MONROE — The Cheesemakers hosted its only scheduled dual of the brief wrestling season Jan. 7, and lost to Sauk Prairie 48-19. Sauk Prairie collected 36 points via forfeit. In the matches officially wrestled, Monroe went 4-2 and outscored the Eagles 19-12.

While all high school sports in Wisconsin have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, perhaps none have been hit harder than wrestling. WIAA guidelines stipulate that teams essentially wrestle just once a week, and massive tournaments and invitationals are not allowed. In a typical season, a wrestler might be able to get in 30 matches before the regional meet. However, between the WIAA imposed limits and Monroe’s own school-district imposed 1-month delay to begin the season, the Cheesemakers have just four dates to prepare for regionals.

“I think they’re appreciative of the opportunity and thankful that we’re able to do this,” Witt said. “Our administration put the plan together and the board approved it to just allow us to be out here, even on a limited basis. It’s a good thing for us.”

Many would-be wrestlers did not go out for the team this season, in some form or another citing the ongoing pandemic. That left the Cheesemakers with just six active competitors against Sauk Prairie. Once the varsity match was over, the two teams held a few more exhibition matches.

“Our numbers are low and that’s because of COVID. We had some returning kids that said, or their parents said ‘no.’ It is what it is and we’re working with the guy’s we’ve got,” Witt said. “They are working hard and improving every week.”

In the opening match, Monroe’s Jace Amacher defeated Evan Miller by major decision, 13-5 in the 152-pound weight class. Sauk Prairie, which had already taken a forfeit at 145-pounds, took four more in order at 160, 170, 182 and 195. The two schools shared double-forfeits at 220 and 106, and Sauk Prairie added its last forfeit points at 120.

In the heavyweight match at 285, Monroe sophomore Isaac Bunker fell behind 6-0 in the opening period. Nearly halfway through the second period, at 58 seconds, Bunker was pinned by Nolan Vils.

At 113, Jack Dubach, one of the Cheesemakers’ key performers last year as a freshman, pinned David Kingsley of Sauk Prairie in just 32 seconds.

Freshman CJ Schuh scored a win for Monroe at 126-pounds, defeating Riley Minnete 9-4. Schuh led 4-1 after the first period, but struggled in the second frame and led 6-4 headed into the third. Schuh was able to re-gather control in the match in the third period to score the win.

At 132-pounds, Anthony Wels fell behind 7-0 in the first period, and was eventually pinned at the 1:29 mark in the second to Colton Uselman of Sauk Prairie.

In the final varsity match of the night, Monroe junior Brady Schuh pinned Dylan Breunig in 77 seconds. Schuh reached the state meet last year as a sophomore at 126-pounds, but faced Breunig at 138.

Up next for Monroe is a three-team dual with La Crosse Aquinas at Reedsburg Jan. 15. The last dual of the season for Monroe is Jan. 22 at Fennimore. Regionals are Jan. 30 at Evansville, with the sectional meet slated for Feb. 6 at Richland Center.

“We told the guys the sacrifice is not only by you, but by your family members, too. Because if you get it (COVID-19) and you go into quarantine, and you go into quarantine at the wrong time, you can’t wrestle,” Witt said. “The goal is to get to that Jan. 30 date healthy and get ready to roll then and see what happens.”