Two of three Tomahawk state qualifiers are still in the hunt for championships at the WIAA State Wrestling Tournament in Madison.
Defending state champion Dane Borchardt (42-2) won his quarter-final match at 220 pounds by a 5-4 decision over Brady Koller (42-3) of Sheboygan Falls. Borchardt jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a takedown in the first period. Following two escapes by Koller and one by Borchardt, the score stood at 3-2 going into the final two minutes. Borchardt scored another takedown to go up by 5-2. Koller closed the gap to 5-4 as time ran out.
Kaleb Kaminksi (44-1), who placed fourth at state last year, prevailed by 3-2 decision in is quarter-final match over Hunter Luepke (40-5) of Spencer/Columbus in the 182-pound class. Kaminski went up 2-0 on a takedown in the first period. He scored one more point on an escape, while Luepke scored twice in esapes the rest of the way.
At 170 pounds, Quinton Wallenfang (40-4) ran into Valder’s Trevor Wittmus (42-7) in the quarter-finals. Wittmus went up 12-2 on points before pinning Wallenfang with 45 seconds left in the match. With the loss, Wallenfang moved on to the consolation bracket, where he has a shot at placing as high as third. He defeated Tayler Gilardi (37-12) of Viroqua Friday afternoon in his first consolation match. On the strength of two takedowns and an escape, Wallenfang led 5-0 after the first two periods. In the final two minutes, Gilardi came back to score six points, while Wallenfang tacked on three to preserve the 8-6 victory. Wallenfang will wrestle again Saturday morning, facing a loser from tonight’s semifinal round.
Borchardt moves on to the semi-final match this evening against Traiten Gorr (41-2) of Monroe.
Kaminski will meet Brad Kautzer (36-5) of Valders tonight in the semis.