The roar of the crowd at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison is a daunting environment for any athlete, but for the eighteen members of the Antigo Wrestling Club who converged on the Coliseum last weekend, it was simply another opportunity to prove their mettle. The WWF Folkstyle Youth State Tournament serves as the ultimate proving ground for Wisconsin’s youth wrestlers, and Antigo walked away with four podium finishes and a locker room full of gritty, high-octane highlights.
The club’s weekend was headlined by Wyatt Radtke, who secured a hard-fought fourth-place finish in the 2011-2012 270-pound division. After an early setback, Radtke displayed the kind of mental toughness coaches dream of, tearing through the consolation bracket. He recorded back-to-back pins in 1:22 and a lightning-fast 23 seconds to earn his spot in the third-place match, proving that once he finds his rhythm, few can withstand his power.
Joining Radtke on the podium were Elia Peterson and Lily Declark, who both claimed fifth-place honors in their respective brackets. Peterson was a scoring machine throughout the tournament, racking up a 16-0 technical fall and two pins. Her final match was a statement of dominance, ending with a pinfall victory in just 27 seconds. Declark showed similar resolve, bouncing back from a heartbreaking overtime loss in the consolation semifinals to pin her opponent in the fifth-place match, ensuring she ended her folkstyle season on a high note.
Rounding out the podium finishers was Reagan Stolzman, who took sixth place in the 2017-2018 82-pound bracket. Stolzman’s tournament was defined by high-scoring, nail-biting matches, including a thrilling 11-10 decision in the quarterfinals where she secured late points to advance.
While the podium finishers get the medals, the depth of the Antigo program was on full display through the relentless performances of the entire 18-wrestler contingent. Trip Gottschalk and Cameron Williams each notched three victories over the weekend, with Gottschalk delivering a 16-0 technical fall and a pin, and Williams recording a clinical 54-second fall.
The "pin-first" mentality that has become a hallmark of the Red Robins was evident across all age groups. Lilly Franklin secured two pins, while Jaxson Pregler (41 seconds) and Jennadi Fish (37 seconds) both made short work of their opponents in their highlight victories. Jed Medo also put on a clinic in the consolation rounds, earning a 15-0 technical fall and a gutsy 13-7 decision to advance deep into the bracket.
The tournament also saw dominant major decisions from Taylor Gurney (16-4) and Dylan Gallenberg (12-0), showcasing a technical proficiency that kept their opponents on the defensive from the opening whistle.
This state tournament marks the official conclusion of the folkstyle season, a stretch that has seen the Antigo Wrestling Club grow in both numbers and prestige. To send eighteen wrestlers to Madison is an achievement in itself; to have so many compete with such aggression and technical skill speaks to the quality of coaching and the dedication of the athletes.
As the club transitions into the Greco and Freestyle season throughout April and May, the momentum from Madison will undoubtedly carry over. The folkstyle mats are being rolled up, but the fire shown in the Coliseum suggests that the Red Robins are just getting started. Antigo wrestling is no longer just a local powerhouse—it is a perennial threat on the state stage.
Photo Credits: Melissa Pregler
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