Stratford

[Wrestlologist]

Will Stratford make some new records at State this week? I had the opportunity to sit adjacent to the Stratford fans at Sectionals last Saturday. Very respectful fans. Their wrestlers don't gloat or parade around with a chip on their shoulders. They used basic wrestling moves and were constantly on the move. Never seemed to get tired. All looked like they were shaped in a wrestler's mold before they were born. The coaches didn't whine to the refs.  They let the wrestlers make their statements on the mat.  They made Number Two Ranked Coleman look like middle schoolers at Team Sectionals.  They were up 44 to 3 before they took their foot off the gas (like the Packers when they have a lead).  At Team Sectionals, Stratford looked far superior to the other teams at this time.  The parents talked about some of the good wrestlers that can't make Varsity on their team but would probably qualify for State in a different Sectional.  What's the most State Champs one team ever got in one WIAA Tournament? I went home impressed! How many years of success will it take before everyone roots against them like Rapids? I wish them success in every weight in which my favorite team isn't competing.

[Mat Warrior]

I am glad to see Mason is healthy and doing well after his scare last year. Him being able to wrestle this year is just a bonus to me. Good luck to him in finishing off his HS career.

[DarkKnight]

Coleman isnt middle schoolers.

just say Stratford might be the Team of the Century. They are powerful. They would give the best of Coleman's 2010-2012 state title teams quite a great dual.

I look forward to them taking it to Fennimore and earning the title they deserve.

In my mind they are best team in Wisconsin, they would have beaten Stoughton with a healthy full team. They had no 113lber bc he broke his hand, no 2-time state champ Schoenherr and their state champ HWT got hurt.

[foose4]

In my mind they are best team in Wisconsin, they would have beaten Stoughton with a healthy full team. They had no 113lber bc he broke his hand, no 2-time state champ Schoenherr and their state champ HWT got hurt.

Please don't start that discussion again.....Stoughton beat Stratford.   It's not a what if type thing, you have to wrestle what you bring without any excuses.   Those types of things happen all the time and we will never know if anything would actually change, but the record shows Stoughton beat Stratford in a great dual.  Let's leave it at that. 

As a team, Stratford has long moved on, looking very forward to this weekend and going back down to Madison next Saturday to take care of unfinished business.

[nutman]

Coleman isnt middle schoolers.

just say Stratford might be the Team of the Century. They are powerful. They would give the best of Coleman's 2010-2012 state title teams quite a great dual.

I look forward to them taking it to Fennimore and earning the title they deserve.

In my mind they are best team in Wisconsin, they would have beaten Stoughton with a healthy full team. They had no 113lber bc he broke his hand, no 2-time state champ Schoenherr and their state champ HWT got hurt.

I sure would like to know Dark Knight your real name.  Clearly you have no love for Fennimore...which is your right. I'd just like to know your angle.

[wrastle63]

In my mind they are best team in Wisconsin, they would have beaten Stoughton with a healthy full team. They had no 113lber bc he broke his hand, no 2-time state champ Schoenherr and their state champ HWT got hurt.

Please don't start that discussion again.....Stoughton beat Stratford.   It's not a what if type thing, you have to wrestle what you bring without any excuses.   Those types of things happen all the time and we will never know if anything would actually change, but the record shows Stoughton beat Stratford in a great dual.  Let's leave it at that. 

As a team, Stratford has long moved on, looking very forward to this weekend and going back down to Madison next Saturday to take care of unfinished business.

Clearly it would have been different though. 2 state champs out of lineup would have changed the dual big time!

[thequad]

Then you can say LC would have beat them also except a questionable call went the wrong way. Things are what they are.

[wrastle63]

Then you can say LC would have beat them also except a questionable call went the wrong way. Things are what they are.

Or that Stratford was missing 2 state champs against them and their 113. Dual could have been even worse. Likely would have won at worst 1 more match.

[foose4]

Then you can say LC would have beat them also except a questionable call went the wrong way. Things are what they are.

Or that Stratford was missing 2 state champs against them and their 113. Dual could have been even worse. Likely would have won at worst 1 more match.

Guys, we (Stratford) haven't been "healthy" or "had our full team" all year, but we always bring 14 kids to the mat and take our best shot.  It's why we have a room full of kids ready to wrestle, and will continue to do the next two weeks.   Every dual we've had could've been different match-ups depending on who we actually send out to wrestle, you can't just "insert kid here" as teams may change who wrestles who.

Please, let's talk about what's coming up and not what might have been.  The results are the results, no reason to hash out what can't be changed.  Stratford is 21-1 right now, lost to a excellent Stoughton team, beat some very good teams also.   I am sure I can speak for everyone when saying we are hoping to win 2 more.

[goldmedal]

Stratford with all there wrestlers healthy would beat any team in state hands down, no doubt about it. I don't care about the score is the score, that may be true but when your missing 3 of your top wrestlers and two of them former State Champions lets face it, it  wouldn't of even been close with Stoughton. They have one of the best teams I've seen in a long, long time and that dates back to the Athens of the 90's.

[visionquest]

Stratford with all there wrestlers healthy would beat any team in state hands down, no doubt about it. I don't care about the score is the score, that may be true but when your missing 3 of your top wrestlers and two of them former State Champions lets face it, it  wouldn't of even been close with Stoughton. They have one of the best teams I've seen in a long, long time and that dates back to the Athens of the 90's.

I believe that Athens team was ranked as high as #2 in the country?

[ramjet]

this is what I have seen from Stratford this year.

They are very physical and aggressive with an excellent skill set. Attack attack attack....The depth they have contributes greatly thier success. They lost last year by 1 point to Fennimore. I will pick Stratford this year.

[thequad]

I'm just saying ifs and ans don't count, I agree Stratford may very well be the best team in the state at full strength.

[DarkKnight]

Whoa, i just said i think Stratford is the best team in the state right now. I dont mind if you have different opinions.

Stoughton did win the dual, i understand. i love Stoughton, im rooting for them against KK.

Athens had some sweet teams man. Take her easy here.

[Nailbender]

I have the utmost respect for Stratford, yes their fans are great as well as their wrestlers. I have personally built some great relationships with them through the years of both youth and JH. The recipe as to how they got to this point.....that is the best kept secret IMO. They are an exceptional team! Absolutely no holes in this line up. I'm not going to get into individual duals as to how they won/lost but I will tell you they are peaking at the right time.

As for the Genius that started this post; Please do not refer to the #2 Ranked Team in D3 as Middle School wrestlers. They will soon see their day. Stratford is an absolute Monster at this point and the rest of the state should be lucky that they are not D3, IMO they would make many, many larger schools look bad. But, I would never say that they look like Middle School as that is quite rude to the whole wrestling community. Certainly since Coleman won at OTW in a very dominating fashion to more than 60 schools (What would you call them?).

Please think your posts through before you post them. Yes, Stratford is the real deal. I've been involved with this sport for a very long time and they are one of the Best that I have seen!!!!