By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
Elkhorn Area High School wrestling coach Ken Reynolds is not satisfied with the Elks’ showing in the Mid-States Wrestling Classic Dec. 29 and 30 at UW-Whitewater.
“I expected to finish higher,” Reynolds said. “I expected to take more guys. We only took 10 guys over there to wrestle. It’s hard to compete at that level when you only take 10 guys.”
It is tempting to ponder what might have been for the Elks at Mid-States. Elkhorn’s 10 wrestlers – 14 is a full quad – scored 137 points and finished seventh in the 35-team field. Stoughton scored 234 points and repeated as tournament champion.
Elkhorn wrestles tonight in a Southern Lakes Conference dual meet at Waterford. Both teams are undefeated in SLC dual meet competition.
The Elks compete Saturday in an 11-team invitational – the Bauer Brawl – at Nathan Hale High School in West Allis.
A high point of the Elks’ experience at Mid-States is the extension of an impressive streak. Bryce Jacobson won the tournament title at 160 pounds. An Elkhorn wrestler has now won a weight class title at Mid-States for 11 consecutive seasons.
“That’s kind of an impressive statement at that tournament,” Reynolds said. “There are 20 or 30 schools that bring guys up there and don’t win titles.”
Jacobson (16-2) beat Lake Geneva Badger’s Michael Peter (15-3) 5-3 in the title match at 160 and finished the tournament at 5-0.
“Bryce is just wrestling complete,” Reynolds said. He’s really wrestling well. He’s sticking to the basics, his strong points, and he’s doing them all well.
“He’s prepared. He is mentally and physically ready to go.”
Jacobson won his first three matches by pin and defeated Orfordville Parkview’s Patrick Engen 4-2 in the semifinals.
A trio of Elks finished third in their weight class – Benji Peak (113), Dan Stilling (120) and Konnor Mohr (170).
Mohr is still recovering and getting into match shape after battling mononucleosis. He previously won his weight class twice at Mid-States, and Reynolds said the senior wanted a third title.
Mohr (6-1) lost 4-3 to Downers Grove South’s (Ill.) Ramarro Lamar in the semifinals. He beat Badger’s George Somerville 2-1 in the consolation semifinal and beat Sun Prairie’s Will Van Pietersom by major decision in the third-place match.
Peak (113) lost to the defending Division 1 state champion at 106 pounds in the Mid-States semifinals when Stoughton’s Brandon Klein scored a 6-2 decision.
Peak (12-1) beat Orfordvile Parkview’s Jackson Hauri 6-5 in the consolation semifinal and won by major decision in the third-place match against Cary Grove’s (Ill.) Adam Pinter.
“He just happens to be in a very tough weight class,” Reynolds said. “He’s wrestling at a very high level.”
Reynolds said Stilling (16-2) took major steps forward at Mid-States and might have a firmer grasp on what varsity wrestling in high school is all about.
Stilling lost to Stoughton’s Kaleb Louis by technical fall in the semifinals and beat Andrew’s Jake Bryson 3-1 in the consolation semifinal. Stilling beat Fort Atkinson’s Nolan Krause 3-0 in the third-place match.
Grant Truesdale (15-4) at 106 pounds finished fourth. Truesdale lost 4-0 to Stoughton’s Hunter Lewis in the third-place match.
Reynolds said Hunter Hummel (285) and Myles Schumacher (182) each wrestled well, and finished one match shy of wrestling for a chance at placing.
Tonight’s dual meet against Waterford is one of the more pivotal of the season in the SLC. Winning will go a long way to help ensure the Elks can win the Southern Lakes Conference title.
Waterford is wrestling better this year than last year under first-year head coach Tom Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick won two state titles wrestling for Burlington in the mid-1980s.
“They are wrestling very well,” Reynolds said. “That’s why we’ve had such a strong Christmas practice schedule – knowing we’re coming back to a strong conference foe.”
