NEW GLARUS — To win the gold ball, New Glarus faced a daunting task. 

The Glarner Knights scheduled what Sysko called the toughest nonconference schedule in program history this season, which would include early-season losses to ranked Darlington and Mineral Point. 

“It’s not easy to get here (to state) — it’s been what, 87 years since the last time New Glarus got here?” Sysko said. “We played as tough of schedule as we’ve ever had with the nonconference opponents that we picked up to try to prepare us for a tournament run. And I think it did. We had a couple of hiccups early in the season — Darlington got us and Mineral Point got us, two outstanding ball teams. I’ll tell you what, that might have been the best thing for us. I think we grew a lot after those games.”

Once the postseason started, New Glarus seemed ready. The Glarner Knights didn’t lose after the Mineral Point game in early January, and adjusted well as Kreklow dealt with an ankle injury in February. Close wins over Wisconsin Heights and Marshall secured an unbeaten conference record, and New Glarus was seeded second in its half sectional. But three other ranked teams also remained in that same sectional — Mineral Point, Darlington and Fennimore. 

“When you’re playing Mineral Point in a second-round game, that’s quite a hurdle,” Sysko said. “It was a challenge, but these guys rose up to it.”

After disposing of Watertown Luther Prep in the opener, the Knights scored a revenge win on Mineral Point thanks in large part to a strong defensive effort. Fennimore held off Darlington the same night, and the Knights and Eagles clashed in another defensive thriller in a sectional semifinal in Reedsburg March 7. Two days later, New Glarus beat Belleville to punch its first ticket to state in 87 years. 

“It feels awesome to go to the Kohl Center and end up on top,” Kreklow said. “It’s just great to play with the guys I’ve played with my whole life, and then to win state, words can’t describe it.”

The first foe at state was Roncalli, the defending state champion and top-ranked team in the state. Lourdes was ranked second in the final polls of the season, while the other state semifinalist, Osseo-Fairchild was eighth, one spot behind New Glarus.

The trip to state was the fourth in program history — the first coming 101 years prior in 1918. Trips in 1925 and 1932 followed.

“First time in school history — it feels great to be the team that actually did that. I’m glad to represent the community this way,” Kreklow said of the title.