Pewaukee duo will defend titles
Raschka, Beltran headed back to Madison
The area’s defending state champions earned return trips to the WIAA state wrestling tournament.
Pewaukee seniors Jacob Raschka and Blaze Beltran cruised through the sectional meet at Oconomowoc on Saturday to qualify for the individual state meet Thursday through Saturday at the Kohl Center in Madison.
The top two finishers in each weight class advanced to state in Division 1. The top three finishers in each weight class advanced in Divisions 2 and 3.
Raschka, the defending 195-pound champion, won his three matches by pin. The quickest came in 13 seconds. He needed 5 minutes 13 seconds to defeat Menomonee Falls’ Donald Eruchalu in the final.
Beltran, who won the 285-pound crown last year, had a bye in his first match, then pinned Arrowhead’s Travis Case before posting a 5-0 decision over Milwaukee King’s Liam Arnold. Arnold finished fifth at state last year.
Overall it was a productive day for the Pirates, who advanced eight wrestlers to state.
Arrowhead’s Keegan O’Toole advanced as well. The 120-pound freshman won by pin and technical fall before defeating Menomonee Falls’ Matt Anderson, 8-3, in the final
Burlington Sectional: Oak Creek, a qualifier for the state team tournament, had Mitch Landgraf (120), Matt Berlin (126), Veliko Kochiu (132), Joey Colla (138) and Nolan Paar (170) as sectional champions and sent eight individuals to state in all.
Another notable competitors to advance was Kenosha Tremper’s Frank Garcia, who won the 160 title by forfeit, and his Trojans teammate Mason French, who finished ahead of standouts Cole Ramos of Kenosha Bradford and Zach Weiler of Burlington at 113.
Slinger Sectional: The host Owls will send eight wrestlers to state. One of those qualifiers, Caleb Ziebell, who took fifth at 113 last year, beat Devin De Los Angeles of Beaver Dam, 7-5, in the final to qualify at 126.
Milwaukee Lutheran Sectional: Wisconsin Lutheran’s Brian Corbins defeated Greendale Martin Luther’s Mikey Rohleder, 10-7, in the 160pound final.
Corbins will be joined at state by Ebenezer Ikhumhen and German Fitzgerald, who won titles at 182 and 220, respectively, and Lucas Nygaard, who finished third at 113. GIRLS BASKETBALL Greendale Martin Luther 69, Kenosha St. Joseph 63: The Spartans completed a perfect season in the Metro Classic. Sophomore guard Emma Kallas hit 5 of 7 shots and finished with 17 points for Martin Luther. Emily Hafemann, a senior guard, added 14 points and hit 5 of 8 shots.
Pius XI 58, Kimberly 43: The Popes led by 10 at the half on the road and closed the regular season with nine victories in their last 12 games. Alana Perkins scored 17 points and hit three of the team’s 7 three-pointers.