MADISON — Pardeeville freshman William Becker (34-5) edged out Cashton junior Colin O`Neil (34-13), 3-2, during the preliminary round of Thursday’s WIAA Division 3 individual state tournament.
“I just trying to get my points and then the last period, I just tried to ride him out and not give up any points,” Becker said.
Becker said he wasn’t nervous going into his first-ever state match, but that the final four minutes were tough against O’Neil.
“I was getting a little tired,” Becker said. “I’ve trained extremely hard and know I have a lot of people beat with endurance.”
He will wrestle De Soto senior Aiden Brosinski (47-1) Friday morning during the quarterfinals.
“I’m just trying to do my best and see what happens,” Becker said about moving onto the quarterfinals.
Photos: Action from Thursday’s opening rounds of the WIAA wrestling championships
Beaver Dam senior Kyler Neuberger lost a major decision 14-1 to Appleton North sopohmore Jake Stoffel in the quarterfinals of Thursday’s WIAA Division 1 individual state wrestling tournament.
MARK MCMULLEN/Lee Sports Wisconsin
Beaver Dam sophomore Gabe Klatt, bottom, shoots on Waunakee senior Kaden Klatt during the 195-pound Division 1 quarterfinals on Thursday.
MARK MCMULLEN, LEE SPORTS WISCONSIN
Beaver Dam sophomore Gabe Klatt, top, tries to pin Waunakee senior Kaden Hooker in the second round of their quarterfinals match during Thursday’s WIAA Division 1 individual state wrestling meet.
MARK MCMULLEN/Lee Sports Wisconsin
Pardeeville’s Will Becker (top) wrestles Cashton’s Colin O`Neil in the Division 3 quarterfinals at 152 pounds during the WIAA individual state wrestling tournament Thursday at the Kohl Center.
KAYLA WOLF, WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL
Lodi’s Wyatt Ripp, left, wrestles Whitewater’s Mason DePorter during a Division 2 quarterfinal at 220 pounds at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Tomah’s Gavin Finch, right, wrestles Brookfield East’s Aiden Crawley during a Division 1 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Badger wrestlings’ Logan Clausen, left, wrestles Menomonie’s Brayten Casey during a Division 1 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Stoughton’s Nicolar Rivera, front, wrestles Kimberly’s Tyson Peach during a Division 1 quarterfinal match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Division 1 preliminary wrestling matches take place at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Sun Prairie sophomore Christopher Anderson, top, wrestles Arrowhead freshman Collin McDowell during the Division 1 quarterfinals of Thursday’s WIAA individual state tournament.
MARK MCMULLEN/Lee Sports Wisconsin
DeForest’s Brody Hemauer, right, takes down Kenosha Tremper’s Jackson Henderson during a 160 pound Division 1 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Beaver Dam’s Kyler Neuberger, top, wrestles Kaukauna’s Connor Smith during a 132 pound Division 1 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Stoughton’s Trenton Dow celebrates a win over Marshfield’s Garrett Willuweit during a 152 pound Division 1 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Monona Grove/McFarland’s Guenther Switzer, left, wrestles Waunakee’s Jack Schweitzer during a 220 pound Division 1 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Stoughton’s Chance Suddeth, back, wrestles Kenosha Indian Trail’s Edwin Estrada during a 120 pound Division 1 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Beaver Dam’s Gabriel Klatt defeats Waunakee’s Kaden Hooker during a 195 pound Division 1 quarterfinal match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Beaver Dam’s Gabriel Klatt, right, wrestles Waunakee’s Kaden Hooker during a 195 pound Division 1 quarterfinal match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
DeForest’s Brody Hemauer, right, wrestles Marshfield’s Ryan Dolezal during a 160 pound Division 1 quarterfinal match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
West Bend West’s Ben Bast wrestles with the foot of Pulaski’s Ethan Eggert in his face during a 113 pound Division 1 quarterfinal match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Reedsburg’s Jesus Gonzalez, left, takes down Neenah’s Bryce Fochs during a 285 pound division 1 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Verona’s Jay Hanson, right, wrestles Appleton North’s Ethan Hansen during a 285 pound Division 1 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Waunakee’s Kaden Hooker, right, wrestles Kenosha Indian Trail’s London Kiser during a 195 pound Division 1 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Badger wrestlings’ Logan Clausen, left, talks to a coach prior to his 106 pound Division 1 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Reedsburg’s Devin Judd holds his head in his hand following a loss to Marshfield’s Camren Dennee during a 170 pound Division 1 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Reedsburg’s Jesus Gonzalez tries not to get pinned by Neenah’s Bryce Fochs during the preliminary round of the Division 1 heavyweight match of Thursday’s WIAA individual state wrestling tournament.
MARK MCMULLEN/Lee Sports Wisconsin
Beaver Dam senior Kyler Neuberger lost a major decision 14-1 to Appleton North sopohmore Jake Stoffel in the quarterfinals of Thursday’s WIAA Division 1 individual state wrestling tournament.
MARK MCMULLEN/Lee Sports Wisconsin
Beaver Dam senior Kyler Neuberger lost a major decision 14-1 to Appleton North sopohmore Jake Stoffel in the quarterfinals of Thursday’s WIAA Division 1 individual state wrestling tournament. He is catching his breath after the match.
MARK MCMULLEN/Lee Sports Wisconsin
Stoughton’s Chance Suddeth wrestles Marshfield’s Caleb Dennee during the 120-pound quarterfinals of Thursday’s WIAA Division 1 state individual tournament.
MARK MCMULLEN/Lee Sports Wisconsin
Royall’s Gunnar Wopat, top, wrestles Random Lake’s Jackson Averill during a 120 pound Division 3 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Poynette’s James Amacher, top, wrestles Riverdale’s Rylee Wanek during a 145 pound division 3 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Portage’s Lowell Arnold, right, wrestles Freedom’s Caden Clausen during a 152 pound Division 2 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Aquinas’ Calvin Hargrove, top, wrestles Fennimore’s Wyatt Ahnen during a 160 pound Division 3 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Shiocton’s Dylan Herb, front, wrestles Boyceville’s Ira Bialzik during a 160 pound Division 3 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Cadott’s Cole Pfeiffer, top, wrestles St. Joseph Catholic Academy’s Jayden Gordon during a 160 pound Division 3 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
A referee calculates points as Random Lake’s David San Felippo, top, wrestles Horicon’s Austin Zamorano during a 126 pound Division 3 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Poynette’s Owen Bahr, right, wrestles Mineral Point’s Bo Hanson during a 170 pound Division 3 preliminary match at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Family and friends, from left, Easton Kammerud, Shania Sarbacker holding Slayer McCullick, Chakayla Stank and Cyntanah Nafzger cheer on Mineral Point’s Trapper Nafzger during Division 3 preliminary matches at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Follow Mark McMullen on Twitter @mmcmull2 or contact him at 920-356-6754.
www.wiscnews.com
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism