Byline: Dennis Semrau
Troy Steiner was among the workers at the Kohl Center late Wednesday evening setting up mats for the WIAA individual state wrestling tournament, which begins today with Division 1 preliminary competition.
A former University of Wisconsin assistant wrestling coach, Steiner knows what it takes to be a champion having won an NCAA title at the University of Iowa in 1992.
Now the director and an instructor at the Advance School of Wrestling in Madison, Steiner said 30 prep wrestlers who attended his school earned berths at the individual state tournament.
That includes defending Division 1 130-pound state champion Josh Wagner of Milton.
'I'm extremely proud of them. They've done the work,' Steiner said of the group, which includes 14 athletes from the Madison area. 'I might have helped them find their way a little bit. But they've put in the time and made the commitment to improve.'
Steiner said he has encouraged his students to hold on to their vision of winning a state title no matter what happens over the next three days.
But he also said not to forget to enjoy the moment.
'Last year Matt Hill of Oregon was here for the first time and he lost to (Hartland Arrowhead's) Ben Askren in the first round. Askren ended up getting beat so that put Matt out of the tournament,' Steiner recalled.
'Afterwards, Matt was standing out in the middle of the floor and I told him, 'Just take it in.' '
Steiner said there is nothing wrong with soaking up a little atmosphere while vying to be the 'best of the best.'
'I told him, 'You have to be proud of being here and making it here from what you had done previously,' ' Steiner said. 'Take it in and enjoy the whole experience because it's something you won't ever forget.'
That is sound advice for the other participants of the Advance School of Wrestling who qualified for the individual state meet, including:
103 pounds: Andy Livingston (Janesville Craig), Jake Haley (Wilmot), Mo Malone (Boscobel), Derek Gobel (Belleville), Brian Barbiaux (Luxemburg-Casco).
112: Sergio Mireles (Madison East), Kyle Reeve (Wisconsin Heights).
119: Eric Metzler (Luxemburg-Casco), Derek Frye (Waunakee), Andy Spence (Whitnall).
125: Steve Enderby (Luxemburg-Casco), Matt Tolley (Stoughton).
130: Justin Perry (Merrill), Josh Wagner (Milton), Dustin Frye (Waunakee), Robert Miller (Stoughton).
135: Braden Radunzel (Janesville Craig), Jason West (Whitnall), Joe Sarbacker (Verona).
140: Adam Uvaas (Neenah), Jeff Canella (Wilmot), Ryan Higgins (Oconomowoc), Mitch Collins (Richland Center).
145: Zach Menne (Richland Center), Justin Gutoski (Janesville Craig), Kevin Nolan (Portage).
160: James Barker (Neenah), Ben Pero (Watertown), Mike Metzger (Columbus).
171: Mike Jackowski (Middleton).
Steiner said the key is not being satisfied, 'just being here.'
'They have a chance to finish the season out right,' Steiner said. 'Getting here is only one part of it. Now is what you're really in the sport for, to get yourself in these big-match situations in these type of tournaments.
'I hope they all take the advantage and the opportunity and go with it.'
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There are seven returning placewinners from the area vying for titles this weekend at the state wrestling meet, including Stoughton junior Eddie Blumenthal (32-2 at 152 pounds), a Division 1 runner-up at 152.
Also back in Division 1 are Middleton's Mike Jackowski (30-5 at 171), who was fourth at 189 last year, and Monroe's Corey Binger (36-0 at 119), who was sixth at 112.
In Division 2, River Valley's Kyle Mueller (36-3 at 135) was third at 130 a year ago and Mike Rohowetz (35-4 at 119) was fifth at 112. Lodi's Nick Ziegler (38-3 at 103) was fifth at 103.
Wisconsin Heights sophomore Kyle Reeve (35-2 at 112) qualified at 112 in Division 2 after placing third at 112 in Division 3 a year ago.
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Cottage Grove native Max Zukowski has been selected to play on the National Men's U-19 rugby team that will represent the U.S. in the 2003 World Junior Championships in France beginning April 9.
The USA is the fourth seed in Pool B of the championships and will open the three-week tournament against Belgium on April 9 in Paris.
A 2002 graduate of Abundant Life Christian School, where he played basketball for four years, Zukowski played rugby with the Memorial High School club team under coach Bob Jaffereis.
Zukowski, 18, is a freshman majoring in Packaging Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. He is the leading scorer on the Blue Devils' rugby team. He also plays for the Midwest U-19 team.
Rugby is a growing prep sport in the Madison area. Memorial, La Follette, East and West high schools all field club programs.
'Max played for Memorial's club team for two years and had a great time,' said his father, Greg Zukowski. 'He's looking forward to playing on the international level.'
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HENRY A. KOSHOLLEK/THE CAPITAL TIMES
Brothers Derek Frye, bottom, and Dustin Frye of Waunakee are among a group of 30 athletes who participated in former University of Wisconsin assistant coach Troy Steiner's Advance School of Wrestling and now are competing in this year's WIAA state individual wrestling tournament.
