The Gauntlet That Was The 1996 2A Wilton District
One of the toughest districts that I recall watching as a kid took place at Wilton in 1996. There were a plethora of former and eventual state qualifiers and placers who didn’t even make it out of this district that year due to it being so tough. I decided to break down some of the numbers as well as listed each qualifier from the district and some of the numbers do not surprise me, but they are still extremely impressive.
HERE WERE THE TEAMS:
Mepo
Maquoketa
Wapello
Wilton
West Liberty
Assumption
Camanche
Monticello
Dewitt-Central
Cascade
Northeast-Gooselake
NOTES:
*Out of the 26 guys who qualified for state in this district, 4 of them won state the next week.
*Out of the 26 guys who qualified for state in this district, 9 of the 26 made the state finals.
*19 of the 26 state qualifiers placed at state (top 6) the next week.
*22 of the 26 state qualifiers from this district would make it to the top 8 in their bracket.
*24 of the 26 state qualifiers in this bracket would win at least one match while competing at state the next week.
*This district includes a wrestler (Eric Juergens) who would win his 4th state title the next week and cap off an undefeated high school career.
*10 of the 26 state qualifiers were state champions at one point or another in their HS career.
HERE IS THE LIST OF STATE QUALIFIERS FROM THIS DISTRICT AND HOW THEY PLACED AT STATE THAT YEAR!
103:
#2 Justin Stanley, Wilton
(Top 8 ) Adam Hutchinson, Mepo
112:
#5 Matt Pasvogel, Wilton
#1 Nick Marin, West Liberty
119:
#2 Marc Juergens, Maquoketa
#5 Les Hollingsworth, Wapello
125:
#1 Eric Juergens, Maquoketa
#2 Mike Corsiglia, Assumption
130:
#2 Ben Scorpil, West Liberty
#5 Corey Stanley, Wilton
135:
(0-2) Cory Snodgrass, Camanche
#3 Ben Shirk, Wilton
140:
#4 Rocky Hamilton, Wapello
(1-2) Pat Kennedy, Monticello
145:
(0-2) Mike Hainstock, Maquoketa
(1-2) Lucas Luensman, Monticello
152:
#3 Kyle Hansen, Wilton
(Top 8 ) Lucas Kluever, Maquoketa
160:
#4 Matt Gravert, Assumption
#1 Chad Rowson, Dewitt-Central
171:
#3 Brandon Cummings-Mepo
#5 Jim Bark-Dewitt-Central
189:
#4 Kory Manternach- Cascade
#1 Chad Morrison- West Liberty
HWT:
#2 Josh Liddle, Camanche
(Top 8 ) Marshall Wirtz, Assumption
