MADISON — For the first time in three seasons, the Cheesemakers finish the wrestling season with a pair of state placewinners.

Seniors Alex Witt (182 pounds) and Patrick Rielly (160) both earned the right to stand on the podium Feb. 29. Witt was fourth in Division 2 in his weight class, while Rielly was sixth in his bracket. Pecatonica-Argyle junior Noah Krahenbuhl (126) was sixth place in Division 3.

“No regrets; just a great weekend,” Monroe coach Tom Witt said of his three qualifiers. 

Brady Schuh, a sophomore, qualified at 126 pounds but was knocked out of the state meet in his first match Feb. 27. Schuh (23-10) drew a first-round matchup against Wrightstown’s Kaiden Koltz (43-11), who went on to take second. Koltz pinned Schuh in second period.

“Brady, as a sophomore, it’s good just to get up there,” Tom Witt said. “He was outmatched — that kid was third last year.”

Rielly (32-13) won his opening match against Preston Potaczek (25-7) of Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee by a 15-0 technical fall. His second-round match, which took place the morning of Feb. 28, did not go the way Rielly wanted. He lost a 5-0 decision to Grafton’s Ellis Pfleger (47-3), the eventual champion.

“Patrick wrestled well. His quarterfinal match was relatively easy,” Tom Witt said. “Friday, the kid from Grafton, it was zeros going into the third.”

Rielly bounced back in the afternoon, winning his consolation quarterfinal match over Little Chute’s Adam Kilgas (37-3) by second-round pinfall to earn a spot on the podium.

“He just overpowered the kid. That match was for a spot on the podium. He made sure he was focused and got the win,” Tom Witt said.

Rielly then lost his Saturday morning consolation semifinal match to Jefferson’s Dean Neff (47-2) in a quick first-round pin. In the fifth-place match, Rielly was again pinned, this time by Prairie du Chien’s Traeton Saint (51-5) in the third period.

“Pat ends his career with 116 wins and had the most pins on the team this season,” Tom Witt said. “It was an awesome four years for him.”

Alex Witt qualified for the state meet a year ago, but was knocked out with a first-round loss. He spent the entire offseason training to get back, not just with his teammates and father, Tom, but with the RT Elite wrestling program in Mount Horeb.

“RT Elite did a lot for him. His training partners were from Mineral Point, and when you add in that he trained with Patrick all season, all three of his training partners for this past year placed at state,” Tom Witt said. “One of the Mineral Point guys was the champion (Nolan Springer), and the other (Mason Hughes) took fifth.”

Alex Witt still had to work his way from the Thursday night first round. He defeated Kaiden Mikalowsky (32-10) of Chilton-Hilbert in the first round by a 7-0 decision. The next morning, Blaine Guthrie (39-7) of Baldwin-Woodville took Alex Witt (43-8) to the brink, but Witt held out and won 3-2 to reach the semifinals and a guaranteed spot on the podium.

Reece Worachek (48-1) of Luxemburg-Casco defeated Witt 4-0 Friday night in the semifinal match. Worachek went on to win the state title 7-2 over Belmont-Platteville’s Will Schaefer (40-7).

“To lose 4-0 to the state champ is pretty good,” Tom Witt said. “He was able to wrestle Friday night in the semifinals in front of 14,000 people there watching.”

In the consolation semifinals, Witt trailed Jacob Summers (42-11) of GET/Melrose-Mindoro 4-3 in the closing minute. With 10 seconds left, Witt scored two points on a takedown to win 5-4.

In the third-place match, Guthrie defeated Witt 5-1.

“I was disappointed in how I ended, but fourth in state is a pretty good accomplishment,” Alex Witt said. “Two years ago, if you told me that I would make it this far, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

Alex Witt closes his career with 119 wins. After graduating this spring, Alex Witt plans to play in the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association all-star game this summer, then try and make the University of Wisconsin-Platteville football team. He expects to play fullback/H-Back for the Pioneers.

At 195 pounds in Division 2, Darlington-Black Hawk’s Carson Lobdell (27-12) lost his only match at state 7-3 in the first round to Amery’s Kale Hopke (39-6). Hopke finished sixth.

Krahenbuhl (40-8) earned a first-round bye as a sectional champion. He lost his quarterfinal match to Ozaukee’s Cael Large (34-7) by 13-5 major decision. In the consolation quarterfinals, Krahenbuhl won a 5-1 decision over Shell Lake’s Tyler Schunck (32-12). In the consolation semifinals, Javis Pinter (46-4) of Kenosha Christian Life) came out victorious against Krahenbuhl 12-5. In the fifth-round match, Krahenbuhl fell to Ashton Miess (26-8) of Riverdale by a 5-3 decision.