we continue getting better, we are competing for conference, regional and sectional titles, and, hopefully someday along the line, competing for a state title. I think that’s what you try to build in any program.”
In the recent WIAA Individual State Tournament at the Kohl Center, only two of Burlington’s five participants won a match.
At 170 pounds, senior Lance Otter, a first-time qualifier, opened by pinning Oregon’s Parker Ehn-Howland in 1:55. Otter (32-12) was then edged in his quarterfinal match, losing a tough 3-2 decision to Waterford’s Tanner Cadman. The tourney run and high school career ended with a 5-3 loss to Pewaukee’s Conner Goodman in a wrestle-back.
Junior Nate Crayton, a returning state qualifier at 182, was competing in a “stacked bracket,” according to
Gribble. Crayton (31-5) started by pinning Arrowhead’s Derek Polczynski in 1:45, but dropped an 8-5 decision to Neenah’s Beau Yineman in the quarterfinals. He was then pinned in 52 seconds by West Allis Hale’s Dylan Allen in a wrestle-back.
At 285, junior Max Travis (30-11) was pinned by a familiar foe, Waterford’s EJ Mastrocola, in 4:54. He then lost by major decision, 11-1, to Milwaukee King’s Liam Arnold in a wrestleback.
“Unfortunately with heavyweights, when you make a mistake, you usually pay for it,” Gribble said. “People are just too big. Once you get put on your back … it’s not like you’re at 113 pounds where people can bridge and literally lift the other person off. When you have 280 pounds on top of you, it’s hard to do a lot.”
Freshman Ben Kumprey faced Stoughton senior and eventual runner-up Tristan Jenny in his first-round match and lost by an 11-2 major decision. Kumprey (34-10) was then pinned by Matt Anderson of Menomonee Falls in 3:00 in a wrestle-back.
Freshman Jake Skrundz (31-10) was pinned by Menomonee Falls senior Austin Lasanske in 28 seconds in the first round and did not get a wrestle-back when Lasanske lost his next match.
Other than Otter, Burlington will lose only one other senior from the lineup, Juanye Thornton at 220.
“I’m definitely going to miss those two young men,” Gribble said. “They’ve been a pleasure to work with.”
Along with Crayton, Kumprey, Skrundz and Travis, the Demons will welcome back sectional qualifiers Zach Weiler (32-12 at 113) and Max Ehlen (31-11 at 132) next year. In addition, other freshmen like Qwade Gehring, Luis Guevara, Eli Kiesler, John Kubiak and Grant Zelechowski will return with a year of experience under their belts.
“Not only are they talented, but they’re coachable and they work hard,” Gribble said. “They’ve really, really progressed as the season has gone on. It is exciting. Hopefully we can keep all of those kids enthused and working hard to improve in the off-season.”
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