MONROE - Sports and competition are important to Monroe High School senior Kyle Walter.
You can tell because he is looking forward to a career as a sports event manager. You can also tell when he plays his favorite video game, NBA2K.
But it is most apparent when he is on the wrestling mat.
Walter (20-4), ranked fifth at heavyweight in the Division 2 Wisconsin Wrestling Online state poll, has 71 career wins. He went 36-11 last season and finished in the top eight at the WIAA Division 2 state meet but didn't medal.
"The goal is to get back to state and definitely place," Walter said. "I was one win away from placing in the top six last year."
Walter and Monroe will host Fort Atkinson in a Badger South Conference dual meet at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Cheesemakers have four state-ranked wrestlers. In addition to Walter, senior Cole Murray at 138 pounds is ranked eighth, junior Dempzy Foley (170) is ranked 11th, and senior Hayden Arneson (195) is ranked fourth.
"I think it would be a huge boost, especially for all of the younger guys, if we beat Fort Atkinson," Walter said. "It would give them a confidence boost that we are not just here to lay down."
All four of Walter's losses this year have come to wrestlers ranked in the top 12 in the state. Walter placed fifth at the Bi-State Classic, which featured 64 wrestlers from Division 1, 2 and 3 schools in his weight class. One of the highlights for Walter this season was defeating Athens junior Tyson Sommer 3-2 in the quarterfinals at Bi-State in La Crosse late in December. Sommer is ranked second at heavyweight in Division 3.
"It's nice going from 12th last year to getting into the top five," Waltersaid. "Having my friend Hayden get fifth and Cole get eighth is great. To have two others up there with me is awesome. It shows how coach (Tom) Witt is getting us going. I feel like I'm at the same pace as last year. I'm trying to get better from the losses."
Walter said his toughest competition in the area comes from Cuba City's Aaron McCarthy, Evansville-Albany's Branden Lange and Dodgeville's Shelby Jones. He has developed a rivalry with McCarthy the past two years.
"The matches I really look forward to are when I wrestle Aaron McCarthy," Walter said.
Walter lost to McCarthy in the Sugar River tournament last season but defeated him in the sectional 4-2 to earn a state berth. In their only matchup this season, Walter beat McCarthy 5-2.
"We have a good relationship and talk to each other during tournaments," Walter said. "I will tell him I'm coming for him. I know he looks forward to wrestling me, and I always look forward to wrestling him. It's a good competition."
Walter has worked to become a better wrestler attacking on his feet.
"I don't even know if I had five takedowns last year," he said. "I just keep trying to get better on my feet. That is one area I know I had to improve on."
Walter already has 14 takedowns this season. He credits junior Tyson Welsch, his wrestling partner, Monroe assistant coach John Witt and volunteer Keith Rielly for helping him develop into an elite wrestler.
"Tyson pushes me, and I push him," he said. "Keith always tells me if I get better on my feet they will not want to stay underneath me for two minutes."
Walter also is looking to repeat as the Badger Conference champion at heavyweight.
"My biggest challenge is I'm looking forward to conference," he said.
The Monroe wrestling team missed a trip to the team sectional by two points last year, losing out to Evansville-Albany.
"I think it says something about how great of a team we have," Walter said. "Having good wrestlers on the team hopefully we can get to regionals and get to the sectionals and team state. After falling short last year we have been saying all year it's all about regionals and how we finish. I think we have a great team from 106 all the way up to me. I think we have the team that can push Evansville."
Arneson was also a state qualifier last year. After losing a preliminary match at state last year, Walter understands his friend will not need any extra motivation this year if they return to the Kohl Center for the state tournament.
"I know Hayden is dying to redeem himself after going out on the first night last year," he said. "He wants to go and wreck it at state."
You can tell because he is looking forward to a career as a sports event manager. You can also tell when he plays his favorite video game, NBA2K.
But it is most apparent when he is on the wrestling mat.
Walter (20-4), ranked fifth at heavyweight in the Division 2 Wisconsin Wrestling Online state poll, has 71 career wins. He went 36-11 last season and finished in the top eight at the WIAA Division 2 state meet but didn't medal.
"The goal is to get back to state and definitely place," Walter said. "I was one win away from placing in the top six last year."
Walter and Monroe will host Fort Atkinson in a Badger South Conference dual meet at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Cheesemakers have four state-ranked wrestlers. In addition to Walter, senior Cole Murray at 138 pounds is ranked eighth, junior Dempzy Foley (170) is ranked 11th, and senior Hayden Arneson (195) is ranked fourth.
"I think it would be a huge boost, especially for all of the younger guys, if we beat Fort Atkinson," Walter said. "It would give them a confidence boost that we are not just here to lay down."
All four of Walter's losses this year have come to wrestlers ranked in the top 12 in the state. Walter placed fifth at the Bi-State Classic, which featured 64 wrestlers from Division 1, 2 and 3 schools in his weight class. One of the highlights for Walter this season was defeating Athens junior Tyson Sommer 3-2 in the quarterfinals at Bi-State in La Crosse late in December. Sommer is ranked second at heavyweight in Division 3.
"It's nice going from 12th last year to getting into the top five," Waltersaid. "Having my friend Hayden get fifth and Cole get eighth is great. To have two others up there with me is awesome. It shows how coach (Tom) Witt is getting us going. I feel like I'm at the same pace as last year. I'm trying to get better from the losses."
Walter said his toughest competition in the area comes from Cuba City's Aaron McCarthy, Evansville-Albany's Branden Lange and Dodgeville's Shelby Jones. He has developed a rivalry with McCarthy the past two years.
"The matches I really look forward to are when I wrestle Aaron McCarthy," Walter said.
Walter lost to McCarthy in the Sugar River tournament last season but defeated him in the sectional 4-2 to earn a state berth. In their only matchup this season, Walter beat McCarthy 5-2.
"We have a good relationship and talk to each other during tournaments," Walter said. "I will tell him I'm coming for him. I know he looks forward to wrestling me, and I always look forward to wrestling him. It's a good competition."
Walter has worked to become a better wrestler attacking on his feet.
"I don't even know if I had five takedowns last year," he said. "I just keep trying to get better on my feet. That is one area I know I had to improve on."
Walter already has 14 takedowns this season. He credits junior Tyson Welsch, his wrestling partner, Monroe assistant coach John Witt and volunteer Keith Rielly for helping him develop into an elite wrestler.
"Tyson pushes me, and I push him," he said. "Keith always tells me if I get better on my feet they will not want to stay underneath me for two minutes."
Walter also is looking to repeat as the Badger Conference champion at heavyweight.
"My biggest challenge is I'm looking forward to conference," he said.
The Monroe wrestling team missed a trip to the team sectional by two points last year, losing out to Evansville-Albany.
"I think it says something about how great of a team we have," Walter said. "Having good wrestlers on the team hopefully we can get to regionals and get to the sectionals and team state. After falling short last year we have been saying all year it's all about regionals and how we finish. I think we have a great team from 106 all the way up to me. I think we have the team that can push Evansville."
Arneson was also a state qualifier last year. After losing a preliminary match at state last year, Walter understands his friend will not need any extra motivation this year if they return to the Kohl Center for the state tournament.
"I know Hayden is dying to redeem himself after going out on the first night last year," he said. "He wants to go and wreck it at state."
