Trautman, Krattiger look to improve on third-place finishes
By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
For the second season in a row, the Waterford Union High School wrestling team is sending seven to state.
Seven Waterford wrestlers qualified for the WIAA Division 1 Individual Wrestling State Tournament at a sectional tournament Feb. 17 at West Allis Central High School.
The state wrestling tournament started Thursday and continues through Saturday at the Kohl Center in Madison.
The seven Waterford sent to state ties the record previously set last season.
“The team had its best performance, to date, at the sectional tournament,” Waterford coach Tom Fitzpatrick said. “Everyone wrestled extremely well, and went for broke. That’s the type of effort that’s needed to win at this time of the season.
“The four champions are hitting on all cylinders right now, and the two runners-up showcased their fighting spirit by coming back through the wrestle-backs.”
The top two in each weight class at the sectional tournament advance to state.
Boyd Biggs (36-10) at 285, Jack Trautman III (44-3) at 195, Jared Krattiger (46-1) at 182 and Alex Guardiola (33-6) at 152 each won their weight class.
Zach Kaminski (24-18) at 160, Sam Winski (36-15) at 120 and Joshua Cherba (27-18) at 113 each finished second.
Biggs beat Wauwatosa’s Austin Ertl (39-6) by a 9-0 major decision in the title match at 285 and Trautman beat Kettle Moraine’s Josh Nowak (44-2) 5-2 in the title match at 195.
Krattiger won by a 22-7 technical fall in 5:40 against Muskego’s Tyler Larsen (41-7) in the title match at 182, and Guardiola won by a 17-0 technical fall in 3:59 against Greenfield’s Kevin Pollack (38-6) in the title match at 152.
Kaminski won three of four matches, and defeated Mukwonago’s Aaron Schmitz (14-12) by an 18-2 technical fall in 5:55 for a berth at state.
Winski also won three of four matches, and scored a 16-2 major decision in the second-place match against Mukwonago’s Josiah Lynden (28-16) to finish second.
Cherba lost a 7-2 decision to Muskego’s Parker Bevilacqua (36-11) in the title match at 113.
Fitzpatrick said he liked the Wolverines’ opening draws at the state tournament, and said the big stage would not force Waterford to be cautious.
“That’s not our style,” Fitzpatrick said. “Our style is to push the pace and make our opponents feel our aggressiveness and wear them down. If we continue to wrestle that style and focus solely on scoring points and more points, we will do very well.”
Krattiger is ranked No. 1 in the state in the most recent Wisconsin Wrestling Online Division 1 state poll. Trautman is second at 195. Biggs, Kaminski, Guardiola, Winski and Cherba each received honorable mention honors in the same poll.
Krattiger finished third in the state last season at 182, and Trautman finished third at 195. Winski advanced to state last season at 120.
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