Gabrich, Peissig punch tickets to State girls’ wrestling tournament

MERRILL – The Tomahawk Lady Hatchets began their postseason journey on Friday, Feb. 13, traveling to Merrill for the WIAA Girls Wrestling Regional, the first step toward the state tournament.

To advance to Sectionals, wrestlers needed to place first or second in their respective weight classes. The Hatchets delivered a strong performance, qualifying nine athletes and finishing second as a team.

At 100 pounds, V. Towle went 2-1 on the evening to earn a second-place finish. K. Peissig claimed a regional championship at 107 pounds with a 2-0 record, while A. Tollefson matched that effort at 114 pounds, also going 2-0 to secure a title.

1. Thompson competed at 120 pounds, dropping a hard-fought match at 126 pounds, L. Taves battled to a 2-1 record and a runner-up finish. K. Roberts (145 pounds) and A. Cerkes (152 pounds) each went 2-1 to place second in their brackets.
2. Gabrich added another championship for Tomahawk at 185 pounds, finishing 2-0 on the night. At 235 pounds, A. Doleshal earned a second-place finish.

In the team standings, Lakeland placed third with 125 points, Tomahawk finished second with 227 points, and Merrill claimed the Regional title with 277 points.

Sectional competition

The Hatchets advanced to the WIAA Sectional hosted by D.C. Everest on Friday, Feb. 20. To qualify for the WIAA State Tournament, wrestlers needed to win their opening match and finish in the top two of their bracket.

The D.C. Everest Sectional featured a highly competitive field, including multiple returning state champions. Despite a challenging first round that saw only two Tomahawk wrestlers advance, the Hatchets capitalized on their opportunities.

At 107 pounds, Peissig pinned K. Turkey of Coleman in 2:52 in the opening round. Gabrich followed with a first-round pin over A. Dalke of Sturgeon Bay/Sevastopol in 2:10 at 185 pounds.

In the semifinals, Peissig secured her spot in the finals with a 1:39 pin over K. Pennala. Gabrich advanced with a hard-fought 14-8 decision over a very physical A. Blasel of Abbotsford/Colby.

Peissig continued her dominant run in the championship match, pinning A. Le of Wausau West in 1:52 to claim the Sectional title. She finished the evening 3-0, earning all three victories by pin, punching her ticket to the State tournament.

Gabrich faced a tough opponent in the finals, squaring off against two-time defending state champion B. Huffman of Wittenberg-Birnamwood. Although she was pinned in the match, there was no wrestle-back round, securing her runner-up finish and a berth at State.

State tournament

Peissig and Gabrich will representTomahawk at the WIAA State Girls Wrestling Tournament, scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 26 through Saturday, Feb. 28.