On Saturday, February 10, the Whitewater Wrestling Team traveled to Clinton to participate in the 13 team Regional Wrestling Tournament, which is the first phase of the state tournament series. This is an individual tournament where the top four competitors in each weight class advance next weekend to Campbellsport for the Sectional Tournament. Team scores are also kept during this event based on individual success and the top two teams advance to the Team Sectional to be hosted by Whitewater High School on Tuesday night, February 13.
After the dust settled, the Whippets found themselves with 9 competitors advancing to the individual sectional next Saturday, and the team finished at the top of the heap to be able to compete in their home gym on Tuesday night.
Individually, Jasen Porras (113), Connor Friend (138), and Sebastian Cuellar (165) all won their weight classes. Jasen had outstanding 3rd periods in his open match and in the championship to come away victorious having 2 pins and a decision on the day. Connor Friend started the day with two pins and then a well wrestled 4-0 win in the championship. Closing out the champions, Sebastian Cuellar had a pin, technical fall, and a very well wrestled championship match winning 8-3.
Coming in second for the Whippets included Jarvis Porcaro (120) who had a pin and major decision on the day before falling for the second week in a row to a highly ranked student from East Troy. Odair Porras (150) dropped his semi-final match by 1 point, however battled back to take third place. Because he had not wrestled the 2nd place wrestler he got a wrestle back winning to claim the second-place position, which placement is important as it determines how you are placed at Sectionals. Also bringing home silver was Payton Lyon (190) picking up a pin and very well wrestled semi-final match winning by decision.
Closing out the Whitewater qualifiers were Brady Friend (132), who was 5-1 on the day, Traysen Thomason (144), who dropped a tough semi-final match in overtime, and Junior Soto (HWT) who had a big pin against the number 2 seed in the quarter-finals.
Just missing out on a trip to the sectional meet was JJ Gonzalez who finished the day 3-1 and in 5th place.
The Whippets will host the team sectional on Tuesday night with the semi-finals beginning at 6:00. Whitewater will face Campbellsport in the opening round. The winner of the two dual meets on Tuesday night will compete at Team State on March 2.
The individual boys who qualified as well as the girls’ team will travel to Campbellsport on Saturday, February 17, as they look to place in the top 3 for the boys and champion for the girls to advance to state.