Bonduel wrestlers break the 100-win barrier

There are ways to be remembered that are more subtle than others, but there is something unforgettable about the century mark.

A couple of Bonduel High School wrestlers established membership in that elite group recently, as Travis Wollenberg and Garrett Siolka wrote their names in the school record book in permanent ink by posting their 100th career wins.

Wollenberg, a senior 138-pounder, recently notched his 100th win under Bears coach Chris Rank, and kept rolling from there, as his second-place finish at the Coleman Regional was enough to advance him on to sectional action. He will be joined at the Bonduel Sectional, to be held at Shawano, Saturday by five teammates who also survived at Coleman.

One is Siolka, a 126-pound junior who not only broke through the 100 mark this season, but has dominated his weight class to such a degree that with the sectional, state finals and another season ahead of him, the school record for all-time wins is within his sight.

“One hundred wins is obviously a milestone, a really good accomplishment,” Rank said. “We’re really fortunate to have as many quality kids out as we have this season. I couldn’t be more proud of these guys. Garrett and Travis have worked very hard to become the outstanding wrestlers they are now.”

Siolka, the defending state runnerup at 126, has 111 career victories at Bonduel; the all-time school record is 168.

“The career wins record a good goal to shoot for,” said Siolka, who finished second at the regional to Oconto’s Elton Kelsey. “It was one of my goals to get (100) as a junior. Now that I’ve reached that, I can look at the all-time record. I want to keep the family tradition going.”

Siolka’s brother Cody became a charter member of the 100 club at Bonduel before graduating, and his cousin Austin had chalked up 122 career wins when an illness earlier this year ended his season prematurely. The fourth member of the team to have hit the hundo mark this year was Dan Tauchen, a 160-pound virtuoso who was named Central Wisconsin Conference-8 Wrestler of the Year. Tauchen’s brother, Ben, a two-time state champion at 220 pounds, holds the career mark of 168 wins.

“Garrett will have to have a really good senior year, and maybe a strong finish to this year, too, in order to make a run at the career wins mark,” Rank said. “It’ll be quite a task. But I give him credit for making that one of his goals.”

Wollenberg credited Rank’s motivational style of coaching in helping give the boost he needed to go from good to outstanding.

“He always knows what to say after a match, whether you win or lose,” said Wollenberg, who dropped a tough a 6-1 decision to Grant Fischer of Gillett/Suring in the regional title match. “After the regional, he just reminded me that there is still next week to think about.”

After an unspectacular 19-20 freshman season, Wollenberg hung tough in the weight room and at practice, ran cross-country in the fall to improve his endurance, and before long, any lingering doubts he may have harbored about his ability were quashed.

“I don’t know if it was one match, or one week, but at some point I just started having a lot more confidence,” Wollenberg said. “It makes a big difference. A lot of the success that I’ve had was really just a matter of putting in the work, getting the techniques down and getting myself in the best shape I could be. (One hundred wins) is a pretty big thing. It says that I made my mark at the school.”

Career wins won’t amount to much once the whistle blows and the wrestling starts at sectional and state, but that which has made winning part of the routine at Bonduel will factor in the overall picture.

“Confidence is something we stress, something that the kids need,” Rank said. “They have to believe in their abilities when they go out there.”

Collectively and individually, the Bears couldn’t agree more.

“I know there will be a lot of good wrestlers at sectional and state,” Wollenberg said, “but I’m up for it.”