Corrigan wins state again

Ward, Alexander, Beckett finish second

By Greg Bates

Sports Editor

GREEN BAY – Saturday night was busy for a number of local wrestlers.

Four individuals competed in WIAA Division 1 state title matches with De Pere’s Brooke Corrigan (100) winning her second straight state championship.

De Pere’s Michael Alexander (182) and Mycah Beckett (106) each placed runner-up in their respective weight classes, as did Bay Port’s Jacob Ward. (145).

Corrigan (8-0) capped her sophomore season the same way she did her freshman season: with a state title.

“It feels really amazing to win back-to-back state titles, and it took a lot of work, time and effort to get a second state title,” Corrigan said.

Corrigan won her first two matches with first-period pins to set up a showdown in the semifinals against Ava Garner of Marshfield. Corrigan battled and pulled off a 7-5 decision.

That was Corrigan’s tightest match of the tournament.

“I think the nerves got to me and I wrestled tight,” she said. “But I just had to remember to relax and have fun and be able to pull myself together to get the job done.”

In the championship match, Corrigan beat Cadott’s Iszybelle Sonnentag by a 10-4 decision.

With two state titles to her resume, Corrigan is now shooting to win four during her high school career.

“My goal is to go a perfect 4-for-4 and get two more state titles,” Corrigan said. “I know it’s only going to get harder, which means I just have to train harder and make sure that in every match I wrestle that I put everything I have into each match and remember to have fun and score points.”

Ward was coming off a state championship at 145 as a junior and looking to repeat. However, Arrowhead’s Wyatt Duchateau moved up two weight classes this year after winning the state title 132 as a sophomore. The two had never wrestled before prior to that match.

Duchateau took advantage of opportunities early in his match and pinned Ward in just 52 seconds.

“We knew we didn’t have the four shots,” Ward said. “We knew that staying outside would be the better way to get in and probably win that match, but I forced a shot early and I wasn’t thinking too much going out there. Just one bad move sometimes does it for you. I did that move very early on.”

Ward (42-2) got to the state title match by scoring a major decision, pin and a 7-4 decision in a semifinal match.

The senior knows state runner-up isn’t a bad thing.

“It’s still a great thing to happen,” Ward said. “Second place isn’t anything to write home about, but that’s not why we’re down there, I’m down there to mainly — like I’ve been saying all along — have fun and just wrestle. I love wrestling and at the end of the day, second place is just a number. Losing in the finals did teach me a lot; losing is a part of the journey.”

Ward now turns his attention to team state as Bay Port earned the No. 2 seed and will wrestle No. 7-seeded Reedsburg Area in the quarterfinals on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at the University of Wisconsin Field House in Madison. The winners will advance to the semifinals that evening. The championship dual will be Saturday at 3 p.m.

“Coach has planned a lot for us,” Ward said. “We know who we’re wrestling, we’ve seen them throughout the year. Really excited just to get out there and compete with the best guys in the state as teams.”

In his fourth and final trip to state, Alexander placed the highest he’s ever gotten on the podium in second.

“It’s bittersweet,” Alexander said. “Obviously, I wanted to gold, take first, that’s always my goal. But just to be on the big stage in the finals was something I’ll never forget, so it was nice.”

Alexander (20-2) got to the championship match by beating Pulaski’s Trenton Gibbons for the fourth time in his career, earning a 7-4 decision.

Arrowhead’s Noah Mulvaney got the best of Alexander 12-6 for the title.

“He’s a good opponent, but I definitely could have had a better showing,” Alexander said. “That’s nothing against him, it’s just I don’t think I had my best self out there in that finals match.”

Alexander’s teammate, Beckett, had a strong showing in Madison, placing second as well.

The sophomore went 3-1 to earn his best finish at state. It means a lot for Beckett to place runner-up, especially with two years left, but he’s not satisfied.

“It means a lot,” Beckett said. “I do have two more years, but you don’t want to have that mindset — you want to have the mindset like I’m good enough to win now. I’m happy with how I finished, but the goal is still first, so it still kind of stings. I’m glad I have two more years to win it. But I’ve got two more years, so I want to win two state titles.”

Beckett (45-3) won his first match by pin and then had back-to-back 5-1 decisions to get to the title match.

“In all three of those matches, I was tough on top, I rode hard, I got my escapes on bottom and when it came neutral, I don’t think I gave up a takedown until the finals,” Beckett said.

Beckett took on one-loss Liam Neitzel from Hudson. The two had never faced off before, so it was a feeling out process. Neitzel ended up winning by major decision, 12-2.

Beckett went to state as a freshman, going 2-2 and missing out on podium. So to get second this year was big for him.

“Definitely a step in the right direction, but goals are still not satisfied,” Beckett said.

Rest of the competitors

Pulaski’s Trenton Gibbons (43-4) ended his high school career by placing third at 182. He lost his semifinal match to Alexander, but he came back to win the third-place match, West Bend East’s Kasey Gish by major decision, 10-2.

Seymour’s lone girl at state, Ava Peters (10-2), had a solid tournament and placed third at 107. The freshman was defeated in the semifinals but bounced back to win her next two matches. Three of her four victories at state came via pin, most notably in the third-place match.

De Pere’s Brennan Kincade (35-8) capped off his high school with a podium finish, coming in fourth at 195. Kincade picked up a pair of pins to advance to the semifinals. In that match, he was pinned by the eventual state champ, West Bend West’s Connor Mirasola. Kincade came back to get to the third place match before falling.

At 285, Ashwaubenon’s Troy Dietzler (38-5) had his final matches in high school and placed fourth. He went 3-2 in the tournament. In the same weight class, Bay Port’s Vaughn Campbell (39-12) lost both his matches.

Bay Port freshman Alois Schlumpf lost his quarterfinal match but came back to place fourth at 113.

Schlumpf (42-10) scored a pair of pins and a technical fall at state. Pulaski’s Broc Ambrosius (21-14) also competed in that weight class and he was beaten in both his matches.

In Division 2, Seymour’s Ryan Tomazevic closed out his career by placing fourth at 138. Tomazevic (36-4) lost his semifinal match, but came back to get into the third-place match.

In the girls’ competition, Pulaski’s Marna Andre (14-7) finished on the podium in sixth place at 235. All five of her matches ended in pins, with her winning three of those.

Also competing at state were Bay Port’s Owen Wathke (120) and Owen Noel (132), who both went 0-1; Pulaski’s Mason Wells (220) went 2-2 but didn’t place; West De Pere’s Bella Bolek (126) finished 0-2.