The annual by-state classic wrestling tournament hosted by Holman High School will be held today
and tomorrow at the LaCrosse Center. This is a 43rd annual by-state classic for the boys,
and the third straight year that a girls tournament will be held in conjunction with the boys.
There were 68 teams represented in this year's boys tournament and 74 in the girls event.
The boys' tourney is broken into three divisions with a team champion crowd in each,
while the girls have won overall champion. Raining team champs are Holman in Division 1,
Evansville in Division 2, two-time defending champion Chatfield Minnesota in Division 3,
and Bayport High School for the girls. Pop finishes from last year for teams in our
listening area came from Division 3, Iowa Grant Highland was third, mineral point fourth,
and Riverdale eighth, and in Division 2 River Valley was sixth and Dodgeville eighth.
Those teams all return along with these teams from our immediate listening area,
Richland Setters, Ithaca Weston, Ticapula Fired Youth Initiative,
Lascapele Wasika Stuben, and North Crawford Seneca. Highlights last year for the boys included
Danny Heiser of Evansville winning his third title at the by-state, and Hudson's Liam Netzel
securing his second. Three area seniors won by-state championships, Rowan Carey of Mineral Point,
Bodie Brockoff of Iowa Grant Highland, and Blake Terry of Prairie D'Shean. Other champs from
the extended area were teammates from onboard of Barnabelle, Eli Meyer, and Eli Leonard.
For the girls, Junior Carly Chesker of Badger and sophomore Erica Slesnakao of Marshfield,
each won their second titles, while among others winning the event were Senior Kaley Davis of
Belmont Platteville, and under-classman Riley Handra-Hannes of Lackard Refalls, and Kamura Hunter
of Adams Friendship. Last year's event featured top performances from area wrestlers who returned
to wrestle at this year's by-state classic, from Richland Center, Ethan Bodendine was the second
day qualifier for the boys, while Madeline Muller not just a pair of wins for the girls. For Riverdale,
Brody Mease won a third place medal, eventual state champion Grant Matthews placed fifth,
Lakota Brewer was 11th in his way class, and Tristan Renish was the second day qualifier.
River Valley returns Blake Brickhole who placed 10th and Mason Schultine, who won three matches
before bowing out. Ethic Alaston's top return ease competed for the girls were Kaley Manning
placed 60 years ago, and Emma Hilby was 10th, but neither will be in the lineup for the by-state
this week. On the boys side, both Derek Pramson and Ashton Bennett won three matches, but failed to
place. Think of Boulevard Youth Initiative had Madison Glass finish 10th in her way class,
and Luca Gross placed 11th. Oscar Bell was Eka Stupin, soft freshman Peyton Sander placed
8th for the girls a year ago, but she'll not be wrestling this week, however the boys team
is coming off an impressive show at the recent Richland Invitational. North Crawford
Seneca will be led this year as a by-state by Frankie Grum, who won a third place medal in the girls
division, and by Sawyer Swigham, who was a second day qualifier for the boys. Iowa Grant Highland
boasts a returning by-state runner-up in Brock-Hydraman, while reigning state champion Jackson
Bussey placed 4th a year ago at the by-state, and Griffin-Winesky was a second day qualifier.
Also Maria Schaefer for the girls placed 11th for Iowa Grant Highland. Mineral Point has seven
returning by-state place winners, three boys and four girls, League of Mkury was 7th, Jacob
Danenberg 10th, and Memphis Bertoltry 11th for the pointer boys team. Off with the girls,
Theo Yatalan's play second, Emily Heisner 3rd, Hayley Yeager 10th, and Tate of James 12th,
a year ago. And Dodge Hill is led by a pair of returning place winners, Red Spirley was 6th,
and Nathan Johnson 10th. This year's by-state classic begins this morning at nine o'clock in the
cross-center Main Arena, where the boys were wrestled, and in the center's south hall where the girls
will be competing. Tonight's quarterfinals will be held in both venues, beginning at 715.
On day two of the by-state tomorrow, all wrestling will be in the Main Arena,
beginning at nine o'clock with wrestled bags and semi-finals for both the boys and girls events.
Session four begins at 445 tomorrow afternoon, with the parade of champions
followed by the championship buffs. For WRC Radio Sports and David Werman, I'm Bill Twainham.
Thanks Bill, we'll have a recap of the day a little bit later on from WRC Sports.
Over the weekend in girls basketball, it was a win for River Ridge over Seneca 31-25,
31-10 River Ridge beat Iowa Grant. That was on Saturday and Iowa Grant was a winner against
Judah 64-50 at the River Ridge holiday tournament. Also in boys basketball, Richland Center,
over the weekend was in Minnesota for a tournament. They lost a close one on Friday and then were
defeated by Lewis to Naltura 94-40 on Saturday. The River Ridge boys tournament, Seneca 76-61
over West B, River Ridge 63-Boskibel 57. River Ridge was a winner over Seneca as well, 71-65
and at the Jag holiday classic Saturday, Readsburg 56-Bangor 47. Sports going on this week,
our next local broadcast will be on Tuesday night when the Richland Center boys basketball team
will make up a game against Prairie Dushin that was canceled just before the holiday break.
All pro running back, Derek Kennery was unstoppable in Baltimore's 41-24 win over the Packers Saturday.
Henry carried the ball 36 times for 216 yards and four touchdowns. Both teams play without their
top quarterbacks and Green Bay's Malik Willis put up the best game of his career, completing 18-21
passes for 288 yards and one touchdown. Willis also ran for 60 yards and a touchdown.
The Packer is to feet, clinched the NFC North title for the Bears, coach Mandler-Florechelle's
reporters. He hasn't decided whether to play as starters in the season finale at Minnesota on Sunday,
even though the postseason is not on the line. He talked about what went wrong Saturday night.
Get both more ton of credit. They came in here and were in complete control the whole game and
unfortunately it just it wasn't up to our standard in regards to how we played, how we coached and
that's what happens. Packers and the Vikings coming up at noon on Saturday. The Packers kind of
preparing whether they're going to start their starters or not in Minnesota knowing that they
can get a better draft choice if they lose the game. The Alignit has been announced for games coming
up this weekend. The Bears will play the Lions at 325 on Sunday afternoon. The Patriots became the
fourth team to clinch a division title. The Browns kept the Ravens alive and the 49ers moved
closer to a number one seed. Plenty left to be settled before the NFL's playoff schedule is set.
12 of the 14 playoff birth seven secured and four teams are battling for the final two spots.
Both number one seeds are up for grabs and there could be two winner take all games in week 18.
New England, a row to the Jets 42-10 on Sunday and clinched the AFC East title when the bills
lost to the Eagles. The Patriots completed a worse to first turn round under first year coach Mike
Raeble and Brock Perty through a 38 yard touchdown pass with 215 left and the 49ers forced an
incomplete pass on the final play from the two to beat the Bears 42 38 and set up a week 18
showdown for the top seed in the NFC. Kayla Williams drove the Bears down the field in the closing
seconds and had one last shot for the win but Bryce Hoff forced him out of the pocket and his
throw short hopped Jede Walker in the end zone to seal a sixth straight victory for the 49ers.
San Francisco can secure the top seed by beating Seattle coming up this Saturday night.
A 32 victory over Lakes Superior State Sunday means the Wisconsin men's hockey team is in the
quick trip holiday faceoff title again. A goal by Finn Brink just under six minutes into the third
period broke a two-two tie. The Badgers also got goals from Weston Knox and Ben Dexheimer
while freshman goal tender Daniel Hauser made 20 saves. Talking about the win assistant coach Kevin
Murdoch of the Badgers talked about the win on the ice yesterday. Overall the game was a little
up and down for some of the guys. I thought there was a number of guys kind of got better as things
went along and I guess that's to be expected after however many days that was 20 something days off.
But at the end of the day we found a way to square that one late and kind of hold on there
and yeah hopefully better tomorrow. The team takes on national champion Western
Michigan at 730 tonight inside the Pfizer forum. Yanis Anthony Kupo scored 29 in 25 minutes
in his return to the box lineup Saturday night. Milwaukee won the boxer back in action tonight at
Charlotte against the Hornets. I am filled in with an update on sports.