I would like to introduce myself as the newest member of Wisconsin Wrestling Online’s writing staff. I am not a coach, and I am not a wrestler. I have never done either. My name is Caitlin Lyga, and I currently attend the University of Wisconsin Platteville. My dad Tony Lyga coaches the La Crosse Aquinas High School wrestling team, but my earliest wrestling memories took place in the gymnasium of La Crosse Central High School where he coached wrestlers such as three-time All-American Eric Jetton, Chris Bahr, and Brian Colburn. This year I hope to thoroughly cover meets in my area so readers can refer to accurate information, similar to Koy Kosek’s Meet of the Week articles.

To begin the 2005-2006 season, let’s wrestle at the…

Westby Quad
Participants: Aquinas, Cashton, Richland Center, Westby
Format: Team Tournament
Date: Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Location: Westby High School
Why We‘re Here: D3 #5 Cashton (Andrew Dahl - 1st @ 103, Alex Dahl - 5th @ 125, Brandon Arentz - 5th @ 130, Derek Laufenberg - 4th @ 275) & D2 Westby’s David Casper - 1st @ 171

Who to Watch
Cashton’s #5 ranked team is returning with the loss of only three seniors. The loss includes the eldest of the three Dahl brothers, Austen, who was a state qualifier last year at 112. However the team’s four place winners and additional five seniors are back and ready to claim their stake in Division Three. In addition Westby’s David Casper, the state champion at 171 last year, will commence his senior year of wrestling in home territory.
The best match-ups should be seen at 171 and 215. At 171 will be Aquinas’s Trevor Lyga (I‘m biased here - he’s my brother) who was a sectional qualifier last year at 160, Cashton’s Miles Elsen who was a sectional qualifier at 145, and Westby’s Vince Pedretti, also a sectional qualifier last year at 145. Wrestling at 215 should be state qualifier Tyler Manning from Westby and Richland Center’s Ryan Schmidt, sectional qualifier at 215 last year.

Interview with: Colin Green, Westby’s head coach

How long have you been coaching at Westby High School?
This is my fourth year - my first year as head coach.

And how many guys would you say are out for wrestling this year?
18.

How do you feel about this year’s team?
I feel that we’ve got some individuals who’ve experienced some success. We’ve got returning state qualifiers David Casper and Tyler Manning, but we’ve also got a good young crew that got a lot of experience last year as freshmen, and are in a position to make some great improvements. So we’re young, got some great individuals, and I think we’re going to produce a pretty strong team.

It’s David Casper’s senior year this year - can’t do much better than first place at state, unless of course you do it twice. What will be some of his biggest challenges this year?
Defending a state championship is always more difficult than winning the first one. Everyone’s going to be gunning for him. 189 is where he’ll be wrestling and it is going to be quite stacked - there’s Nathan Clements from West Salem at 89, and I know Chetek-Prairie Farm is pretty heavy on top. They’ve got three or four talented individuals between 160 and 215. So 89 is a tough weight but I know David is definitely up for the challenge.

Have any guys that will turn a few heads this year?
Yeah, I believe our team’s got some very talented crew that came in as freshman and wrestled many varsity matches – Aaron Breuer at 130’s coming back at 130 and Lorenzo Nickelotti - they’re both two freshman that started for us last year all year, and they’re doing pretty good so far, working hard. I think they’ll turn some heads along with Vince Pedretti who wrestled 145 last year for us as a freshman and now he’s a sophomore at 171. He’s put in a lot of time and is in a great position to have a great season. And then of course Tyler Manning at 215, state qualifier last year and he‘s fairly improved, and then of course David Casper. Our numbers are small, but we have a hard working crew that is in a position to do very well.

Interview with: Chad Powell, Cashton’s head coach

How long have you been coaching at Cashton High School?
This will be my fourth year as head coach.

You lost only three seniors from last year and you have all of your state place winners back, how do you feel about this year’s team?
I can’t be happier. I’m looking forward to some really big things - bigger than last year. I plan on doing everything we did last year, plus more.

Any guys that will surprise folks this year?
That’s hard to say, because I expect so much out of them that there shouldn’t be any surprises. I think there are a few individuals that could have a pretty great year - Alex Dahl is back at 125 and Andrew Dahl at 112 is a returning state champ. Alex has placed at state the last two years. Brandon Arentz at 130 or 135, Justin Flock at 135 or 140, and Travis Brueggen at 140 or 145, I’m not sure where we’re going to be at the end of the season. Miles Elsen at 152 or 160 I think will surprise some people this year. And our heavyweight, Derek Laufenberg.

It’s far off, but any thoughts on your team sectional this year?
If I had to bet on it, I’d say it’d be between us and Iowa-Grant.