Simonson makes return trip to WIAA State wrestling tournament

OSCEOLA — Bloomer-Colfax wrestler Brady Simonson placed second at the WIAA Division 2 Sectional tournament in Osceola February 20, qualifying him for the state meet this weekend at the Kohl Center in Madison.

Simonson competed at state as a freshman and again last year, making it three times in four years for the senior.

Three other B-C grapplers – Zack Arvold, Cole Anderson-Olson and Collin Bungartz – all lost their first match and because their opponents did not win their semifinal matches, these three did not get to wrestle again.

Simonson won his quarterfinal’s match at 138 pounds by a fall at 1:28 over a Barron’s Noah Massie (22-16) and then won by another fall in the semifinals in 2:43 against Tim Bauer (34-10) of Spencer-Columbus.

In the championship, Simonson lost a very tough 5-3 decision to Amery’s Hunter Marko. Marko is a three-time state champion and won the 126 pound championship a year ago, also beating Simonson in the sectionals at that weight class. Marko has a combined record of 147-4 in his varsity career.

In his match against Marko, Simonson fell behind 4-1 after the first period, and was down 5-1 heading into the third.

“We both wrestle the same way, very aggressive,” Simonson said. “I thought I had a takedown in the second period but we were called out of bounds. I finally came up with a takedown near the end of the third period but it was too late.”

“He is a very good wrestler and has a lot of experience and this was one of my best matches of the year. I am hoping my experience from my two trips to state will help me this time around and I can get some wins and get on the podium,” he added.

Shortly after his match against Marko, Simonson had to defend his second-place finish in a wrestleback against Devin Drier of Ellsworth. Simonson prevailed by a pin in 1:28 to retain the sectional silver.

Wrestlers who finished in the top three spots at each weight class advance to the state championships with the second- and third-place sectional finishers having to compete in preliminary matches this Thursday night.

Simonson will take his 39-3 record to face off against Trent Rebedew of Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah/Howards Grove, who has a 38-8 record. If Simonson wins, he will then have the chance to continue Friday and Saturday.

Arvold dropped his 170 pound match 4-2 against Logan Peterson of Somerset who went on to take second through a wrestleback. Anderson-Olson lost via a pin at 3:23 to Hunter Luepke of Spencer-Columbus who eventually placed third at 182 pounds, and Bungartz lost his 152-pound quarterfinal’s match to Derek Nielsen of Neillsville-Greenwood-Loyal, who also went on to place third, by a pin at 1:06.

Arvold, a senior finished his season with a 18-12 record, junior Anderson-Olson ended at 31-9 and Bungartz, also a junior, finished 27-16.