TWO RIVERS — Much has been written about the Bianchi family of Two Rivers, as close to a dynasty as you can get in high school sports having amassed nine state wrestling titles in total.
The ninth came when Angie Bianchi, the youngest of six children and the only girl, became the first girls wrestler from Manitowoc County to win a state championship back in the end of February.
It was a bit of redemption for Bianchi, a sophomore for the Two Rivers Raiders, whose quest for a state title ended last season in overtime in the girls 114-pound championship.
This time around, she was victorious via a 12-0 major decision over Wausau West’s Savannah Danielson at the same weight.
Bianchi, the 2023-24 Lakeshore Elite girls wrestler of the year, got plenty of support from her brothers.
Lakeshore Elite is an all-area team comprised of schools from Manitowoc and Sheboygan counties and this is the first time having a separate girls wrestling team.
“They were pumping me up,” Bianchi said. “They had faith in me that I could be part of the (state champion) clan. I’m proud of my brothers leading the way and setting the legacy.”
Making it even more special was having her mother, Neysa Bianchi, on the mat with her as her coach as she won the families ninth title.
“Probably the best thing to have right there in my literal corner, not just in my mind” Angie said. “She was right there to hug.”
Neysa explained she always worked her way down as close to the mats as possible when her sons were wrestling for state titles.
And while she says the closer to the mats the higher her anxiety was, there was added reasons for stress.
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“You have to put faith in someone else to finish what you started when they were five-years-old,” Neysa said of trusting in their coaches. “With the boys I wasn’t in the wrestling room, it helps with Angie to see the work she’s put it. It helps knowing the plan.”
There is one difference between Angie and her brothers, when she clinched her state title there was no Bianchi back flip like her brothers Paul, Matty and Joey had done while winning eight titles between 2014-21.
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“Haven’t worked on that skill, too scared to try,” Angie said with a laugh. “Maybe my senior year I’ll try.”
Neysa says her family never intended to win so many state titles, they’ve merely been the product of the work put in.
“There’s nothing better than seeing the work your child puts in pay off as a parent,” Neysa said. “We never started on a hunt for state titles, the titles merely fell into place.”
The same, the Bianchi matriarch says, of Angie making history as the first girls wrestler in Two Rivers and Lakeshore history to earn gold.
“The thought of being the first in the Lakeshore wasn’t on our mind,” Neysa said. “It’s just something that happened because she was trying to be the best.”
Angie finished her sophomore season 30-0 and is 53-2 over her first two years, but now that a first championship has won Neysa says they have thought about adding a 10th or even 11th title in the family basement.
“Now it’s fun to see how many state charts we can put on the wall,” Neysa said.
Honorable mention
Ariya Yang, so., Sheboygan South; Megan Schuenemann, so., Plymouth; Emjay Neumann, so., Manitowoc Lincoln; Mya Delleree, sr., Ozaukee; Amellia Fowler, sr., Manitowoc Lincoln; Arianna Smith, so., Random Lake; 145: Ellianna Robinson, so., Sheboygan South; Mercedes Kohlmann, sr., New Holstein
Contact Tom Dombeck at 920-686-2965 ortdombeck@htrnews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at@Tom_Dombeck.
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