Wausau Pilot & Review
MERRILL – Marshfield won five individual titles and had three runner-ups as it captured the 2023 Wisconsin Valley Conference Wrestling Tournament title on Saturday at Merrill High School.
The Tigers racked up 238.5 points, easily outdistancing second-place Wisconsin Rapids (172.5). Combined with an undefeated regular-season dual meet schedule, Marshfield earned its first overall WVC championship since 2018.
Wausau West, the defending conference champion, finished third with 168.5 points, D.C. Everest was fifth with 136.5, and Wausau East seventh with 65.
West had two individual champions as Cayden Kershaw won the title at 220 pounds and William McCroison was first at 285.
Thai Yang (106) and Gabriel Galang (145) finished second, and Henry Ruffi (113) and Henry Galang (160) each took third for the Warriors.
Maddox Rye won the 132-pound title for Wausau East, defeating D.C. Everest’s Deakin Trotzer 4-2 in overtime.
Easton Cooper grabbed D.C. Everest’s lone title, winning the 126-pound championship. Taylor Dillion (113) and Blake Heal (138) each added runner-up finishes, and Blake Bangtson (152) and Kyle Schmidt (195) both took third for the Evergreens.
Wausau West, Wausau East and D.C. Everest will all take part in the WIAA Division 1 regional at Merrill on Feb. 11.
2023 Wisconsin Valley Conference Wrestling Tournament
Feb. 4, at Merrill High School
Team scores: 1. Marshfield 238.5; 2. Wisconsin Rapids 172.5; 3. Wausau West 168.5; 4. Merrill 159; 5. D.C. Everest 136.5; 6. Stevens Point 112.5; 7. Wausau East 65.
106 pounds
Championship: Jon Sternweis (MAR) won by major dec. over Thai Yang (WW), 17-8.
Fifth place: Jake Roberts (SP) pinned Ben Lo (WE), 2:57.
113 pounds
Championship: Landyn Freeman (WR) pinned Taylor Dillion (DC), 1:37.
Third place: Henry Ruffi (WW) pinned Ryan Jaeger (WE), 4:46.
120 pounds
Championship: Easton Ledden (MAR) pinned Jon Hart (MER), 1:37.
Third place: Jacob Bender (WR) def. Xavier Sengkhammee (WW), 8-3.
Fifth place: Tyler Modjewski (DC) won by major dec. over Jacob Schuett (WE), 11-2.
126 pounds
Championship: Easton Cooper (DC) def. Carter Freeman (WR), 3-2.
Fifth place: Brett Suchocki (MER) pinned Logan Brewer (WW), 5:24.
132 pounds
Championship: Maddox Rye (WE) def. Deakin Trotzer (DC), 4-2, SV-1.
Fifth place: Keenen Landwehr (MAR) pinned Alexander Voight (WW), 1:27.
138 pounds
Championship: Brett Franklin (MAR) def. Blake Heal (DC), 7-0.
Fifth place: Jake Hall (SP) pinned Noah Rhea (WE), 1:17.
145 pounds
Championship: Hoyt Blaskowski (MAR) won by major dec. over Gabriel Galang (WW), 13-1.
Third place: Riley Seavers (SP) pinned Cameron Saari (DC), 4:46.
Fifth place: Mason Tritz (WR) won by technical fall over Marquell Wraggs (WE), 17-2.
152 pounds
Championship: Caleb Dennee (MAR) def. T.J. Schierl (SP), 7-3.
Third place: Blake Bangtson (DC) def. Cole Black (WR) by forfeit.
Fifth place: Timothy Gospodarek (WW) pinned Hunter Opper (MER), 3:40.
160 pounds
Championship: Kale Roth (SP) pinned Grayden Rode (MAR), 1:56.
Third place: Henry Galang (WW) def. Gage Lassa (MER), 6-0.
Fifth place: Tanner Rickman (DC) def. Mark Jeske (WR), 5-0.
170 pounds
Championship: Garrett Willuweit (MAR) def. Bennett Weidman (WR), 7-2.
Third place: Brian Ball (MER) def. Connor Calmes (WW), 3-1, SV-1.
Fifth place: Daytona Pagel (DC) pinned Peter Yang (WE), 1:44.
182 pounds
Championship: Kailar Tritz (WR) pinned Zach Bembenek (SP), 3:21.
Third place: Eli Colby (MAR) pinned Evan Raboin (WW), 2:49.
Fifth place: Austin Depies (MER) pinned Bradock Rickert (DC), 1:24.
195 pounds
Championship: Ryder Depies (MER) won by technical fall over Mason Seidl (MAR), 15-0.
Third place: Kyle Schmidt (DC) pinned Quintin Brezinski (SP), 0:27.
Fifth place: William Ford (WW) pinned Elmer Heard (WE), 1:24.
220 pounds
Championship: Cayden Kershaw (WW) pinned Tanner Gormanson (WR), 4:42.
285 pounds
Championship: William McCorison (WW) def. Adrian Krueger (MAR), 3-1.
