Minor excelling on the mat
It doesn’t take long to figure out what sport Cody Minor excels in.
“That’s permanent,” Minor said about his cauliflower ear. “It was small at first. I drained it a couple of times and it wasn’t working. I kept on getting hit, so I finally just let it go. I said I’m good.”
The Ashwaubenon junior has been really good on the mat this season.
After placing third last year at 106 pounds, Minor enters his second WIAA individual state wrestling tournament ranked No. 1 at 113 pounds in Division 1 by Wisconsin Wrestling Online.
Minor (40-1) cut weight before regionals to drop down to the weight class and looking to become the Jaguars’ first state champion since 2008, when Mike Taylor (215) and Zak Saevre (285) won titles in back-to-back weight classes.
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“It’s still a hard cut, but it will be worth it,” Minor said. “I think I’m the best kid in the bracket. It’s just doing what I need to do and staying aggressive, and I think I’ll get it done.”
Minor was initially thinking he was done with wrestling after struggling early with it in grade school. Then he started winning – a lot.
The Ashwaubenon junior is 125-11 in his high school career. He was one place shy of making the trip to the Kohl Center for state as a freshman.
His only loss this season came in the finals at the Oshkosh On The Water Classic against Cedarburg’s Bryce Jankowski, who is a state qualifier at 120 pounds.
Minor has been on a championship pace ever since.
“He’s ready for I think a real good tournament,” Ashwaubenon wrestling coach Jody VanLaanen said.
“He’s been working everything towards this year. I think he’s at a weight where he’s going to be a little bit bigger 113-pounder. He’s had an outstanding year.”
The Ashwaubenon wrestling team as a whole has had a banner year.
Despite have only 11 wrestlers in their varsity lineup for most duals and tournaments, the Jaguars won their first regional title since 2009 by advancing eight individuals to sectionals.
Ashwaubenon led the Green Bay area for D1 with three state qualifiers.
In addition to Minor, juniors Connor Ramage (160) and Marty Kiernan (170) advanced in back-to-back weight classes.
Ramage (36-7) will be looking to pick up his first victory at the Kohl Center after losing both of his matches during his first state appearance at 132 pounds last year.
Ramage earned a return trip to state by upsetting West De Pere’s Evan Frisque for the sectional title with a 6-4 sudden victory decision.
“That kid never quits,” VanLaanen said. “He just keeps going. He keeps battling and that ended up winning the match for him in the finals.”
Kiernan (27-15) is making his first state appearance by making the jump from the 145-pound weight class to 170.
“Nobody really gave him a chance to do anything this year,” VanLaanen said. “Since he’s gone up to (170) he’s done an admirable job. I told him to take it one match at a time. … I can’t be happier for him.”
This marks the eighth straight year Ashwaubenon has had at least one state qualifier.
Minor will be trying to become the program’s first state finalist since Mitchell Cole was the 160-pound state runner-up in 2013.
Minor went 5-1 last year, losing in the quarterfinals before winning four straight matches to place third. He said nerves got the best of him, and he doesn’t plan on that being the case this year.
“I just need to keep it to like a normal match,” Minor said. “Last year, I got way too amped up. This year I just need to wrestle like I know I’m No. 1.”
