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.
Trailing 3-0 in the third period of the 119-pound Division 1 final match against Pulaski’s Justin Enderby, McQuade caught his opponent with a head steal and throw for a five-point move with 1:14 left in the match that gave him a 5-4 decision Saturday night in the Kohl Center.
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