WIAA State Wrestling Championships

By Alan Nunn

By Alan Nunn Journal Times MADISON - Anthony Azarian had only one goal at the WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament.

For all but the last two minutes of Saturday's 140-pound final, the Waterford High School senior did everything he could to win the gold medal that had escaped him during a state runner-up finish last season at Park High School.

Unable to work off the bottom in the final period against Tom Reamer of D.C. Everest, Azarian's 6-2 lead slipped away and with it, his hopes of a championship. Reamer rallied to win 8-7 with a takedown in the final 10 seconds.

Azarian was one of four Racine County wrestlers to win state medals.

Waterford teammate and lifelong friend Anthony D'Alie was third at 135 pounds. Case 275-pounder Jon Otto was fourth and Justin Schmalfeldt of Burlington was sixth at 215 pounds.

"We planned on two champions," Waterford coach Henry Agallar said. "But sometimes you don't hit your goals. You have to aim high."

Azarian (33-1) aimed for the state's highest goal and couldn't hide his emotions at falling short.

"Second place again," he said. "I ... hate it. I hate it. I hate second. I said it last year. I hate it. I don't want nothing to do with it."

Azarian was so upset that he had to be talked onto the awards stand and made a hasty exit afterward, tossing his second-place medal to Waterford assistant Matt Jones. While a small portion of the Kohl Center crowd voiced its disapproval of Azarian's emotional release, few could appreciate what it had meant to him.

"I did make some bad choices by throwing my head gear and throwing that medal," Azarian said. "But no one knows what it feels like to lose (the final) two years in a row."

Azarian dominated three opponents to reach the final against Reamer, whom he beat in last year's state semifinals. Azarian opened the rematch with a takedown in the first 17 seconds, leaving Reamer shaking his head at Azarian's aggressive quickness on his feet.

A confident Azarian scored two more takedowns to build his 6-2 lead. But Reamer knew he had one last shot, choosing the top position to start the third period. Reamer quickly applied a half nelson and kept Azarian flat on the mat, forcing a stall warning and then a penalty point stalling. Moments later, Reamer turned Azarian onto his back and tied the score with a three-point nearfall.

Azarian worked his way out of trouble and earned an escape on a restart to take a 7-6 lead with 23 seconds remaining. Knowing another stalling call would tie the match, Azarian shot in on Reamer near the edge of the mat in the final 10 seconds. Reamer countered and came out on top for the takedown and the victory.

"I was getting backed off, off the mat, so I shot so I wouldn't get hit for stalling again," Azarian said. "I didn't finish the shot, but that's not where I lost the match. I lost the match because I didn't move off the bottom."

D'Alie rallied to defeat Alex Charo of Delavan-Darien 13-9 for his third-place medal. The Waterford senior, who finished 37-1 this season and 138-11 in his career, fought off his back midway through the match and scored 10 points over the final 2:37.

D'Alie escaped at the start of the second period to build a 3-0 lead but got taken down to his back and trailed 5-3 to Charo (37-6), whom he pinned in December at the Beloit Memorial Invitational.

"I wasn't going to give up there," D'Alie said. "I just had to get off my back and keep fighting through it and turn the match up."

Ignoring the pain of a right ankle injury that prevented him from practicing all last week, D'Alie reversed Charo to his back for a five-point turnaround. D'Alie went ahead 11-5 with a tilt midway through the third period and added a takedown in the final 45 secconds.

"Once I turned him to his back it was a different match after that," D'Alie said. "At state, everbody has skills. It just comes down to whoever is tougher."

D'Alie said he had a tough time regrouping after his Friday night semifinal loss to Jordan Grannum of Holmen, but was able to rely on Azarian, his teammate and close friend.

"If it wasn't for Anthony Azarian, I probably would have never got through it," D'Alie said. "He told me to just keep my head and end my high school career with a win.

"I was going for the gold, but I'm glad I got to go out there for one more shot and finish with a win."

Otto, who lost to Jordan Hein of Wausau West in the semifinals, didn't get much of a chance to regroup in his third-place match with Rice Lake's Anthony Loew (44-5). Loew needed 32 seconds to throw and pin the Case senior, who on Tuesday had reinjured a left shoulder he had surgery on last year.

"We tied up," Otto said. "I was thinking about doing something and he did his first and caught me with it. We both had an underhook and an overhook and he just did an arm throw. You're not expecting it. Heavyweights, as soon as they throw something that works, you're pretty much done."

Otto (33-5), who tied Ken Surratt's school record for single-season victories, sought out Loew after the match. Deep in the Kohl Center, they shared a quiet laugh and Otto offered his congratulations.

"I was just trying to have fun," Otto said. "It didn't last long enough to have that much fun. Finishing in the top four was my goal. I thought I had a chance to wrestle (in the final), but I got my goal and I should be happy about that."

Schmalfeldt won his first consolation match, scoring a takedown in the final 20 seconds for a 3-1 decision over Neenah's Blaine Hornes (32-8) to advance to the medal round. His fifth-place consolation match against Antigo's Zach Ison (35-6) also was a tight match until the final seven seconds of the second period. Ison avoided Schmalfeldt's headlock and put the Burlington junior on his back, earning the pin just before time ran out in the period.

"I didn't wrestle my style and got caught up in the wrong move - upper body throws," Schmalfeld said. "I like to change my level a little bit more and shoot. I don't want to make any excuses."

Schmalfeldt (38-4), who battled back from a first-match loss, says he's already motivated to return to Madison.

"It's my first year at state and it was a little intimidating," Schmalfeldt said. "I have to learn to not put so much into it and psyche myself out. I can wish a lot of things, but I have to make it happen. I've got to work harder. I got another chance next year. Another chance for first."

Waterford 275-pounder Erv Kehoss (20-12) and Horlick teammates Steve Sanchez (29-11) and Xavier Marquez (32-6) all came within a win of earning a state medal. All three underclassmen lost consolation matches that would have advanced them to the medal round.

Kehoss, a junior, was pinned by Manitowoc Lincoln's Jake Stebnitz (39-2), who went on to place fifth. Sanchez, a sophomore 130-pounder, lost 3-0 to fifth-place medalist Riley Kreuzer (39-3) of Muskego. Marquez, a junior 189-pounder, lost a 10-4 decision to sixth-place medalist Marshall Witkowski (32-6) of Plymouth.

"Steve has improved a lot this year," Horlick coach Jerry Kupper said. "He had a great experience up here. He's only going to get better. Kreuzer is really a tough guy and Steve lost to him 14-1 last time. Steve has a lot more confidence now and he knows he can compete with the best in the state.

"Xavier ran into a kid who was similiar to him in style and he just came out on the short end. This was Xavier's second time at state and he went further than last year. Both kids, as well as our other state qualifier, Lane Olson, still have an opportunity to get back to state and medal. I'm real proud of all my kids right now."