Ryan, Kieslich, Braley never gave up
By Tim Wester
Sports Correspondent
In the unlikeliest of situations, injuries have created a strong bond between the Union Grove High state qualifying wrestlers.
Seniors Adam Braley and Cole Ryan, along with junior Brett Kieslich have all persevered through serious injuries over the last year to qualify for their ultimate goal of wrestling in the state championship in Madison this week. This bond helped drive each wrestler to work harder through rehab and put in the extra time required to be successful.
“I’m just really pleased for all three of our guys,” Union Grove wrestling coach Andy Weis said. “All of them have been through something, and for them to battle back from injury and see their goals is great.”
In the case of Ryan (25-5), battling back from his concussion that he suffered five weeks ago in warm-ups before the Badger Invitational was only half the battle. The senior standout wrestler had to shake off the rust of the layoff in the sectional final at Burlington against some of the top competitors at 220 in the state.
“I wasn’t so nervous about making it back before the season ended,” Ryan said. “I was more worried about shaking off the rust.”
The worries of rust didn’t last long.
Ryan, who was wrestling for the first time since Jan. 17, pinned Milwaukee Bradley Tech’s Adam Kelly in 1:23, then finished off state-ranked Hegeman Tiedt of Burlington 7-6 in the semifinal. Then for good measure, Ryan pinned the No. 1-ranked wrestler at 220, La’Ryan Johnson of Kenosha Bradford in 4:50 in the championship match.
“Being able to beat the number one ranked wrestler in the state at 220 was based straight off what my coaches told me to game-plan for against Johnson,” Ryan said. “I owed them so much for the great preparation and the victory.”
And now Ryan gets his second crack at the state championship after qualifying his sophomore year. Last year after starting the season 37-0, Ryan was upended in the sectionals, which provided him plenty of motivation this season.
“At sectionals last year, I was up big in the first match and still got pinned,” Ryan said. “After that loss I sat in the locker room for a bit and one of our coaches came in and sat there and told me as long as I put in the work, he’ll get me to the next level.”
Man on a mission
Wrestling at another level has been Braley’s story since he returned from a torn MCL in early January. Braley (21-0) hasn’t missed a beat since his return, and has stormed through the regular season, and now the postseason on his way to the state tournament.
“Adam has just been lights out, and truly has been on a mission, focused and ready to go,” Weis said. “When Adam sat out, he really figured out what he needed to do when he came back, and he’s done just that.”
Braley, who was a sectional qualifier last season, agrees that a new mindset has made all the difference.
“When I was out with an injury, I turned into a coach and started to see things that coaches were seeing,” Braley said. “That has helped me now because I can see what my competitors are going to do before they execute it.”
That quiet confidence was certainly on display in Burlington. The senior dominated the 195 weight class with pins of Andrew DeBrocke of South Milwaukee and James Williams of Kenosha Tremper in 51 and 45 seconds, respectively. Braley then put the finishing touches on the championship with a 5-2 decision over Ross Agg of Oak Creek.
“I have just been coming into every match taking it one match at a time, and not worrying about who my opponent is,” Braley said. “I knew I put in the work in the offseason and knew what I could accomplish.”
ACL, broken bones slowed Kieslich
Perhaps nobody had to put more work into the offseason than Kieslich. After missing his entire sophomore season due to a torn ACL, Kieslich (37-11) finished the sectional with a 3-1 record and a second-place finish after narrowly losing in the championship match.
“I missed last year because of a torn ACL, and then I came back in the summer for my club team and broke my leg and ankle, which set me back three more months,” Kieslich said. “I didn’t want anyone’s pity, so I didn’t see the time off as a bad thing, and instead used it to give me a different perspective. It gave me a drive to be more successful.”
And that drive for success has inspired his teammates, and helped build a bond.
“We have a huge bond between the three of us,” Ryan said. “Going through football with Adam, and all of sudden I couldn’t play with a herniated disk in my back, and then I saw Adam get hurt and it sort of brought us closer. Brett and I were always close and not seeing him wrestle last year was tough, but now he’s kicking butt.”
Now the Bronco trio looks to use their drive and bond to each earn a medal at the state tournament in Madison.
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