MADISON — The Darlington-Black Hawk wrestling team was already the talk of Lafayette County last week, having sent five wrestlers to the WIAA Division 2 Individual State Wrestling Tournament. After a weekend of matches at the Kohl Center, held from Feb. 24-26, three of the five WarBirds stood on the podium to close out the festivities.
Of the bunch, it was freshman Owen Seffrood that stood the tallest, fighting his way through every match to a second place finish.
Seffrood entered the state meet with a 34-4 record in the 132-pound weight class and a No. 4 ranking in the state. However, he lost to sectional champion Rhett Koenig of Prairie du Chien, the state’s top-ranked wrestler, by pin late in the third period in their sectional match, meaning Seffrood had to wrestle in the win-or-go-home round at state on Thursday, Feb. 24.
Seffrood won the opener against New London’s Austin Schmallenberg (30-18) by technical fall at 18-3. The next morning in the quarterfinals, Seffrood won a 7-2 decision over Lodi’s Chandler Curtis (46-8), and then in the nightcap Seffrood ousted Omro’s Bryce Crowley (40-8) by a slim 5-4 margin in the semifinals.
In championship Saturday evening, Seffrood had his chance at redemption against Koenig, but ultimately fell 6-2.
Huschitt, a senior with a 42-3 record entering the state tournament, defeated Brillion’s Damon Schmidt (39-8) in the opener at 182-pounds. The next day in the quarterfinals, Huschitt lost to Northwestern’s Ian Smith (51-3) by an 8-6 decision. Smith, ranked second, went on to place second to top-ranked Clayton Whiting of Oconto Falls.
In the consolation bracket, fourth-ranked Huschitt defeated Regis/Altoona’s Caden Weber (30-3) by pin less than 30 seconds into the third round. In the consolation semifinals, Huschitt won a 13-4 major decision over Beloit Turner’s Cal Ries (44-8), whom he had just beaten 7-2 in the sectional a week prior.
In the third place match, Huschitt got a shot at redemption against Delavan-Darien’s Cole Hansen (46-4), who beat Huschitt 8-3 in the sectional final. Huschitt took care of business in the state meet up, beating the third-ranked Hanson 5-2.
At 106 pounds, WarBird sophomore Ethan Aird entered the state tournament with a 38-7 record and promptly defeated Winneconne’s Chase Sternard (41-10) by pinfall in just 63 seconds. In the second round, fourth-ranked Aird was pinned by third-ranked Charlie Meudt (35-2) of Dodgeville, who eventually went on to win the state title. Meudt defeated Aird 10-1 a week earlier in the sectional championship match.
In the consolation quarterfinals, Aird won by a 14-5 major decision over Amery’s Brendan Burke (29-14), then won the semifinal against Evansville’s Gunner Katzenmeyer (41-11). Aird lost the third place match to New London’s Wyatt Magloski (49-3) by a razor-thin 6-5 margin. Magloski entered the state tournament ranked No. 1 in the state.
Also wrestling at the state meet for Darlington-Black Hawk was sophomore Breylin Goebel at 160 pounds, and senior Brady Horne at 195.
Goebel (29-5), ranked 10th in the state, lost to fifth-ranked Ivan Veenendall (34-15) of Ellsworth in the first round to get knocked out.
Horne (27-8) narrowly won his opening round match against Winneconne’s Dylan Krings (39-9), 5-4, to advance to Day 2. In the quarterfinal, Horne was pinned in the second period by Baldwin-Woodville’s Max Ramberg (44-3), and in the consolation quarterfinals, Horne, ranked seventh in the state, left the mat with an 3-2 overtime loss to Prairie du Chien’s Blake Thiry, who had edged Horne 5-2 at the sectional. Ramberg, ranked No. 1 in the state, went on to take first place, while sixth-ranked Thiry was sixth.
Monroe sent two wrestlers to the state meet: Senior Brady Schuh (145 pounds) and Isaac Bunker (285).
Schuh (40-8), ranked fifth entering the state meet, won his opening round match over Kewaskum’s Nic Deheck (34-17) by an 11-3 major decision. It was the 100th win of Schuh’s career, a major accomplishment given missed matches over the past two years due to injuries and COVID-19 restrictions.
In the quarterfinal, Schuh lost to Wrightstown’s Nick Alexander (35-9) by a 12-5 decision. Schuch then beat River Valley’s Landon Radke (42-8) by a 9-4 decision to guarantee a place in the Top-6.
In his Feb. 26 morning match against Tanner Halopka (49-3) of Abbotsford/Colby, Schuh lost 5-3, which was followed by by a 4-1 loss to Prairie du Chien’s Luke Kramer (43-12) in the fifth place match.
Schuh had beaten both Radke and Kramer in the sectional a week prior.
Bunker (37-7), ranked sixth before the tournament, didn’t make it out of the opening period against Belmont-Platteville’s Porter Mandurano (35-12), ranked fifth, who pinned the Cheesemaker junior at the 1:54 mark. Madurano, who finished sixth overall, pinned Bunker in the second period at the sectional a week prior.
At 126 pounds, Sugar River sophomore Mason Mau (38-8), ranked seventh, lost his opening round match to GET/MM’s Jackson Blaken (35-18), ranked 11th, by a 10-7 score.
Brodhead-Juda sophomore Marcus McIntyre (39-5), ranked seventh, earned a first-round bye in the 138-pound weight class, but lost in the quarterfinal to third-ranked Ayden Hart (47-6) of Winneconne by 15-4 major decision. Hart would go on to place third. McIntyre would lose his consolation match to sixth-ranked Ryan Tomazevic (40-7) of Seymour by pinfall at 2:46.
