By MIKE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
A quartet of local wrestlers will shoot for a medal at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association state individual championships this weekend.
SPASH seniors Ty Pope and Rob King will compete in Division 1 while Rosholt seniors Aaron Yenter and Jon Betker will wrestle in Divison 3 in the three-day event at the Kohl Center in Madison. Division 1 action begins Thursday night while Division 3 matches kick off Friday morning.
"I think both understand they're not done," SPASH coach Gee Pope said of Pope and King. "They want to get on the medal stand at state.
"We're going down and we'll take it one at a time. They'll try to just keep wrestling to the next round."
Pope enters the 140-pound bracket with a 32-3 record and faces last year's 119-pound champion, sophomore Joe Henning of Chippewa Falls (36-1), in the opening round.
"It looks like no matter what I'll be wrestling Friday," Pope said. "I just hope to give it my all in the first match and then take it from there."
Klay Konrad of New London (37-0), Anthony Segura of Racine Horlick (22-0), Jon Tyler of Sheboygan North (34-2) and Chad Kirchen of Brookfield East (30-2) hold the top records at 140.
King, who holds a 27-10 record, faces junior Adam Simson of Muskego (35-4) in the opening round of the 135-pound bracket.
"Obviously I'm happy to be there, but I'm not satisfied. I'll get down there and we'll take one match at a time," King said.
Holding the top records at 135 are Tyler Laudon of Tomah (36-0), Martin Thunder of Wisconsin Rapids - who beat King for the sectional title - (37-1), Dustin Hillman of Racine Park (36-3) and Andy Sarbacker of Verona (34-3).
Rosholt's duo enters the meet with stellar records. Yenter, who lost both matches at state a year ago, enters his first round match of the 160-pound bracket with Oostburg's Tim Robinson (29-5) carrying a 38-2 record.
Chad Steldt of Riverdale (35-0), Pat McGowan of Darlington (33-2) and Kevin Briggs of Cornell (31-2) are the others at 160 with two or fewer losses.
"At the beginning of the season, Aaron's goal has been to get to the state finals. That hasn't changed," said Rosholt coach Alan Carter. Yenter's state meet experience from last year will help, he added.
Betker holds the best record in the 171-pound bracket with a 39-1 mark. He opens against Justus Benson of North Crawford (18-5). Lyle Jankee of Cadott holds a 22-2 record while Nathan Hughes of Elmwood/Plum City is 26-5 and Andy Sukowaty of Reedsville carries a 22-5 mark.
"I think Jon has good prospects," Carter said. "Jon lost one match this year on one move. It was a one mistake thing."