Week 4

Wiwrestling.com Wrester of the Week

By Brad Baker

Week 4

With the Christmas tournaments offering lots of great wrestling, there were many wrestlers that could have qualified as the wrestler of the week.  Narrowing those wrestlers down to handful was quite difficult.  I have received a few nominations for this week’s wrestler of the week via email, however, I would like to encourage the readers to send in more nominations.  If you would like to make a nomination for the following week, please drop me an email at bbaker@wiwrestling.com

Jody Van Laanen, Ashwaubenon, 145, Fr

Jody is quickly making some noise on the high school wrestling scene by compiling a 16-1 record so far this season.  Jody defeated four ranked wrestlers while walking away with the Oshkosh on the water championship.  Entered as the fifth seed, he pinned Bonduel’s Jeremy Lee in the preliminaries, tech falled Elcho’s Zach Schuett in the quarterfinals, decisioned Kewaskum’s Scott Rhoades, and majored Luxemburg-Casco’s Brad Zellner in the championship.  Zellner and Rhoades are ranked 2^nd and 3^rd respectively in division two at 145 pounds.

Other Nominees:

Zac Cibula, Luxemburg-Casco, 130, Fr

Like Van Laanen, Zac is also making quite the impression halfway through his first season in high school.  Zac defeated state runner up Tony Kazik of West DePere 7-3 in the semifinals before defeating Mosinee’s Austin Lechnir 6-2 in the finals of the Oshkosh on the water championship.  Cibula, who is 21-1 this season, was named the 2004 schoolboy of the year award last year, which is given to the states most outstanding 13-14 year old.  He is also currently ranked 1^st in division two at 130 pounds.

Casey Klister, Wrightstown, 125, Sr

Casey defeated two state qualifiers and placed ahead of two others on his way to winning the midstates invitational.  Casey, who placed second at state last season in division three at 119 pounds, defeated Elkhorn’s Travis Fischer 6-2 in the semifinals.  Fischer placed sixth last season at 119 pounds in division two.  Klister, who is currently 20-0, then defeated our week three wrestler of the week, Iowa Grant’s Cade Sarbacker 6-4 in overtime for the championship.  Klister and Sarbacker are ranked 1^st and 2^nd respectively in division three.

Zach Arentz, West Salem-Bangor, 103, Sr

Zach defeated three ranked wrestlers, including our previous number one Bobby Wunnicke, on the way to taking the Bi-state championship bracket.  Zach defeated Adams-Friendship’s Adam Theisen 6-1 in the quarterfinals before defeating Ithaca’s Wunnicke in two overtimes in the semi-finals.  He then defeated Viroqua’s Jed Domke 5-1 in the championship.  Zach is currently ranked second in division two at 103 pounds.

Adam Brager, Mt. Horeb/Barneveld, 160, Sr

Adam defeated Portage’s returning state-champion Kevin Nolan 5-2 in the Championship of the Bi-State Invite.  Brager, who took second at state last year at 145 pounds in division two, is currently 19-0 and ranked second in division two.

NOTE: There are many others that I understand deserve a spot at least as nominees. For future weeks, please send in your nominees by Monday night. Be sure to include the wrestlers full name, high school, coaches name and number and the wrestlers recent accomplishments, including significant recent wins/accomplishments.  
  

Welcome to:

Wiwrestling.com "Wrester of the Week" 

With Brad Baker

Welcome to a new feature on Wiwrestling.com. Each week a wrestler will be selected as “Wrestler of the Week” from a group of nominees. The ranking committee, along with coaches and fans across the state, will submit wrestlers they feel are deserving of qualifying for the title: “Wrestler of the Week”. “Wrestler of the Week” will run Monday through Sunday. If you would like to make a nomination for the following week, please drop me an email at Bbaker@wiwrestling.com . Be sure to include the wrestlers full name, high school, coaches name and number and the wrestlers recent accomplishments, including significant recent wins/accomplishments.

You may reach Brad Baker with comments or questions at: BBaker@wiwrestling.com