Spartan freshman John Roddick won his 40th match of the year Thursday in his opening match at the state tournament while teammate Derek VonRuden reached 45 wins with his first-match victory as the Spartans went 2-2 on the day.
Roddick (40-12) defeated East Troy’s Ryan Engel (31-10) 4-0 to setup a match against Oconto Falls’ Matthew Damp tomorrow morning. Like Roddick, VonRuden (45-8) advanced to the quarterfinals with a solid 7-1 victory over New Holstein’s Cole Fritsch (22-12). The victory sets up a Friday bout with Ellsworth’s Roarke Langer (33-2).
At 120 pounds, Brock Polhamus (35-13) came up just short against Somerset’s Bobby Leroy (37-6) losing 9-6 in a match that was close throughout. Likewise, at 182 pounds, Kyle Burkhalter (36-15) fell by pin in 2:49 to Waupun’s Brady Hueink (40-5). With the losses, Polhamus and Burkhalter are done at this year’s state tournament.
If Roddick, VonRuden, Winchel and Mosley can each win their next match or in the case of Winchel and Mosley, their opening match, they will be guaranteed to place at state. That means tomorrow’s quarterfinal round, which is slated to being at 11:15am, is a big one for the Spartans. We’ll have a preview tomorrow morning of Winchel and Mosley’s matches and updates throughout the early morning and afternoon as the Spartans progress through their quarterfinal bouts.
Below are some photos from tonight’s matches thanks to the one, the only, Joe Koshollek. Joe was kind enough last year to cover Derek and Kyle’s matches at the state tournament and is helping us out again this year as I can’t make it down because my wife is due with a kid any day now. Literally any day now. As in due Saturday. Bad timing, I know. That aside, here are some photos from the four matches tonight.
