Lindner punches ticket to state wrestling meet

In a matter of 15 months, Rhinelander High School junior Cassidy Lindner has gone from a first-time wrestler to a first-time state qualifier. 

Lindner punched her ticket to the Kohl Center with a runner-up finish in the 120-pound weight class Friday night in a WIAA girls’ wrestling sectional at D.C. Everest High School in Weston.

Lindner (50-6) lost to Bay Port’s Dakotah Athey in the championship match, but was awarded second automatically when the wrestler she defeated in the semifinals, Stanley-Boyd’s Lillian Fitzl, won the wrestleback for third. The top two finishers in each weight class advanced to state. 

“I never would have thought 15 months ago that this is where I would be right now,” Lindner told the River News afterward. “I don’t think it’s really set in yet. This was the goal at the end of the year, but I don’t know how much I actually believed it until I got here.”

Lindner becomes the second in program history to qualify for the WIAA individual girls’ wrestling state tournament. Abby Swanson qualified in the tournament’s first two-years, finishing third as a senior in 2023.

“Obviously girls’ wrestling is so new, but I think it speaks volumes about our program. I think we’re doing the right things and developing these wrestlers to the best that we can,” coach Caleb Radtke said. 

Lindner pinned her first two opponents to advance to the championship match. Lindner fell behind early in the opening match against Peshtigo’s Ella Malek, giving up a takedown and a four-point nearfall in the opening minute as she trailed 7-3 after a period. Lindner chose the top in the second period and never let Malek off the match, securing a pin at the 2:49 mark. 

“Almost gave me a heart attack in the corner, but ultimately, she was able to get on top and put the girls away. So it was exciting,” Radtke said. “I think the nerves were definitely there for her. I think after that first match, she settled down and got into a groove and then she was ready to wrestle.”

    Rhinelander’s Cassidy Lindner looks to take down Stanley-Boyd’s Lillian Fitzl during a WIAA girls’ wrestling sectional tournament at D.C. Everest High School in Weston Friday, Feb. 20. (Brett LaBore/Lakeland Times)
  

Lindner also gave up the first takedown in the semifinal against Fitzl, but tied the score off a penalty point and a reversal midway through the first period before finishing off the pin a short time later. 

That set up the championship against Athey. This time, Lindner wasn’t able to rally from the first takedown. She was put to her back and pinned with 11 seconds remaining in the first period. 

“My first match, there was a little bit of a scare at the beginning, but I was able to put it away eventually,” Lindner said. “Then the second one was pretty quick and then the last one was not the outcome that we wanted, but in the end, it didn’t really matter.”

Lindner had to wait to see if she had to wrestle for second. Fitzl recovered from giving up the opening takedown in the third-place match against Shawano’s Jenna Moede to lead 5-3 after a period. Fitzl rode the entire way in the second period before finishing off the pin at the 3:08 mark and, by doing so, clinched Lindner’s spot at state. 

“I couldn’t really believe it. I was cooling down in the hallway, and my coach came up to me, and it was amazing. It was awesome,” Lindner said. 

Lindner will open the WIAA state tournament Thursday at the Kohl Center. Her first round opponent was set to be announced Sunday afternoon, after press time for today’s edition. 

“No game plan changes for us,” Radtke said. “Everything’s just gonna be the exact same. Show up to practice, keep doing the things that we’ve been doing. We’re going to wrestle our style down there, and that’s how it’s going to be.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].