Advertisement

Nine of the 14 wrestlers competing in the 3-day event are from New Lothrop. The Hornet contingent is led by five regional champions, including 2006 state runner-up Roger Emmendorfer (215), Blake Birchmeier (103), Allen Krupp (112), Ryan Confer (152) and Dennis Emmendorfer (171).

Chesaning and Montrose qualified two wrestlers each while St. Charles advanced one. The Indians send two-time state placer Chad Reiber (125) and junior Jaxon Wirgau (152) while the Rams qualified senior 112-pounder Greg Smith and freshman 119-pounder Cody Wray. The Bulldog's lone representative is senior 112-pounder Matt Whyte who placed fourth in the regional at New Lothrop.

Confer, a senior, takes an unbeaten 54-0 mark into the meet after defeating Dansville's Taylor Trim 6-2 for the regional crown. Roger Emmendorfer captured the 215 regional championship with a 16-1 win over Tony Reece of Mayville. He boasts a 46-1 mark.

Birchmeier, a freshman, enters the tourney at 47-10 after thumping Mayville's Corey O'Kelly 14-2 for the regional title. Krupp thrashed Corey Cordero of Sanford-Meridian to win the 112 crown. The Hornet sophomore carries a 44-8 mark into the state finals. Senior Dennis Emmendorfer won the 171 title by blitzing Erik Lawrence of Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary 16-0 to win his regional championship. A senior, Emmendorfer comes into the finals at 33-6.

New Lothrop's other qualifiers include senior Dave Spiegel (135) who was fourth and comes into the tourney with a 29-28 mark; sophomore Marc Confer (14) who finished second losing by fall to Byron's Jason Musall. He is 30-11; junior Kyle Trent (145) who comes into the event 23-16 after beating Chris Marx of Sandusky 6-2 in the regional consolation finals; and junior Ethan Bishop (189) who brings a 30-20 mark into the tournament following a fourth place regional finish.

Reiber, Wirgau, Smith and Wray all qualified out of the regional in Durand.

Reiber brings a glossy 54-1 mark into the state tournament following his 8-0 regional finals victory over Lucas Perrin of Corunna. Wirgau comes into the event at 38-9 after stopping Zach Fabian of Crosswell-Lexington in the regional consolation finals at 152. He also eliminated Montrose's Brandon Boone from contention with a 4-2 win.

Smith beat Brandon Drews of Vassar for third at 112. He carries a 38-15 record into the state tournament. His only loss in the regional came to 112 champ Darius Wass of Swan Valley.

Wray upped his season ledger to 48-4 with his third place finish at 119. Wray's only loss came to 119 champ Jared Germaine of Swan Valley in the semifinals.

Chesaning's Josh Tithof posted an opening round pin in the regional before bowing out with a 7-2 loss to Matt Raysin of Corunna.