Budi, Vanevenhoven, McQuade win state mat titles
By Tom Goff • Post-Crescent staff writer • February 28, 2009
MADISON – Appleton West’s Shane McQuade and Kaukauna’s Eric Vanevenhoven and Noah Budi all have a flair for the dramatic and because of it the Fox Valley has three more WIAA state wrestling champions, including the first from Appleton.
The victory made McQuade, a senior who was ranked No. 1 in the state at his weight by Wisconsin Wrestling Online, the first wrestler from Appleton to win a WIAA state championship in the 66 years of the tournament.
McQuade, who finished the season at 47-1, was still in shock after the match.
“I’m still in disbelief, but it’s awesome,”said McQuade.
Meanwhile, Vanevenhoven and Budi gave Kaukauna two state champions for the second year in a row, following Dillon Bera and Budi’s brother Joe, a two-time state champ, who won last year.
Vanevenhoven, who also trailed 4-1 early in his match against Muskego’s Derek Olson, tied their 145-pound match with a takedown with seven seconds left in the third period, then won it with a takedown in overtime to win 7-5.
Vanevenhoven’s win over Olson avenged a loss at the Cheesehead, where Olson beat him 4-3.
“I knew he was dead in the third period, so I knew if I got to overtime, I’d get him,” said Vanevenhoven, a senior who improved his record to 46-4.
Wisconsin Rapids’ freshman sensation Devin Peterson tied the 160-pound title match against Budi at 3-3 with a takedown with 21 second to go, but Budi hit a Granby-type roll for a four point move in the final seconds to win 7-4.
“I knew I could escape. No one’s held me down this year yet and I was pretty certain I could get out,” said Budi, who improved to 48-2. “He kind of stepped into it which was kind of lucky, but it was nice.”
The McQuade-Enderby match was a replay of last week’s sectional final at Ashwaubenon, where McQuade also won by one point, 9-8.
“I knew I could beat him on my feet,” said McQuade. “I’ve been telling myself earlier this year that with hope, compassion and love, you can do anything. You’ve really got to love the sport and I think I do that.”
While the other three area wrestlers that reached the finals didn’t win titles, all of them wrestled like champions before falling to top-ranked wrestlers.
Neenah junior Ryan Robillard fell behind 2-0 and never recovered in his match against Sam Umlauf of Wausau West, losing by a 5-2 decision in the 130-pound Division 1 championship match.
Freedom senior Sam Manders had a Herculean task going against Tomahawk’s Nick Hagar, who won to become the 10th four-time WIAA state champion, and lost 8-0 in the 130-pound Division 2 championship match.
Kaukauna senior Tony VanDeLoo also had a tough customer in Shawn Perry of Wausau West and lost 9-5 in the 145-pound title match.
Tom Goff: 20-3-1000, ext. 233, or tgoff@postcrescent.com
Kaukauna Ghosts wrestlers beat Fond du Lac Cardinals
to advance to state team tournament
The Post-Crescent • February 18, 2009
Fox Valley Association champion Kaukauna was the only one of three area teams to win in Tuesday night's WIAA team wrestling sectionals.
In a Division 1 dual meet at Oshkosh North, the Ghosts defeated Fond du Lac 45-19 to advance to the state team tournament at the University of Wisconsin Field House in Madison, where they will meet Franklin in a quarterfinal at 7 p.m. on March 6.
Meanwhile, Freedom lost to Mosinee 44-24 in a Division 2 semifinal at Wrightstown, while Brillion fell to Coleman 49-19 in a Division 3 semifinal at Crivitz.
The outcome was a little closer than the last time when Kaukauna beat Fond du Lac 46-9 in a dual meet, but the Ghosts were without a couple of starters, including junior three-time FVA champion Josiah Bobier, who were ailing.
"Josiah had the flu and a few others like Matt Kilgas were not feeling well, so there were some changes in our lineup from the dual before," Kaukauna coach Jeff Matczak said. "There were things we thought they'd do different to get a win and we were definitely concerned that it would be closer. But our kids wrestled well. We got bonus points and we didn't give up many."
Major decisions by seniors Tony VanDeLoo at 145 pounds and Eric Vanevenhoven at 152 and a pin by junior Noah Budi at 160 — the team's other three-time FVA champs — staked the Ghosts to a 14-0 lead and they never looked back as they won nine of the 14 matches.
Marcus Driessen (189), Matt Wallace (285), Steven Van Wychen (112) and Alex DeGroot (135) also had pins for Kaukauna, while Scott VanDeLoo won by a major decision at 125 and Brandon Van Schyndel won a decision at 140.
*new photos have been added to the photo album
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071121/APC0205/711210804/-1/APCsports
Posted November 21, 2007
Post Crescent Photo
Kaukauna wrestling team to test itself at Ironman
Ghosts are familiar with top competition
By Tom Goff
Post-Crescent staff writer
920-993-1000, ext. 233, or tgoff@postcrescent.com
Kaukauna High School's wrestling team has never shied away from good competition.
Since 1999, the Ghosts have been hosting the Cheesehead, which has evolved into the premier tournament in the state. For the past two years, Kaukauna has been participating in The Clash in Rochester, Minn., recognized as the toughest dual meet tournament in the country.
This season, the Ghosts are taking another huge step by accepting an invitation to wrestle in the Walsh Ironman on Dec. 7-8 held at Walsh-Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, near Akron. The Ironman is one of the top two individual tournaments in the country, along with the Beast of the East in Delaware.
Continue reading "Ghosts in the News-Post Crescent 11/21/07" »
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