Duellman makes podium at State for the Wolfpack

Junior Troy Duellman (145 pounds, right) represented his Cornell-Gilman Wolfpack team well Feb. 25, wrestling at the State tournament and taking a sixth place spot on the podium. Photo by Casey Krautkramer

By Ginna Young

The pressure was on for junior Troy Duellman (145 pounds) as the lone Cornell-Gilman competitor at the individual State wrestling tournament Feb. 23-25.

“We had a good turnout for support and enjoyed our time down there,” said coach Greg Sonnentag. “It was a good weekend.”

Duellman started off the weekend by facing Bonduel’s Colin Fischer, winning the opening bout by fall, in 1:51. He then went up against Mason Hoopman, of Cedar Grove-Belgium, dropping the match in a 4-3 decision.

In the consolation round, Duellman then won over Matt Wery (Kewaunee), in a 2:39 fall, but in the consolation semifinals, he fell to Fennimore’s Syler Zdanczewicz, in a 1-0 decision.

Duellman had one final match to earn a spot on the podium, as he took on Clear Lake’s Tyler Sunday in the fifth place match. Sunday gained the upper hand in the bout, taking the win with a 6-2 decision and handing Duellman second place.

“If Troy can manage to win the close ones next year, we’ll be seeing him a bit higher on the podium,” said Sonnentag. “I think he learned a lot and will have some extra confidence from his experience this season.”