Conference Tourney Predictions?

[imnofish]

Hey, am I the only one on here paying attention to the H.O.N. Conference?  If you are paying attention, what are your predictions for Saturday's Conference champs?  Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller...   Bueller...   Bueller?

[ElectricGuy]

Hey, am I the only one on here paying attention to the H.O.N. Conference?  If you are paying attention, what are your predictions for Saturday's Conference champs?  Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller...   Bueller...   Bueller?

I don't think I missed anyone, so this would be a starting point.

106 Pound Class   11   Logan Steglich   Cumberland
106 Pound Class   HM   Tyler Dicus   Ladysmith
113 Pound Class   6   Trent Vollendorf   Ladysmith
126 Pound Class   5   Reid Olson   Cumberland
132 Pound Class   6   Calen Kirkpatrick   Northwestern
138 Pound Class   8   Tim Coyne   Hayward
138 Pound Class   10   Nathan Roach   Ladysmith
145 Pound Class   10   Isaiah Skidmore   Cumberland
145 Pound Class   HM   Noah Massie   Barron
152 Pound Class   HM   Steven Jerry   Ladysmith
160 Pound Class   8   William Waldofski   Barron
160 Pound Class   9   Donny Pooler   Northwestern
160 Pound Class   HM   Collin Bungartz   Bloomer/Colfax
160 Pound Class   HM   Bo Nelson   Cumberland
170 Pound Class   7   Sam Newell   Chetek-Weyer./Prairie Farm
170 Pound Class   HM   Jameson Pflug   Northwestern
195 Pound Class   HM   Cole Olson   Bloomer/Colfax
220 Pound Class   HM   Joshua Carroll   Spooner



Looks like 160 will be the weight of the day to watch.

Not too bad,  17 ranked wrestlers.  Cool to see Hayward and Northwestern fielding some quality.

[mrv]

Rice Lake is not in the HON.

[ElectricGuy]

Rice Lake is not in the HON.

UGH!  I knew that!  - old habits die hard....

[imnofish]

Rice Lake is not in the HON.

UGH!  I knew that!  - old habits die hard....

Yes, especially when they WERE in the HON, back when you competed in it.  Remember when Northwestern and Hayward had no wrestling?  Superior was not in the HON, back then, either.  For several years, Bayfield-Washburn was in the HON, but that was also after you graduated, ElectricGuy.  There will be many good matches throughout the day, but I agree that 160 is loaded and should provide more than its share of thrills.  It was a tough weight last year, too.  Waldofski won it last year, as a freshman.  He has beaten the others this year, but those were some very good matches.  Despite a tough field, I think he can repeat, if he stays focused on one match at a time and wrestles his best.

[ElectricGuy]

Rice Lake is not in the HON.

UGH!  I knew that!  - old habits die hard....

Yes, especially when they WERE in the HON, back when you competed in it.  Remember when Northwestern and Hayward had no wrestling?  Superior was not in the HON, back then, either.  For several years, Bayfield-Washburn was in the HON, but that was also after you graduated, ElectricGuy.  There will be many good matches throughout the day, but I agree that 160 is loaded and should provide more than its share of thrills.  It was a tough weight last year, too.  Waldofski won it last year, as a freshman.  He has beaten the others this year, but those were some very good matches.  Despite a tough field, I think he can repeat, if he stays focused on one match at a time and wrestles his best.

What is some of your most memorable weights of the past?   

Mine that stands out is Conf 1983 my sophomore year -  185lb - You had Theileg RiceLake, Tim Olson Chetek, and Cumberland had a stud - can't remember his name - Pikle? - I think he ended up in the same sectional as Olson and got bumped for state because there was a third stud in there.  Then you had Hank in there as a sophomore with those brutes.   I just remember it was a war between the 3 at conference and they were all their HS football teams stud running backs also.

[imnofish]

Rice Lake is not in the HON.

UGH!  I knew that!  - old habits die hard....

Yes, especially when they WERE in the HON, back when you competed in it.  Remember when Northwestern and Hayward had no wrestling?  Superior was not in the HON, back then, either.  For several years, Bayfield-Washburn was in the HON, but that was also after you graduated, ElectricGuy.  There will be many good matches throughout the day, but I agree that 160 is loaded and should provide more than its share of thrills.  It was a tough weight last year, too.  Waldofski won it last year, as a freshman.  He has beaten the others this year, but those were some very good matches.  Despite a tough field, I think he can repeat, if he stays focused on one match at a time and wrestles his best.

What is some of your most memorable weights of the past?   

Mine that stands out is Conf 1983 my sophomore year -  185lb - You had Theileg RiceLake, Tim Olson Chetek, and Cumberland had a stud - can't remember his name - Pikle? - I think he ended up in the same sectional as Olson and got bumped for state because there was a third stud in there.  Then you had Hank in there as a sophomore with those brutes.   I just remember it was a war between the 3 at conference and they were all their HS football teams stud running backs also.

Wow, you have a great memory!  Honestly, there have been so many that it is hard to pick out a specific weight class in a specific year.  I remember some great matches and some amazing individuals, but this will be my 39th year of watching the HON conference and my 38th conference tournament (one year we did not have a conference tourney). 
Some wrestlers who impressed me the most over the years were 4-time champs Ivan Rodriquez (Barron) and Mark Poirier.  Also, Bill Brueggen of Rice Lake was a beast.  Tom Richie is probably the only State Champ out of the HON who never won a conference title.  As I recall, he lost to Brueggen for 2 years (did eventually beat him in the Northern Badger), missed HON tournament his Jr. year due to spinal fusion surgery on his neck, we did not have a tournament during his senior year.  However, still fighting a lot of pain while recovering from his neck issues, he managed to go 24-0 his senior year.  None of his matches at State went past the 2nd period.  Can't get much guttier than that!