Brookfield East wrestling had four of its eight participants qualify for the WIAA Division 1 State Tournament during the Oconomowoc Sectional on Saturday.
The Spartans notched 93.5 points to finish second of 16 teams, but a distant 39 points behind first-place Muskego (132.5).
Senior Joey Woppert (145 pounds) will return to Madison for the second year in a row following a pin over Kettle Moraine's Dilan White in the championship match. Prior to the final match, he sneaked by Muskego's Jordan Sowinski in the semifinals by winning a tough, 8-6, decision.
"(He) wrestled really well in semis," East head coach John Veal said. "Beating Sowinski meant a lot; he is really getting it together."
East's 103-pounder Casey Dentino also had to deal with Muskego's strong wrestlers. Dentino muscled his way to 6-5 decision over Muskego's Tyler Slnda in the semi-finals. He sandwiched the close call with two decisive pins over Mukwonago's Brandon Schallock in the first round and New Berlin West/Eisenhower's Hlu Vang in the championship.
"He wrestled really well in the finals," Veal said. "He just needs to put it all together at the Kohl Center."
Spartans senior Justin Wolfenden almost let his state tournament chances slip away when he lost by major decision to Oconomowoc's Zach Mommaerts, 10-2. But when it was announced that his second-place match opponent couldn't compete due to injury, Wolfenden was awarded his first state-tournament berth.
"(He) has been wrestling amazing the last month or so, and then just froze at the beginning of his finals match," Veal said. "He just was not to be denied in the wrestle backs."
East's Larry Watson's (160 pounds) major decision semifinal win over Elkorn's Tyler French proved to be exactly what he needed to reach the state tournament. Watson got pinned by Watertown's Justin McFarland in the first-place match but automatically won the second-place match by rule when French landed in the second-place match. By rule, you do not have to defeat someone you previously beat in the same day.
"(Watson) looked phenomenal his first couple matches and then just lost his head in finals," Veal said. "He can be dangerous to anybody if we can just find a way to get him to develop consistency."
Andy Wanta (140 pounds) and Tyler Lecher (215) both fell just short of state, finishing third. Kevin Dentino (130) finished fourth. Freshman John Leclaire (135) did not place.
What's next
Who: Brookfield East
What: WIAA Division 1 State Wrestling Tournament
When: 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25
Where: Kohl Center, Madison
East had its most wrestlers qualify for the state tournament since 2007 following the Oconomowoc Sectional on Saturday. Last year, the Spartans had two wrestlers place fifth and sixth, respectively. East's last top-three finisher was Brian Dentino at 103 pounds in 2007, when he finished third.
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