1st Annual WI-MI Border Battle

[FoldEmUp]

On January 5, 2019, Marinette High School will be hosting the 1st Annual WI-MI Border Battle!  This 8-team dual tournament will feature programs from Wisconsin and Michigan battling to determine interstate supremacy!

Each team will wrestle five team duals.  Three duals will be against in-state teams round robin.  The teams will then be pooled based upon their round robin results.   Both of the next two duals will be in pool action against the opposing state to determine bragging rights as the WIMI Border Battle Champion!  Teams finishing 1 & 2 from each state facing each other and teams 3 & 4 from each state facing each other.

The slate of teams this coming year will be:

Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln
Green Bay Preble
Shawano
Marinette

Eaton Rapids (D2 #5)
Algonac (D3 #7)
Carson City-Crystal (D4 #4)
Mendon (D4 #6)

*Rankings according to Michigan Grappler's Way Too Early 2018-2019 Team Rankings:  https://goo.gl/FuBnDW

Between the eight teams there will be 27 returning state qualifiers and 22 returning sectional qualifiers!  The WI-MI Border Battle Champion will climb a ladder to retrieve a championship belt that will be hanging from the rafters during the day!  Bragging rights will be established.  Battle lines will be crossed.  Dominance will be sought.

If your team would like to be considered should there be a future opening in the tournament or if we decide to expand to a two day tournament, please send me a message or send an E-mail to bwalters@marinette.k12.wi.us.

[FoldEmUp]

Backdrop:

Wisconsin's post-season is Regionals --> Sectionals --> State
Michigan's post-season is Districts --> Regionals --> State

In Michigan, the top four from Districts go to Regionals and the top four from Regionals go on to State for a true 16 man double elimination bracket.  Two wrestlers from the same school may wrestle in the same weight class in the postseason.

In Wisconsin, in Division 1, the top four from Regionals go on to Sectionals, but only the top two from Sectionals go to state.  At state there are wrestlebacks.  If you lose your first match you are at the mercy of the result of the wrestler that beat you.  After that, it is double elimination.

In Wisconsin, in Division 2 & 3, the top two from Regionals go on to Sectionals and the top three from Sectionals go on to state.  At state there is a 12-man bracket.  The Sectional champions get a first round bye.  The eight 2nd and 3rd place sectional finishers wrestle in the first round.  The loser of the 2nd vs. 3rd place sectional finisher is one and done and has no opportunity to place.

State placewinners are 1st-6th in Wisconsin vs 1st-8th for Michigan.

All in all, between the eight teams from two states there will be 27 returning state qualifiers and 27 additional returning sectional/regional qualifiers.

Here is a link to the WI-MI Border Battle returning Sectional(Wisconsin)/Regional(Michigan) and State Qualifiers: goo.gl/7kjyaU

[GradeTough]

Sounds cool.

[statman]

sounds like Michigan is sending some heavy hitters. would be nice if some big name Wisconsin teams would commit

[FoldEmUp]

sounds like Michigan is sending some heavy hitters. would be nice if some big name Wisconsin teams would commit

I think you'll be surprised at the quality of the listed Wisconsin teams next year.  1st year of the tournament as well.  If all goes well, which we expect, then we can possibly expand the tournament.  We have a list of a dozen or so high quality Michigan teams who were interested but who couldn't make it work this year.  Contact info for interested teams is listed above.

[Ty Clark]

Wisconsin's post-season is Regionals --> Sectionals --> State
Michigan's post-season is Districts --> Regionals --> State

In Michigan, the top four from Districts go to Regionals and the top four from Regionals go on to State for a true 16 man double elimination bracket.  Two wrestlers from the same school may wrestle in the same weight class in the postseason.

In Wisconsin, in Division 1, the top four from Regionals go on to Sectionals, but only the top two from Sectionals go to state.  At state there are wrestlebacks.  If you lose your first match you are at the mercy of the result of the wrestler that beat you.  After that, it is double elimination.

In Wisconsin, in Division 2 & 3, the top two from Regionals go on to Sectionals and the top three from Sectionals go on to state.  At state there is a 12-man bracket.  The Sectional champions get a first round bye.  The eight 2nd and 3rd place sectional finishers wrestle in the first round.  The loser of the 2nd vs. 3rd place sectional finisher is one and done and has no opportunity to place.

One state seems to have a grasp of the KISS principle...