The Wisconsin Wrestler
The Wisconsin Wrestler is a podcast dedicated to all things involving Wisconsin high school wrestling. Made by the Wisconsin wrestling fan, for the Wisconsin wrestling fan, we try to hit on all corners of the sport at the high school level, from season previews, to recaps, to interviews with guests throughout the offseason.
The Wisconsin Wrestler
D2 Sectional E Preview
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Steve and Teague are joined by Jon Frey and Mason Braunschweig of the Evansville Wrestling Youtube team for a preview of D2 Sectional E!
Welcome to the Wisconsin Wrestler Podcast with your co-hosts Teak Fenwick and Steve Lurquin.
SPEAKER_00Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to another edition of the Wisconsin Wrestler Podcast. I am your host, Teak Fenwick, coming to you live from Holman. Joining us, as always, from Koshkinong, my co-host, Steve Lurquin. Steve, great to be here. Always pumped to be here talking some wrestling. Triple banger this week. Three episodes going on. Lots of wrestling. How do you feel about that?
SPEAKER_02How do you feel about doing three in one week?
SPEAKER_00I well, we did have a double header this week, which was already a change from what we were talking about, but I don't mind the three in a week. It's necessary. And with all the sectionals, you know, like it's not as much work with not as many teams. So I don't mind it. I guess short answer, but I'm bad at giving short answers. Any night I can talk, wrestling is a great night.
SPEAKER_02It is a great night, and I figured it out last night, T, with doing all the sectionals, and I was about ready to make my point with why I made the team pick that I did, and then it totally forgot. A lot of that has to do with playing football without a helmet. But it also my head switched to a different sectional, and I forgot my point. But do you remember that, T? It was about three minutes later, and it came back to me. It snapped right back in there. So I was pretty pumped about that.
SPEAKER_00We we got it on air, and that's what matters. Yeah. That's right. Well, as folks can surmise, we are doing a D2 sectional E this evening. And these guys almost need no introduction because they are Wisconsin Wrestling YouTube celebrities at this juncture. Got the Evansville boys here. And formal introductions, we have the brain of the Evansville Wrestling YouTube channel, John Fry. And right next to him, the mouth of the Evansville Wrestling YouTube channel, Mason Brownschwig. Fellas, happy to have you back.
SPEAKER_04We are delighted to be back. This is a fantastic experience once again. We absolutely enjoy and appreciate what you do for uh wrestling here in Wisconsin. And I was gonna say, when um when you had talked about all the sectional previews you have to do, you know, that that started last year, whereas before that you pretty much had 12. And so things have changed dramatically. I wonder if the WWA and the WIA had any idea the impact of the amount of more work that you would have to do by making that decision.
SPEAKER_02I I think that was in their discussion. They they were there was uh section F, Article 6, Clause 8. They were talking about how's this gonna affect Teague and Steve when they do their podcast?
SPEAKER_04I believe the the the the pair in one was work em like an old mule.
SPEAKER_00Rented mule. Latent effects, unintended consequences, whatever you call it. Hey, we're we're here for it, though. Um what was I gonna say along with that? Oh man, I might have already forgot. Tough start, but that's okay. It's fine. We got four people on tonight, so if I forget something, someone can just pick up my slack. But fellas, we got D2 sectional E tonight, which is the southern southwest portion in Division II. And if I could pull this up quick enough, I'll be happy. But we always talk about how which sectionals are tougher, and you know, usually just people go off of state champs or or finalists or whatnot, and that's great. But USA bracketing, shout out Justin Tritz for coming out with the new stat this year. If you go to team scores, and then you go to sectional scores, D2 with sectional E was the highest scoring sectional with 443 points. The next highest scoring one was 356. Interesting. Out of the 28 qualifiers, there was it looks like seven that did not place. So 21 out of 28 made the podium. Wow.
SPEAKER_02That's that is impressive. And just to jump on that, yeah, this is uh preseason rankings coming out by the grappler. This is what I found. 34 were total ranked in this section. Teague, there are five number ones, four number twos, 20 in the top five, 190 has 190 pounds, has number one and number two. And uh digging into the weight classes just a little bit, 126 pounds has five ranked wrestlers, 144 has four ranked wrestlers in the preseason. So yeah, just that that 34 that we've done so far, and I'm sure it's probably gonna be the top, but that's the most ranked wrestlers we've had in a in a sectional preview so far.
SPEAKER_00And and speaking uh of how tough it is, too. I mean, I'm sure we're gonna talk a lot tonight with the third and fourth place sectional finishers. Like, hey, that's kind of tough. Uh, this guy just had a bad break in front of him. Otherwise, he's a great wrestler. Yep. I know you can usually count on like one or two hands, the guys that miss state in tough brackets, and like, oh, maybe they could have podiumed at state or won a match at state they made it. A good handful of those came from this sectional. And hey, I remembered what I was gonna say earlier. Evansville guys, are you perhaps uh doing your uh doing your preview tonight from the Night Owl Sports Pub and Eatery?
SPEAKER_04Not tonight, but we are doing that.
SPEAKER_00Uh wait, what is it?
SPEAKER_01November Monday the 23rd, I think.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, Monday, November 23rd. We will do our live sort of team preview from the Night Owl Sports Pub and Eatery. It is fantastic. It's a fun time. We get a lot of our fans uh down. Uh it's just good stuff.
SPEAKER_02Do you guys have any special guests on this year? Last year I was Florida. I was watching. I didn't watch it live, but I went back and you had Curtis Feeler on as a special guest. That was I I literally had to pick my jaw up off the floor when I saw Curtis walk in.
SPEAKER_00I thought I thought Mason talked a lot, but man, Curtis, we call him the mouth of the cell for a reason. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. We were very thankful to have him there. That was awesome. Uh it it we'll see. What we'll we'll pull out of our uh our hats this time, but we'll have guests. We'll have uh we'll have a thing.
SPEAKER_00Nice. I'm looking forward to it. Me too. Appreciate it. You know, I'm looking forward to even more that we're gonna be doing right now. Uh looking at the 16 teams in D2 a sectional E tonight. The individual sectional is Evansville. The team sectional will be uh right off of Exit 69 at Mawson High School this year. Love to see it. And we got Jason here in the chat. He said he's just here for the beaver talk, fellas. So looking forward to some Readsburg talk.
SPEAKER_04Nice. Oh, the innuendo out of Readsburg. When will it end?
SPEAKER_00I will, yeah, you know, I the phrasing never gets old. It's great. Well, hey, we are gonna talk about uh speaking of Readsburg, the first school we're talking about is a Badger Conference team. We have Bearboo, who was 11th in the Richland Center sectional with 64 and a half points. They returned four of their seven starters and six points. They do lose Desmond Severson, who had uh one of the most fun state runs last year. 11th seed, who was the runner up at 126. And this year they're returning top eight sectional finisher Caden Mars.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so Barabu again, this is uh one of those teams where uh they they lose some some valuable seniors to their program, but you know, like every other team in this section, they'll reload. I will note uh in looking at their roster last year, uh Baraboo had a boatload of freshmen on that roster. Now, I don't know if they maintain the whole season and if they'll matriculate to this season, but the Baraboo team has bodies, they have numbers. It's just a matter of, and and right here, I think they have like it's 10 freshmen between 120 and 144, which as you all know, that that's five weight classes. That doesn't do you any good. You need to kind of they need to grow or cut, move around a little bit. But um, I did have an opportunity to talk with Baraboo's coach at the team sectional, and he was very interested. He he watched all of the duels, and he was very interested in what other teams were doing. So uh I see them, you know, maybe bringing some of those uh some of those extracurricular things that maybe some of the other programs have been doing into place. And I'm excited to see what Barabu brings. Traditionally a great program.
SPEAKER_02Well, that's exciting to see if a coach is a coach is out there growing, trying to steal what other, I shouldn't say steal, incorporate some of what the successful programs are doing. That's that's the start, right? That's how you take that next step. Uh, as Jason mentioned in the comments, uh Baraboo does have an in you talk about freshmen. Uh Baraboo does have a ranked incoming freshman, and Grayson Stenberg uh is number 14 at 106 pounds.
SPEAKER_00Always fun to see how the freshmen end up fitting into the postseason mix by the end of the year.
SPEAKER_04Well, and it's real interesting to see which freshmen that we don't even know about until February. You know, those are the fun ones. But I will say uh last year I noticed that we were the longest podcast uh that that you guys did in your uh sectional previews. So I just I want to let you know that we're gonna try to keep it down. And I personally have admonished John to keep it down, not speak too much. You know, let's keep this going, stay focused. So we'll see if he can stay on point. All right.
SPEAKER_00We were at two hours last year. I I think if we cut John off enough, we can get down to a buck fifty-five.
SPEAKER_04Sounds about right.
SPEAKER_00Well, fellas, moving on to the next team.
SPEAKER_02Oh, I was gonna say, yeah, we'll have to we'll we'll call John Monty. So if you guys know that that movie reference, uh there was a Monty reference last year.
SPEAKER_00Yes. Oh, was there?
SPEAKER_02Oh shoot, I should have gone back and listened. Once again, I was in the head too many times. But hey, Doug is on the show, and uh Brew crew is up two to nothing already. Nice job, Brewers.
SPEAKER_00I'm gonna enjoy the ride now until until the playoffs. Let's just enjoy the good regular season stuff. Yeah. Well, the next team would probably qualify as a team that Mr. Steve Lurk would call a team on the rise, and that is uh Sugar River. Seventh in the Richland Center sectional with 111.5 points. They returned 10 of their 13 starters and 67 points. Oh. They're bringing back Maddox Mao, who was a runner-up at 106. Fourth place sectional finishers, uh, Keen Lentz and Brady Bear. And one more top eight sectional finisher, all name team, Bronco Bear.
SPEAKER_04Bronco Bear, that that was a fun one to say last year. That was great. Uh, very much enjoyed that. Sugar River is one of those teams. They they always bring in kids. And again, it the nice thing about having a co-op is you got three communities and you can bring in some more kids, and it also makes it a little more difficult for us to prognosticate because we don't a hundred percent know where those freshmen are gonna matriculate. But in any event, I always look for Sugar River. They're a solid, solidly coached team. I look for them to make an impact, and they'll certainly have people that will uh cause some problems uh in the finals for some other kids.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I just think of them as far as those 10 guys returning. Six of them, think about this guy. Maybe I'm using uh program on the rise too much like you use Barnburner, not quite sure, but uh 10 wrestlers returning, six were freshmen, three were sophomores. You just think about that for that this program for the next couple years. Uh looking pretty good. Maddox, as you talked about, uh had that finals loss with Drake Kren. Uh, he's number two ranked at 113 pounds coming on in. And Tig, you already mentioned it, but if you have uh two guys by the name of Brady Bear and Bronco Bear, that's just good coverage right there. I'm glad they're in your conference. Are they in your conference? No, they're not in your conference, are they? Capital. Oh, that would be awesome calling a match with uh Brady Bear and Bronco Bear. You get to say over and over again as they're out there.
SPEAKER_00We did have the Bears when we were at the mineral point quad last year.
SPEAKER_02That's true. We did. We had a good time with that.
SPEAKER_04I'm just happy they're not playing basketball.
SPEAKER_00That's true. Bronco Bear, it's got alliteration, it's got two animals in the name. It doesn't get much better than that. Yeah. Doesn't it tough to beat Deputy Douglas from Lincoln Academy still.
SPEAKER_04And if you if you lose to a kid that's named Bear, you can say, I wrestle the bear.
SPEAKER_00What do you what do you expect? Right on. Natural disadvantage. Uh moving on to uh Belmont Plattville, the our favorite postseason tournament, darlings. They were third in the Richland Center sectional with 143 and a half points. They beat Reedsburg 49 to 29, lost to Mount Horror Barnevel 39 to 38, and lost to Lodi 39-32 at team sectionals, returning eight of their 13 starters and 65 points. They are losing Dylan Weigel, who was a runner-up at 144, but they're returning Briggs Weigel, who placed third at 132, along with third place sectional finisher James Kastner and three more top eight finishers. And fellas, if this were five years ago and I saw the returning numbers with guys lost and total points coming back with Belmont Plattfill, I'd be asking myself, all right, how much can they recover from this? How much can they rebuild? But now after the last few years, I think the the real question is is just how good is Belmont Plattville gonna be? Because they've shown as a program that they can maintain consistency pretty well.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I don't think Coach Williams rebuilds, I think he reloads. And he he's got he's got good feeder programs down there that are great. One guy that you didn't mention that will be a uh junior this year is Oliver Harkas. And he was injured at the end of last year. He got injured, um, but he was 24-8 until the injury. That kid went to state as a freshman, as you may know, and I think he was JV until towards the end of the season, his freshman year. So that kid's gonna be tough too. I'm looking out for Oliver Harkis to make some noise this season.
SPEAKER_02That's a good find. I we love it, right? We love to see those guys from the beginning of the year to the ending of the year progress. Like, where'd this kid come from? That's what the practice room's all about, guys. Uh Briggs, as you mentioned, third place last year, had that nine to six semifinal loss to a guy that John and Mason, you guys are pretty familiar with, Brady Collins. Uh, but uh Briggs is number four at 144 pounds coming into the season.
SPEAKER_00Next up is Broadhead Judah, who was 16th in the Richland Center sectional with 20 and a half points. They were turning both of their starters, third place sectional finisher Thomas Lomar and a top eight sectional finisher Todd Hall Jr.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so Broadheads, you know, it's it's it's a tough situation. They they've got obviously the two guys, uh Lomar and Hall, that you mentioned, they have a pile of other kids. I'm not sure where they were at the end of the season last last year. Obviously, wrestling's a very long season, and that can wear injuries, illnesses, all those other things that happen. The the things that come into your mind that say you don't want to do this anymore, you know, those those bad thoughts. But um, I I will tell you, Coach Hosley is a heck of a coach, and um I think he's doing the best he can down in Broadhead, but they really there's just not a lot of kids there.
SPEAKER_00And and that's the reality that some programs face.
SPEAKER_02Right, yeah, right on. Right on. Well, Thomas Lomar, I know we talked about him already. He's number eight preseason at 126. Uh 35 and 9 last year. Indeed, at the beginning, you talked about these guys that took third place and just uh probably in a different sectional, maybe could have gone on to state and made some noise. Well, take a look, listen to these two names as who Thomas was behind. Uh guy with the name of Balag and Rashawn. So if uh, you know, that's kind of one of those things where if you're behind those, you can be like, ah, okay.
SPEAKER_04That was last year, and the year before, he he fell behind a fry guy. So yeah, he's he's he's had a tough goal.
SPEAKER_02Love it. Oh, how much fun do you guys have with fry guy? Is that uh yeah.
SPEAKER_04He's got he's got three three sons, and it's you know, it's it's large, medium, and small fry, you know.
SPEAKER_00Oh, that's great. Beautiful. All right, next up is Cuba City Benton Southwestern, who was 10th in the Richland Center sectional with 87 and a half points. They were turning six of their nine starters and 49 points, bringing back state runner up Bronco Garcia at 113 and Evan Curtis, who qualified at 138, along with top eight sectional finisher Kayla Burntkin.
SPEAKER_04They got uh freshman Abraham Navarette uh coming in. He's ranked number 12 at 144 per the Wisconsin Grappler. I believe he was the Folkselle WWF Folkselle State champ last year. I think, I think that's Bronco's brother. Don't quote me on that, but when Bronco was wrestling as a youth, his his last name during youth was Navarrett, and then it became Garcia when he went to high school. So I'm not sure what's going on with all that, but I'm pretty sure they're family. So it'll be that that similar style.
SPEAKER_02Just let it fly, then.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, absolutely. Well, which is which is a fun style to watch, right? Uh Cuba City, Ben Southwestern, three-ranked wrestlers. Abraham, as as uh you guys already mentioned, Evan Curtis, who had that tough 7-6 loss, Antonio Savo of Amory in the quarters. He's number four at 150, and Bronco Garcia. Imagine this, folks. Number one at 120 pounds.
SPEAKER_00All right, we got a familiar team up here. You guys might know a little bit about them. This is Evansville. They were first in the Richland Center sectional with 246 and a half points. At team sectionals, they beat Lodi 52 to 20, and Mount Horror Barneveld 45 to 36. Man, I sure hope someone picked them to win sectionals in the preseason. And at Team State, they beat East Troy 56 to 19, St. Croix Falls 38-32, and Coleman 39-29 at two capture a Team State title. They are returning nine of their 14 starters in 156 points. They do lose the big man, Tanner Zastopil, who plays sixth at 285. But they are returning. Let me take a breath here. Colin Fry, who plays fifth at 113, Colton Balick, who was state champ at 120, his second state title, Liam Crandall, who was fifth at 138, and Tommy Heiser, who uh won state at 175, along with third place sectional finisher Benny Brownschwig, fourth place sectional finisher Hunter Worrell, and one more top eight finisher. Wow. The first question for you guys I mean, you spent a long time being a part of this community helping build up the program and whatnot. And was it cooler seeing that team win a state title or being recurring guest on the Wisconsin Wrestler podcast?
SPEAKER_04Oh, yeah, that's a tough one. Um it that was amazing. Uh, I'll let John speak to that.
SPEAKER_01Uh yeah, that was a great, great run. Give me some uh give me some talking points here, but a great run. We had a great group of seniors. Um, we lost seven in total, five contributors in the lineup. Those guys were solid wrestlers. They gave you the best that they could at the time, and they they came up with clutch wins down the stretch in that tournament run, and and certainly we'll miss those seniors. They they did a great job.
SPEAKER_04I think the important thing about the seniors in the loss was there was a lot of leadership in that senior class, and uh that so that's gonna be a little bit of a vacuum for this Evansville team, and we'll see who steps up. Um, we've got uh uh seniors coming back, uh Colin Fry, of course, John Sun, um Brandon Staver, and Logan Islandfeld. We'll see what they can bring as far as leadership goes. But of course, uh, you know, you have you have our guys that did really well at state, and and and they'll be fine. Um we have a couple of kids and and they got one of them, or two of them, I think, got some action at Team State, which we look to uh put into the lineup and and have uh hopefully a seamless transition to a couple of our seniors from last year, but Uh I I think you know every year for Evansville, it's like is it a rebuild or reload? And there's a little bit of both happening all the time. So um we got a couple, I think, pretty good freshmen coming in. One has a last name Heiser. You guys may have heard of that last name. He's coming in. So we we should be uh we should be okay. I and I hope I wasn't you know showing our hand there a little bit, but in any event, I I think you know the lineup's kind of looking like something that can we can work with. So I I think it'll be I think they'll have a fun time this year.
SPEAKER_00Just to clarify, this is the last Kiser, right?
SPEAKER_04Unless they start adopting, I believe so.
SPEAKER_00All right.
SPEAKER_02That's good.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, Jason in the chat. Evansville set a record for the most forfeits given up while winning team state. And uh not because of lack of spots in the lineup, but uh it was it was just pure pure dominance. And yeah, that that was one of the more dominant from team sectionals to team state. I think that was one of the more dominant runs I've seen. And I think you guys can attest to this. Like the teams you guys went against weren't slouches, and I'm sure there was worst case. Well, Kent even said it. Like there were scenarios where those could have been really close duels, and it never shook out that way, never even got close.
SPEAKER_04And and I think that you know, when when you look at it in those terms, like how you were saying it, this team wasn't built to have a pile of individuals that do really well, and I think Coach Weiler does a really good job of maintaining that team concept, and that can get lost a lot in wrestling. And uh I believe that team concept will be there. I mean, our kids last year that I mean, even when they were in a tournament, take individual sectionals, for example, when kids didn't didn't have a chance anymore, you'll see a lot of kids on a lot of teams hang their head and just sort of bow out. But our kids were fighting and scrapping for every point on the backside that they could get, knowing the importance that was to the whole team. So I think you know, if and and the kids have all proved they can buy into that mentality, and I'm just hopeful that this team will do the same thing. And if you can do that, there really is, you know, potentially no limit as to what you can accomplish together.
SPEAKER_02Beautifully said, yeah, it was very nice, very nice. Well, no, no, you should write greeting cards.
SPEAKER_04Well, you got the card stock, we couldn't start a company. We could, we could.
SPEAKER_02Let's talk about the plans later. I I was a little um we could talk more about Evansville as well. I'm sure we will see if they make our final six. Not quite sure yet. Um, but John, I didn't see you at Team State. I I saw like I don't know if it's twin brother or distant cousin, but guy had hair and it was blue.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Could find that prop here, maybe. Yeah, so um, you know, I think every team, every community sometimes needs an energy guy, and hopefully um I can bring some energy and get people rallied and and have a good time uh cheering on these student athletes. Um we had a we had a raucous crowd there in Lodi. That that was intense, that was amazing. Um lot of fun, right? We we stepped away from the broadcast booth there in Lodi, and we we had some Hall of Fame type guys. So legends. We had legends on the on the call at for that last duel against Mount Horror, Barnville, and then uh yeah, then at Team State, um just trying to bring the energy, be the the cheerleader, I guess, what what have you be so John?
SPEAKER_02I was floored because like I you regularly your your heartbeat is at like 60 beats per minute. When you're excited, we're pushing 61, it might get to 62. But that guy I saw at Team State, that guy was, I mean, we're talking like 90 beats per minute. That's all cranked up.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that was that was super fun. Uh, just again, bringing the community together. We had a real nice, you know, real nice community showing there and at the lacrosse center for Team State. It's so much fun. And we just got to, you know, it was a good thing for the community of Evansville all around.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and then Evansville is a is a is a huge sports town. I mean, they they love all the sports, have a lot of support for all the sports, and and has a long tradition, but they've never won a WIA Team State Championship before. So that being the first Team State championship in any sport ever, it was huge for Evansville. And there were a lot of uh there's an anecdote I heard from uh Dave Schultz, who was a football coach way back in the day and uh helps out with the training program that a lot of the student athletes use in the summer. They call it popular positive, uh, what was it, power of positive athletes program. But um, you know, when he when he was able to put, because he paints, you know, conference champs and sectional champs and all that stuff on the wall in the weight room. When he was able to put in gold the you know 2026 for wrestling, um, he's like, I can retire now. And it that it felt good hearing that story from a guy that's been around, he's been looking for this forever, and it was just really cool.
SPEAKER_02Wow. I I you know it's just uh when I um surprised to hear that because when I went became a southerner and moved down to this area, it's like all I remember was Evansville football. Like Evans Evansville football had some amazing programs in there, and then that's just I I'm you when you said that, that's uh I I'm very surprised to hear that. But uh great for great for you guys for breaking that um and giving him that story. That's fantastic.
SPEAKER_00Hey, we got Mike in the chat here talking about how good leaders make a huge difference and giving the lacrosse center some props on hosting, which I agree with Mike on that one. And yes, Jason, Evansville is a team state semi-away from going to D1 next year. I believe in other terms, we like to uh we like to call that being victims of their own success, which speaking of that, let's talk some Fenimore wrestling. They were eighth in the Richland Center sectional last year with 105 points. They were turned five of their nine starters and 56 and a half points. They do lose Ryder Zan Chavez, who uh qualified for state at 190, but they're bringing back Jaron Glassbrenner, who qualified for state at 157, Carson Bassett, who plays third at sectionals, and one more top eight sectional finisher.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I mean it it's it's gonna be a it's a different Fenomore, right? It it is what it is, but you know, every program goes through this, the the the ups and downs, and it might be you know a couple years down and then a pile of years up. Um Fenamore will be back. That area of the state is is not lacking for wrestlers or uh you know wrestling academies or any of those types of opportunities for kids that want to be good at wrestling. They'll be back. It'll be interesting to see what freshmen they bring in this year. Um, but yeah, other than that, they they've lost a lot of numbers. Um, so we'll see.
SPEAKER_02Well, and it correct me if I'm wrong, guys, but I believe after this year, assuming you know something's happening that we don't know of, that they will drop back down uh a division. Uh you guys can correct me if I'm wrong on that. Uh Glassbenner, two ranked last players coming in. We already talked about Glass uh Renner. He's number five at 165, up away class. Uh Bassette, he was a state medalist as a freshman, was he not? At 106? Uh yes. Yep. I believe he was. He's uh up uh 138 last year. The fella's really growing. So 106, 138. Now he's ranked number eight at 157. Maybe he'll do a uh Vito Massa and hit every weight class on his way up.
SPEAKER_00All right, we have a Lodi up next, the the model of consistency, as we like to call them. They were fourth in the Richland Center read sectional with 143 points. At team sectionals, they beat Stoughton 40 to 33, lost to Evansville 52 to 20, beat Belmont Plattville 42 to 39, and then lost to Mount Horror Barneveld 50 to 29. They are returning 11 of their 14 starters and 98.5 points. Losing state qualifier Alex Binig, who great wrestler, even greater dude, friend of the show. They're returning Briar Caves, who played third at 126 pounds last year. Owen Dortchorst, who played third at sectionals, and six more top eight sectional finishers. And I'll say this I think Steve and I both did not have Lodi making the semis last year for team sectionals, and they uh they they exceeded our expectations and then some, and they were turning a lot of starters, which makes the Blue Devils a little scary coming into this year.
SPEAKER_04That's what Lodi does. Lodi exceeds expectations. They do it year in, year out. Nothing's changed since Coach Andrus has taken over the program. Um coach Andrus is uh incredible when it comes to utilizing all of his resources and all the all the good uh contributors, coaches, and all of the like that have always been around Lodi Wrestling. And Lodi is tradition, they're tradition based. It says it right on their mat about tradition. And um, and he keeps all those people around, and uh, he's got such positive messages for those wrestlers. They're a tough team, they'll reload every year. They have a great youth program, they have uh incredible parents that support all of their kids. There's really not a bad thing you can say about Lodi wrestling, not one bad thing, honestly. And uh yeah, they are they are scary, and they're definitely a team that um I have in my top six for sure.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely. It's tradition, right? I mean, it's kind of like you you talk wrestling and you mention Lodi, and everybody's brain starts to go, man, not that team again, right? Exactly why you know last year I would say they very much overperformed based on what they had returning, and Teg and I should know better, not to you know, the pick against them. Uh Lodi, three ranked wrestlers coming in. Everett uh Dorschorst, number 12 at 126, Briar Caves, who took third last year, had that 40, uh 42 and 7, had that loss to the Shemin, which was pretty good. Um he's ranked number two at 138, and then Owen Dorschorst, 113 last year. Um we talked about that third place guy at sectional, right? Wasn't at the state tournament, but here he is. Garcia and Fry ahead of him. You know, that was a heck of a weight class, but he's coming in number three at 120 pounds. And uh, and I do have to give a shout out. Uh Teague, you and I didn't talk our merch, but I do have a low-dye shirt on, and I wore this one specifically for a reason to give my good friend Bo Lane a shout-out. This one uh at a meet last year we were supposed to go to, but it got uh, I think it was a freeze day to uh it got too cold that day. It was supposed to be a Friday, they're supposed to wrestle Beaver Dam. Teague and I were gonna go call the action, and they uh Bo Lane, who I wrestled with in college, he um he retired this past year, and uh so I have my bow nose low-deye wrestling shirt on to give uh give my good buddy uh a shout-out. I'm glad he got your schmedium. Fits great. Well, this is uh this is actually as I was coming down here, I know it's a little tight there. Uh this one's the large. As I was looking at the tag, I grabbed it. Well, it has, I can prove to you this. Where'd it go? I have a tag on it, it says Teague's name on it. So mine's up in the closet. This is one when Teague gets in. This is this this one. This one's gonna be uh uh Teague's. I was hoping you guys wouldn't notice that. So when I gave it to Teague, he's like, what's that uh what's that ruggedly handsome cologne that already has a fragments on? I can't find the tag now. I don't know what I did with it, but uh yeah, so anyway, that's the story behind this.
SPEAKER_00I'll I'll Steve, I know you got this one nailed down. First of all, hi Nikki, glad to see you back in the show. Jason said, Is it true that Loneye has won their conference tournament like 20 times in a row? And I believe that is incorrect, but not in the direction you'd expect.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it is incorrect. It's gotta be. I'm gonna text my sources right now, but I think it's it's it's it's very much approaching 30 if uh if I haven't pertained. If not already at 30, right? Uh, I don't think it's quite 30 because you gotta remember, um, well, 30 would be that's taking into the late 90s. Yeah, right? So close. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04So before we go on to the next team, though, John, don't you want to mention something about it?
SPEAKER_01Yes, well, yes, hold on. I've got a couple things, right? So um our Evansville Wrestling YouTube channel, uh, we broadcast the uh the team uh sectional there, Lodi, and Lodi did great um supporting our needs. Uh they get they got us uh hardwired internet and uh supported whatever power we needed, space we needed. Um there was a few other asks we had um of the AD Sum Effort there, and she was great to work with. So we appreciate um the Lodi wrestling staff and the AD there to get us um access for to bring the the the team sectional live to folks. So thank you to Lodi.
SPEAKER_04What about uh your favorite wrestler from Lodi?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so then um at um as you well know uh we have the woo Ric Flair Hair of the Sectional. Yes, which is beautiful, by the way. Yes, yes. So uh a shout out to Lodi's award last year.
SPEAKER_00Oh guys, that's not you you cut out right as you said the name. Yeah, gotta do the name again. Lodi Austin Brown. He uh I mean uh Walner graduated, but it was I was interested to see who was gonna take over the Adams guy from from the last two years. So shout out Austin Brown. Do we know if he's a senior or not?
SPEAKER_04He spoke very highly of his teammates, and that's and that's all you know, that's low-eye wrestling.
SPEAKER_00That's what they do. Pretty pretty emblematic of them, I would say. Yes, yes. Well, fellas, we got our next team, and uh I have I actually have two pizza gear tonight. I'll talk about the other one when we get to that team, but we got Moss and the seed up next, and Steve might know what I'm gonna be rocking for this one. Uh we'll we'll give the the crowd at home a show.
SPEAKER_02You go with that. Well, he's gonna be talking about the city of dreams, but I will tell you this. I was wrong wrong tea. I mean, I admit this a lot. I mean, I seem to be wrong a lot, but uh Lodi has won. Oh, you're talking what you're still talking, Lodi? Well, I gotta go back. Hold on. While you're transitioning, hold on, let's transition to what go take. You know, don't be showing your chest here. It's too late. You just talk now. Nope, you go. They have won conference since 1992 or three. He's not sure, but uh um that is over 30 years. You are correct. So, anyway, I just wanted to answer that question. But Teague, City of Dreams, here we go. Most of the Cedar, what do you got?
SPEAKER_00Just so you guys know, this year is the singlet and build of a four-time regional qualifier.
SPEAKER_02That's awesome.
SPEAKER_00And and team state finalist. Don't ask me how many matches I won on that team run, but so team, you stole your school singlet.
SPEAKER_02Is that kind of what you're saying? No, I just have it.
SPEAKER_00He acquired it, Steve.
SPEAKER_02Oh, good stuff.
SPEAKER_00Nikki with the great callback comment, by the way. We are all taking turns being blue shirt, dude. Love it. Well, lost to the C now. Let's talk about the Golden Eagles, fellas. They were fifth in the Ossio sectional with 153 points. At Team Sectionals, they beat Arcadia 41 to 39, lost 46 to 30 to West Salem Bangor, and 39-35 to Ellsworth at Team Sectionals, returning at nine of their 13 stars and 104 points. They do lose state qualifiers Espen Pitts and Jaron Hansen. They made it at 144 and a 215. And they are, oh my lord. Well, I have Landon Miller in the notes, but I have they more, they have more third and fourth place finishers than that. But Steve, pick up my slack. Well, shoot, this is where Mason takes over.
SPEAKER_04What do you got? Yeah, yeah. Well, uh, so Moss and Nasita, right? One of the three new teams to the section this year. Uh, we lost River Valley, we lost Dodgeville, and we lost Stone, who placed fifth out of the section last year. I think they Stown goes to F, Dodgeville goes D3. Um, not sure where River Valley is. Um did they go D3 as well?
SPEAKER_02Uh I don't know that.
SPEAKER_00Uh I don't think so. I have uh I can pull the assignments up quick. I think they might have just gone somewhere else.
SPEAKER_04Well, in any event, um, which is kind of weird because they're right in the thick of our section.
SPEAKER_00But they've they've always been in this area of sectional, it seems like.
SPEAKER_04Right. So, well, anyway, Mosson being one of the new ones, they had a they got a pile of good kids. Um, you'd kind of mentioned uh Landon Miller, he'll be good thirded sectionals. Uh Joseph Bellak, you already mentioned those guys, but uh once again, you know, they lost their state qualifiers, which is kind of a theme with a lot of the teams in this sectional. There's a lot of senior state qualifiers, and a lot of teams are losing them. So, I mean, someone's gonna step up and take those spots. It'll be interesting. We haven't seen uh Most and Nasita a lot as as you know, Evansville commentators, but you know, historically they've always had some really tough kids and some really good coaches and obviously some incredible alums. I mean, look at the guy. But uh in any event, um, they're they're one of those teams that we'll be keeping a watchful eye on during the course of the season.
SPEAKER_02River Valley is in D3, by the way. They are. Go ahead, John.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and hosting uh the team sectional.
SPEAKER_02That is true. That's true. Just off highway, what is the teague?
SPEAKER_00Highway 69.
SPEAKER_02Exit 69. 69, there we go. Um, wait, just a couple shout-outs. He threw three ranked wrestlers on the team. Joseph Belleck, who's not ranked, which was surprising. He was in the finals at sectionals, had 28 last uh 28 and 10 last year. Uh Landon Miller is number 14 at 132. By the way, Landon Miller was the one uh who got that first round win from Austin and Sita over Arcadia uh with a tech fall in the final match. They were behind at that point, and then they got that first round win, which I think is huge for a team, right? You owe that team sectional. Maybe you know you're not gonna win it, but your team battles and you get a you get a win there. I think that's a huge momentum builder. Uh Landon Miller, like I said, number 14, 132. Daniel uh T, let me know the last name. I wasn't listening before, but he is uh number 13 at 215. How do you pronounce his last name? I don't have the name in front of me.
SPEAKER_00Uh Mirit.
SPEAKER_02Oh, and then Owen Lebinsky, number 10 at 106 pounds. Also Austin Hunter, number 8, the big fella at 285. So four ranked wrestlers for the city of dreams.
SPEAKER_00Mike, did I just I did actually flex and my shirt exploded? That was not AI. That's that's exactly what happened. And yeah, Jason, I think, is right. I think there is another Miller boy coming in. So Tommy Miller's second son, thinking to be a freshman this year. Maybe he'll correct me on it, but yeah. That's all we got for the Golden Eagles, fellas. Anything else?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, plug for our YouTube channel, Evans and Wrestling YouTube will be at uh broadcasting the team sectional there at Moston. So we'll be working closely with them on all the logistics and all that good stuff to get uh to bring that action to you live.
SPEAKER_00I don't know, fellas. I hear alumni have first dibs on streaming right. So uh wow, no, no, you guys gotta take that one because we'll be doing a stream somewhere else. So the more sectionals we can get out there, the better.
SPEAKER_04And uh, we did want to say uh before we move on to the next team that we are we are gonna be uh broadcasting up in your neck of the woods, uh Teague. Uh I believe it's second or third weekend in January. It'll be a Friday night 15th. January the 15th, I think. A Friday night. It's a quad that will feature uh Aquinas hosting. Evansville will be there. Um who's the other one?
SPEAKER_01Is it Sparta or Wyowega Fremont? Maybe.
SPEAKER_04Wyowiga Fremont, and then I think Sparta. So that'll be a lot of fun. That that will be fun. Teague, feel free to join us.
unknownOops, you might have to do that on again.
SPEAKER_00That's what, yeah. If if I'm not if I'm not somewhere else that night, then uh I I might just hop on the mic for that.
SPEAKER_04Well, Steve got the experience, so you know you should you should also get that experience, not just on the phone.
SPEAKER_00Why go why go somewhere else to set up a stream that might not even work when I can just go to a when I can go 20 minutes away and and just talk. I don't even need to do anything.
SPEAKER_02That's right. Just show up. Just show up and shake hands and kiss babies, T. Alright.
SPEAKER_00We'll we'll wait until we get to Reed Virginia.
SPEAKER_04Probably don't do that in the outfit you're in now, though. Right.
SPEAKER_00I don't think I'd be allowed in schools after that. Yeah. Oh, that's good stuff. My word. Well. Let's move on to the cheesemakers. Yeah. Cheesemakers of Monroe were 12th in the Richland Center sectional with 64 points. They returned seven of their 11 starters into 43 points, bringing back two fifth place sectional finishers and Patrick Harms and Joel Wellman, along with two more top eight sectional finishers. I'm glad to see that Monroe still has a wrestling team because I think they were on the referendum chopping block a couple years ago. So I'm glad they got the some community support to pull through for now.
SPEAKER_04So yeah, Monroe, uh the Whip brothers, they're fantastic, a lot of energy. We love we love wrestling them. They they bring it. You know, they they don't care what kind of team they have, they bring it. Um, they're gonna have some really good kids coming back. Uh Noah Shoes, very good. They got a couple others, but um, they they actually, I'm not sure if we're on here.
SPEAKER_00Can you hear us? Yep, I can hear you guys. Video's a little laggy, but we can hear okay.
SPEAKER_04The video's laggy, but so I think uh one of the freshmen that we had last year that was really good for us, Caleb Schmitz. I think he went back to Monroe, so they'll have him, hopefully. Uh hopefully he still wrestles. Um, but but I'll tell you this. Uh Connor Eckdahl was a senior last year. They lost him. He was a great wrestler. Obviously, he's got two sisters. You've covered this in the other thing, the Eckdahl sisters that were incredible for Monroe last year. But during our broadcast, we would we would we loved we love the Monroe like championship round cheese singlets, those are fantastic, yeah, and they're yellow, and they have like those traditional Swiss cheese holes in them. And so on one of the broadcasts, I said, like, yeah, I've never seen yellow cheese with a hole in it, you know, like Swiss cheese, you know, kind of making a little wise crack like I do. And Eric Echtdahl last year at Girls Regionals, which was in our house, uh, brought us up a bag and brought up like four pounds of this really incredible Swiss made uh ethanol Swiss cheese that is has a yellowish tinge with the holes, and we very much enjoyed the cheese. But he's like, see, you can have holes in yellow cheese, and hey, prove us wrong, prove us wrong all the time with food, and we'll love you forever.
SPEAKER_02Four you had me at four pounds of cheese.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_02That's good stuff right there.
SPEAKER_00Well, that being said, I don't believe that it's real, so I want this cheese brought to me in real life.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I don't think it's real either. So uh throw in some beef sticks. Um, talking about Noah Shu 33 wins last year. Patrick Harms swayed nine wins at 190. Uh, their their team, six of the eight returners last year were sophomores. So they're gonna have a good nucleus of junior juniors coming back. And uh, I know this isn't wrestling, but I'm gonna give a shout out to Monroe. I have um in my five-year varsity career, five-year uh refing career of football, I have had Monroe four times now, three times varsity and one time JV. JV just the other night. And I'm gonna tell you what, they are very well coasted. They're always a good, you know, uh a strong tradition. But you guys know this. Uh, high school kids, when you ref football, they tell you there's holding on every single play. I'm sorry, there's holding on every single play, and they tell you every play, this guy's holding me, this guy's holding me. I go, the other teams tell me the same thing. Monroe kids say nothing. They play football, they're gritty, they're hard-nosed. If something bad happens, they come, they're coached awesome. They come back to the huddle, you talk to them, they're respectful, yes, sir, everything. So I'm just gonna give a shout out to the Monroe programs because they uh um whatever they're doing, coaching those kids to be to be gentlemen, it's it's fantastic. And as official, I appreciate it. They shut their mouth, they bring their lunch, they shut their mouth, they bring their lunchbox, and they go to work. That's exactly what they do.
SPEAKER_04And I think Tom Witt, who coaches with his brother uh for wrestling, I think he's one of the coaches, if not the head coach for Monroe. So yeah, that the programs are very much the same. A lot of respect. They do it right, they make their they make their comments on the mat.
SPEAKER_00I think I think since we brought up Monroe football, I think it's only appropriate that we give a shout out to a man currently in his senior season uh for the Navy midshipman as an offensive lineman, by state champion, state place winner, Cacero Gigante himself, Isaac Bunker. Oh, I'm so glad you threw that in. I missed that.
SPEAKER_04I tell you what, that was a great kid, and his dad was fantastic. A really, really nice guy. Good family.
SPEAKER_00Fellas, up next we have uh Mount Horova Barnaval, who was second in the Richland Center sectional with 205.5 points. At team sectionals, they beat Belmont Plattville 39 to 38, lost to Evansville 45 to 36, then they beat Lodi 50 to uh 29 and a placing second. They returned 10 of their 14 starters in 138.5 points. They are losing two state champions in Hunter Stevens and Eli Leonard, who qualified at 150, or won at 150 and 190. Uh they're bringing back Bryce Madden, who qualified at 106, Maxon Stevens, qualified at 132, Easton Cameroon, who was the runner-up at 165, Eli Meyer, who was the runner-up at 175, and Leland Havens, the big man, freshman who plays fifth at 215, along with three more uh top eight sectional finishers. Man, what a group coming back. And I know last year, guys, like it was Mount Horeb's first time in a while being in a team sectional hunt, and I think it was uh they got some valuable, uh whether it be at the sectional or team sectional, they got some valuable team wrestling experience, and I'm excited to see how they they look this year at the end of the year with that experience.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so Mount Horeb's one of those uh programs where you know like they're gonna bring in someone. I don't know if that'll be a freshman or a transfer, but they bring in kids. Um, we don't know who they are yet, but I'm sure they'll I'm I'm sure Coach Starbacher's doing everything he can to fill out uh the holes left by the seniors that graduated last year, the tremendous seniors that graduated last year. Um they're gonna be tough, and you'd be remiss if you didn't have them in your six. But uh they're the you know, you always gotta keep an eye on them.
SPEAKER_02We'll talk more about these guys. Obviously, they have ranked wrestlers all over the place, so I won't go through them all. But Tegan, you might know this. Has there ever been a program that's had four, think about this, four freshmen at state? That's uh that's a I mean you think about that stat right there. That's that's amazing.
SPEAKER_00Oh man, I actually now that you say that, I have no idea.
SPEAKER_02Five returning state qualifiers, four of them freshmen. I mean, just let that sink in, right?
SPEAKER_04I'm waiting for Mike to comment Stoughton, Wisconsin Rapids, because I think those are his go-to answers when when you ask those types of rhetorical questions. So we'll see if that if that comes.
SPEAKER_00All I can think of is the Rapids crew from uh like Ryland Luback's freshman year, maybe. Because you have to be so talented as a freshman to make it like that's the only uh individual class I could think of that could pull that off.
SPEAKER_02That's I mean, well we'll have to pose that question to uh to a larger crowd, too.
SPEAKER_00I think I that's I I would like Since we Since we are on Mount Horace before does anyone else have anything before we move on? We got uh I've loved this show because we've given shout-outs to a lot of good people tonight. And uh man, this guy might be one of the best. I think one of my favorite, like not just wrestling parents, but overall people that I met in my career. But Matt Leonard of Mount Hora Barnevel, he's Eli Leonard's dad. And get this, you guys, he drives bust for the team too. Like he is one of the all-time, like most genuine, kindest dudes ever, like just overall awesome human beings. And like when I think of him, like I can't help but smile, because like he's just such a light in this world. And like, I don't know if he's listening to it. I hope it gets back to him. But yeah, that that dude, you can you know why Eli Leonard's a good kid? Because his his dad is a top-notch dude.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, can I jump in there? I I would second that. Um, when you know, early on in our um broadcasting uh journey here with the Evansville Wrestling YouTube channel, uh we we broadcast a marathon at uh Bellville, and um that was my go-to guy to kind of get us in the door, and he was super helpful and talked to the right people. And so I built up a relationship you know that season to help us with the broadcast. And uh every time I see him, you know, it's always good luck, or you know, good luck to Eli or you know, shake a hand and uh say hello or a nod of a cap. So yeah, uh I would ditto that.
SPEAKER_00Matt Leonard. We got a great video that we didn't post last year, Steve, but Matt watching Eli at Cheesehead. He wasn't like obnoxious or anything, he was just sitting in a chair, but he was basically all the movements Eli was doing, he was doing in that chair. It was it was epic.
SPEAKER_04Every dad knows those moves.
SPEAKER_00Yep. Steve Steve's not even a dad, and he does that when we commentate finals. I do that sometimes, yep. Well, you're a dad, Steve, because not of the kids on the mat.
SPEAKER_02Tiga's been victim of a uh right forearm shiver to the back of his head a couple times.
SPEAKER_00Oh, okay. Let's talk Portage. They were 15th of the Richland Center sectional with 25 points. They return two of their seven starters, uh, returners, a Dash Ludwig and a Vance Beckett. A familiar name in Portage Wrestling lore. Definitely.
SPEAKER_04So, yeah, portage, right? They're two out of out of seven at sectionals. But if you look at their whole roster uh that they had out there last year, they have a pile of freshmen and sophomores on there. Hopefully, for Portage's sake, they matriculated, they all got a good JV season in and are ready to make that jump to the varsity level and and help uh the program fill a lineup. Um, but again, it's not for a lack of numbers. They have them there, and I'm just hopeful that that coach is mindful enough that knows that rather than you know throw them into the the fire baptism, uh developed them the right way and see if they're ready to go this year.
SPEAKER_02That's that's a good way of putting it. I do, I do like how that you said that, right? I mean, protect them, save them a little bit for so they're with you next year. Um Vance Beckett, who you mentioned, 215 pounds. Coach Mitch Beckett, I don't know if that's gotta be cousins or whatever. If that's his kid, I think uh Vance is uh because Mitch is not a big guy, I think Vance might be taking all the food from his dad. Just like I'm throwing around there. Who was it? Was Chase Beckett a state champ reported, Steve? He was, yeah, Chase. Oh, yeah, and that's a good point. Chase, and then there was another Beckett who was in the now of the rankings. And and T you and I, when we started doing the podcast and sectional previews, I think it was about four years ago, back when only the top two teams went to Team Section, though, Portage was was in there, or we were talking about them every year being one of those first teams, you know, first teams on the outside look it in. So they're not far off team success. So as uh Mason said, maybe they got the numbers there. Hopefully they're they're ready to put those guys who who were learning the the lower tier up in the uh up in the higher tier wrestling.
SPEAKER_00There's a there's a path there for sure. There is. Trust the process. I put my gear back on for this one, and it hurts a little bit. I mean, thank you, Rob Bouch, for uh for the Reedsburg year, but man, I I I just put it on during Holman versus Reedsburg week in the Mississippi Valley Conference. That kind of kind of burns me a little bit.
SPEAKER_02But I see Rob every year at state at the same establishment. It won't say what it is, right? Uh we'll just call it the library. Uh, and it's usually before the semifinals. And he always, I every time I walk in, he's got that same smile and that grin on his face, like, yeah, you didn't pick us again, because at some point he proves us wrong. We don't pick him, and then he's got that grin of, yeah, yeah, nice pick.
SPEAKER_00You know, and then he, I won't say what word he says after that, but I've been on the inverse where either I've picked Readsburg and they didn't win, or I don't pick them and they win. So I I guess we'll see it, and we'll talk more about that later, too. But see, we also have to, I know it's conference weekend and there's so much going on in life, especially during wrestling. We have got to go to the Reedsburg Wrestling Smelt Fry the Sunday after conference.
SPEAKER_02Put it on, put it on the calendar, man. Come pick me up.
SPEAKER_00I think we can make it happen. Come pick me up. Right? Can't be too far out of the way, right?
SPEAKER_02Reachburg might be the the center point for you and I, T.
SPEAKER_00It's close. I think we've talked about it before because Richland Center is pretty close. And Reachburg isn't far off from Richland Center. But let's talk about this. Hold on.
SPEAKER_02Someone someone's pumped here for the Beaver talk. It's Jason. Jason, here you go, buddy.
SPEAKER_00Talking the Beavers. Reachburg was sixth in the Richland Center sectional with 128 points. They lost 49 to 29 to Belmont Plattville at team sectionals, which that's just a brutal draw. They returned 12 of their 14 starters and 116 and a half points, bringing back Hudson Jablonski, who qualified at 150, fourth place sectional finishers, Jaden Vanderhoof, Braden Hale Toomey, who was a state place winner, mind you, and Taven Johnson, and six more top eight sectional finishers. Fellas, Reedsburg, just like Lodi, I'm kind of echoing the sentiment here. A model of consistency. And I think since Steve and I have been covering the show, this is the most returners I have coming back. And I gotta keep that in my head because there's not many coaches or programs better developing like their middling kids than Readsburg.
SPEAKER_04100%. Um Readsburg is a team that's going to be in the in the top six. They're gonna be there in Moston uh four team sectionals, and they're definitely a team that we're watching out for. Um lot of starters coming back. Um I hope, I hope when when we get to that point and you're making your picks that we start thinking about, you know, not just how many starters and how many you know different qualifiers for state or whatever else, but also like who what teams like to score big points as opposed to incredible team and and frankly as they sit right now.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, time out, Mason. We lost you. We lost you what you said, not just qualifiers and points, but big but teams that can score big points and then cut out. So go from there.
SPEAKER_04Is what I'm talking about, but um Reedsburg's they're gonna be another another year with more experience. They didn't really get hit by the the graduating senior bug as hard as most of the other teams in the section. So they're in a really good spot. We'll see what uh what they bring and what kind of dual meet uh team they bring. Because that's also a lot different from those indie tournaments.
SPEAKER_00I think that's uh I think that's what got Reachburg last year, and like this doesn't take away from Braden, because like really good wrestler. Their depth not questioned last year, but there was just so many hammers in all the teams at team sectional. Like, I just don't know if Reitsburg had the firepower to match that points output last year. Yeah. But uh last thing, you guys got anything else for Reitsburg? Nope. Uh oh yeah, I do want to say for I asked that because uh I do have to give an extra shout out to uh Braden and uh Reitsburg wrestler uh Luke Redner, who uh we had an event in Reitsburg last weekend on Saturday. Long story short, we had a loss in the family a few years ago, and my brother started this event that raises funds for mental health awareness and kids going into mental health fields for scholarships and whatnot. And one of the things in there is a little like mini triathlon where you bike, kayak, and run, and Braden and Luke competed in it, and uh they brought their family with. There's a couple friends that came along, and that that just means the world to me. Like, I don't know, I don't know why they like whether they just wanted to go do a run or what like they supported the cause, and I think that speaks a lot to them as people off the mat. So thank you to Braden and Luke, and uh thank you to the Reachburg Wrestling Program for raising two good kids.
SPEAKER_04It's good stuff.
SPEAKER_00Hey, we got hey, speaking of Richland Center, we brought them up a few times. They were at Richland Center was 13th of the Richland Center sectional with 29 and a half points. They return a six of their seven starters and 12 points, bringing back a top eight sectional finishers, Kamani Gullins and Brock Barrett. Love the alliteration.
SPEAKER_04So pursuant to the research, and I and I have to I have to give a big thank you to uh one of one of our broadcast team, John Bolik, who helped me out with this research, and this in particular, this is where he's really strong. But uh apparently they have three incoming freshmen coming in, and Aiden Ewing, Landon Kajewski, and Cashton Larson. Last year, WWF, they all made the WWF State uh tournament for youth wrestling. They all scored points there, their studs, and they were like 100, 120, 130, where coaches that's exactly where they want them, right? So we may we may see a a youth brigade in Richland Center and uh and and see some some names pop up in finals matches that you know we haven't seen in the last couple of years. So keep keep an eye out for the Richland Center freshmen.
SPEAKER_00I don't know how deep your guys' knowledge of Richland Center sports history goes, but I do know if there's an E-wing in Richland Center that they're probably gonna turn out to be pretty good. Yep. Hey, got Sparta, the penultimate team in this uh sectional preview. Sparta was eighth in the DeForest sectional with 130 points, returning nine of their ten starters and 103 points. They do lose uh Landon Connolly, who qualified for state at 120 last year, but they're bringing back Pierce Matheson, who will play sixth at state at 113, along with third place sectional finishers Alexander Couderer, Matthew Cooterer, Lance Greeno, and fourth place sectional finisher Hunter Huntington, who is also an excellent football player. Got to see him on the gridiron last week. And Pierce Matheson, you know, you got a couple of guys, Steve, that like you can just josh around with. Like you kind of like they're your boys, right? Pierce Matheson, I'd say, is one of my boys. I don't know if he'd say the same, but saw him at a few track meets this year. We got to talk wrestling, talk some track. I got to uh watch him pole vault and uh yeah, pretty cool stuff. So that's awesome. I know they're MVC foes, but but room for Pierce for sure this year.
SPEAKER_04You think uh Hunter's dad hunts?
SPEAKER_00He'd hope so, right? Right, right. I think everyone in Sparta hunts. Um right.
SPEAKER_04Did you already go through your spiel, Teague?
SPEAKER_00I got my spiel, yeah. Yeah, he's got it in, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Sparta, I mean, you know, this is uh uh one of the three new pro programs to this section. They're coming down from D1 somehow. I'm not sure how that worked. If it was uh I think it was their their population, but then because there were ones going up with the competitive balance, they come down, however that they were I think they were like at the top or the second from the top of the cut line of coming down.
SPEAKER_00So replaced by D one powerhouse Coleman. Yep, continue.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so um so yeah. I mean, uh from history, we know what 300 Spartans can do. What can 14? Yes. So love it. That one's for you, Steve. But uh, no, they got some tough kids. Uh they lost, I think they're one state qualifier uh last year, but they're gonna be tough. Uh Matthew Kuterer, 32 and 19 last year. Tough kids kind of sticks out uh to me, but then they got a couple of you know, again, Hunter Huntington, fourth at sectionals. Now they do also have a freshman coming in, Guadalupe Soto, and he was a freshman at 190, got fifth place at WWF State. So again, we're we're we're somehow in this land of having like 190 and 215-pound freshmen come in and do really well. It's so weird. That was never the way it was back in the day. But nowadays you gotta watch out for those. I mean, if you know, back in my day, if you were in the heavier weights like 160 and above, and you had a freshman, you're like, ah, don't have to worry about this kid, you know, and that's not the case anymore. So, and and of course, he's coming into a section with a couple, at least at this particular point, couple, I think what ranked one and two at 190. So good luck, uh, Mr. Soto.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_02Guadalupe Soto. That's epic. That is awesome. So uh, you know, hey, six of those guys that are of the nine that are returning, six of them were sophomores last year, obviously coming up to upperclassman. That's pretty big. Uh four ranked wrestlers for the Spartans. You got Kudener, uh Alexander, but I have a little trouble with the double uh ERs. Uh, and I I teach with a multiver, who's actually from Evansville, by the way. Um, number five at 106 again. They also have Kai Jacobson, number 11 at 113. Hunter, as we mentioned, the alliteration, number six at 190, the big fella. Uh, Pierce Teague, this is uh kind of a little interesting, and I know it sounds like I'm uh his two losses at state. He lost twice to Mason Moody. Sudden victory loss in round one, and then it was a uh uh uh it was also a 12-5 loss. It was close towards the end. There was a seven-point feet to back. So, how often do we see a seven-point sudden victory uh feet to back? I I think you and I covered it and we saw it one other time, but um Pierce looking tough, six-play medal, sixth place medalist, number four at ranked at 126 pounds.
SPEAKER_00Josh, glad to see you in the chat. Appreciate the love back. And yeah, Mike bringing up Evansville's loss to Sparta at team sectionals in 2016. And Sparta was built like that in the 2010s. They they the collection of talent that they had for a decade, uh, and and don't give me they still have good guys come through, but the collection of talent that they had at one time and the amount was ridiculous. They were a nightmare, like to to duel against or compete against.
SPEAKER_04Mike, is that the one we went to in Lodi? I think that's the one where maybe Jordan Meyer got disqualified on what they call the slam, which we didn't believe was a slam. Oh, maybe. I can't believe I can't believe I'm expecting him to answer, but he he will eventually.
unknownThat'll be delayed.
SPEAKER_00It it is a 30-second delay, so so we'll get at that. Uh yeah.
SPEAKER_0230-second think time, 30-second delay. So he'll respond about a minute, minute and a half.
SPEAKER_00I guess uh Sparta, great in the 2010s, lost to the Mauston Golden Eagles at regionals in 2013. Which you guys might not know this, but Mawson ended up making it to the team state finals that year. Wow. First I heard that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. The more you know. Polk Polk High, four touchdowns, one game. 1988.
SPEAKER_00And the last team in this nobody will get that reference. We got John and Stitches over here. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02John's really excited.
SPEAKER_04Mike did confirm that was that was the one we saw, yeah.
SPEAKER_00And uh the last team in this sectional, Wisconsin Dells, 14th in the Richland Center sectional with 16 points. They return eight of their 10 starters and 10 points, led by eighth place sectional finishers Anthony Eckle and Gideon Verbonick.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, they they're um they're probably not happy to be in this section.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's what I'll say. Yeah, because they're one of the are they one of the newcomers into this one?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, it's yeah, them, Sparta, and Moss and Acida.
SPEAKER_02Yep. Uh yeah, a couple of T mentioned, uh Anthony Echtal, 157, uh Verbonic, the Big Fella, 228. Uh, you know, I guess the good news for them, eight starters return it, right? So that's uh that's something that's something to build on. And uh Jay Wade says, yes, that was a uh to answer your question, yes, that was a married with children reference. Thank you for clarifying that for T because that show was not on when I think it came on when he was born. Probably. Yeah. Yeah. I think it didn't start in like the late 80s.
SPEAKER_04I thought it was early 90s, but I thought it was like 88, 89 when that show started, anyway.
SPEAKER_02I'm gonna be four touchdowns, one game.
SPEAKER_00Steve, I'm proud of myself because I only typed in regional like three times out of 16 on this one. That's not bad. Good job. I'm I'm getting better at it.
SPEAKER_04John just pointed it out to me. As you said that.
SPEAKER_00Guys, you go from I was gonna let it slide, T. You go from uh six years of covering uh regionals and uh switch to just sectional points. Old habits die hard.
SPEAKER_04Well then you're still doing regionals with the girls wrestling, so it's yeah, you're that's right.
SPEAKER_00Well, it's about that time, fellas. It is my favorite time, and uh, since you are now a recurring guest on the show annually, it's it's the one time of year we gotta bring this puppy back. Picture it. The year is 2019. I can't believe you're doing this, T. You're you're a fledgling podcaster, and you're you're about eight or nine podcasts deep with your horrible audio and edits and intro song. But you know what? You're enjoying life, you're enjoying the predictions, you're enjoying uh the people interacting with it. You put out the D2 sectional C podcast, and you get this comment for the audio faults, dumb podcast, commenting on regions you didn't even see. Anytime you want to wager on your prognostications, just let me know. It does not get old. I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_04You're not apologizing to me. I think you guys have improved vastly since getting my notes.
SPEAKER_00Not in predictions per se, but just we've gotten better as a product.
SPEAKER_02I well, let the record show I was not part of Teague at that time. That was uh that was PS, that was the PS period. The before Steve era.
SPEAKER_00It was we have to bring it up every year because I think about it whenever I'm doing picks, but also just to think of how far we've come, and now you guys have your own YouTube channel, and now you're on our show. And for reference, everyone, that was a comment that 2019 Mason put on my podcast post.
SPEAKER_04I mean for whatever reason, I I must have been like especially offended that evening.
SPEAKER_00In hindsight, I shouldn't have taken Edgerton. So you were you were right on that. It's great. I see like a thousand worse comments on the internet like a week. So that's yeah.
SPEAKER_04I hear this from you, you know, every year.
SPEAKER_02So I I just think of the uh frozen song every time he brings it up, and I just tell him to let it go, man.
SPEAKER_00I think the fun the funny part of bringing it up now is just like how I felt in the moment reading it, where I was like, oh, well, that's the end of my podcasting career. Thanks, everybody.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, poop. Well, clearly I didn't have that effect. I've I've motivated you to turn this into the awesome podcast that it is now. And really, I mean, again, that that you know, that comment aside, you you guys both do way more for Wisconsin wrestling and high school wrestlers than you think. And it's appreciated by all of us people that understand and believe in the values and attributes that young uh student athletes get from wrestling and not so much from other sports. So we we appreciate the heck out of you.
SPEAKER_00All right, mates. You can't make me cry before we before we get into our picks. Thank you. No, your picks will make everyone else cry.
SPEAKER_02Oh Mike says, Mike says, you took Ederton? Question mark. You deserve that comment. Okay, Mike.
SPEAKER_00Mike's always got my back. That's awesome. Prognostication, beautiful word. I need to use it more outside of just the context of that. So uh it is prognosticating time, Steve. And uh while we're full screen, let me pull the pull the notes out here or the coin.
SPEAKER_02Here we go. I think he was buttering us up because he knows picks are coming. What do we got? I don't think he.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, right, right, right. I was thinking of the same thing.
SPEAKER_02What is it? Heads. Yeah, T, I like the old coin better. I can't that one I could see. This one, you could tell me it's heads every time, and I'd believe you. The old coin was a donkey, too. So that was, right? And I was the back end of the donkey on that one.
SPEAKER_00Sad donkey, yeah. Which sad donkey is like the opposite energy that you bring. I am going to pick. I'm gonna pick first. Okay. You would. Yeah. Let me pull the bracket up. I was thinking, no, I I have to bring up Reedsburg again. Guys, we might be playing Holman might be playing Reidsburg in a rainstorm that's gonna get three inches. And like, this is a triple option versus a double-winged team. I think on an 80-degree day, the ball might get passed three times. We are gonna see like football in its purest form on Thursday or Friday. Yeah, I'll be back.
SPEAKER_04Uh squash bucket. That'll bring me back to like the movie Best of Times with uh with Kurt Douglas and Robin Williams.
SPEAKER_02Yes. Teague's nodding because he has no idea what you're talking about. Yeah, I know.
SPEAKER_01Great movie. Teague, I'm with you. I don't know what you're talking about.
SPEAKER_00Oh, come on. He doesn't get any of my references. No. It will be a swashbuckling if I think that might that game might be the opposite of a barn burner. Like it will be exciting, but not a barn burner. All right, let's let's get down back to business here. Yeah, I will I yeah, I do my top six because you're going. Oh, I know what I have to do. Yep. Hang on. My bad. My bad. Sorry, John. We rehearse this, and okay, where we go. Okay.
SPEAKER_02You and I are gonna have the same top five. We're not, you and I are gonna have different numbers six. I'm gonna predict that right now.
SPEAKER_00So on the outside looking in, I have uh Sparta just with their numbers, and uh maybe you know my other seventh, eighth place team on the outside looking in. Let's just get this out of the way now. I got Moston. It's just uh I think almost every other sectional Mostin can make the top six, just not this one. We can talk more about it uh when Steve's done with his top six. But my 3-6 matchup, I have Sugar River as my sixth seed. Taking on uh third seeded Reedsburg interesting four. Have you been watching the shows, Mason? Is that why you said interesting? Hang on. I need to see, yeah, okay, I see your face. Yep, you said. Oh, that's good, buddy. Okay, Mason. Four versus five. We have Lodi versus Belmont Platville. Notice there is a slash in there, so that is not the inferior gas station chain. That is Belmont Platville. Love it. The winner of Reitzburg and uh Sugar River will be taking on Evansville, the two seed, and the one-seed Mount Horror Barneveld.
SPEAKER_02Oh, I was hoping you'd type that whole thing in on that little line.
SPEAKER_00T Steve, your top six.
SPEAKER_02My top six. All right. I have uh on the outside looking in, just a shade out of there. I have Evansville looking. Uh I was just kidding. That's me messing around with you guys. I can't, I can't even see your faces. So I was like hoping you were bigger and I could see your you know scene coming out of your skips joking. Yeah, no, that's messing. Um, that's not even funny. I shouldn't joke around like that. Uh, I have a so my six team, so Teg, I like what you said. Sparta, um, I considered them. They were in a different sectional, D1, the four sectional, pretty tough one, right? Um, but the only thing that the reason why I kept them out is to have a nine of ten. Uh, traditionally, over the last few years, have not had a full team. Uh, Belmont Platte actually um a returning. The thing, the reason why I let them out teak uh is only two, I know it's very, it's a swashbuckler, as you say, of a sectional, but only two wrestlers returning placed in the top five. So that uh that uh stat right there propelled me to go with the number six seed, City of Dreams, who traditionally has nine returners traditionally has a full team. I have Mauston Masida as my number six. My number five is up top, is Sugar River. My number, and they will be facing the Blue Devils of Lodi. I think number three, we have the same. I think we have the top three exactly the same. We have Reedsburg as number three, Evansville we have as number two, and then I have Mount Horror Barnaville as well as my number one.
SPEAKER_00Reedsburg. Evansville. My big thing with the Most and Belmont Plattville argument, and I know I have Belmont Plattville. Like Sugar River will see how their freshmen develop. They could be a wild card team, they could be as high as the four, I think. Uh I hate to say this from Austin and Sparta. I just took uh sectional strength with their returning numbers too, and it's not necessarily a knock on their sectionals. It's just that Belmont Plattville's numbers came in a sectional where you if you're a top five guy, you are really good. I'd argue that if you're a top eight guy, you're also pretty solid in most brackets. So that's kind of that's kind of where I ended up with that one, where we had our difference in who was left in, who was left out. And yeah, seating-wise, again, we know uh all the all the fancy ways that the seeding happens, but we we're just kind of we just gotta get our top six out there. So I'm sure we'll flesh out our top three a little more.
SPEAKER_02Right. Well, either way, I picked first. So um that sixth spot doesn't really matter because I think you and I both are gonna have it the same way. Doesn't uh the Berg is gonna advance to face Evansville in the semifinals. And then up top, um, numbers, I couldn't really, it was hard comparing numbers. So what I did is I went back to last year. I don't know if you guys know this or not, but these two teams are in the same conference, and we know that uh stat just in Lodi has won this conference since 1993, maybe 92. My source wasn't exactly sure on the year, but um Lodi won this duel last year 46 to 31, and they both returned the same number of starters. So, with that reason, I'm gonna go with Lodi advancing to Mount Horeb. And then on the bottom side, I have uh Reedsburg versus Evansville. Um seven to five. Evansville has uh seven guys. I my my big number is placing in the top five. Evansville leads seven to five as far as sectional qualifiers and four to one as far as having more state qualifiers. Um and I think what's gonna happen here, we talked about Readsburg and they've given them mad respect for the program. They developed consistency, and I think what hurt them last year is the same thing that's gonna hurt them this year. Evansville is gonna be able to move some studs around for matchups where Readsburg is just not gonna be able to counter that. So I have Evansville uh moving on to the finals. And then up top, um Mount Horror Barneville last year won this one at sectionals 50. I believe it was 20. I can't quite read my writing. Um, and they return the same amount of starters, and they return the same amount of starters as Lodi, but just more firepower. So I have Mount Horror Barnaveld beating Lodi up top.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so you got Mount Horror Barnaveld versus Evansville in your first place match, third place match. John, I'm so sorry you have to like watch me try and snap these like the bracket does not look pretty. I'm sorry that I'm putting you through this right now.
SPEAKER_02Mason is is John's leg shaking underneath the table, or is he is he calm? He's he's managing. Is he at 60 beats per minute or 61?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, it might be it might be increased just a tad.
SPEAKER_00All right. All right. Well, my Mike sent us a short story on Facebook, so I'll read that after brackets. Um, Lodi at Belmont Platville. Uh close duel of last year. Lodi won. Obviously, results could flip individually, but with Lodi returning more, I I have no doubt Belmont Plattville could put up a fight. And uh watch me pick Lodi and watch Belmont Plattville win this duel, I guess. Um seems to be the theme with them. Reachburg, Sugar River. Sugar River, Steve, this could be a huge year where they could take a big step forward. I think making team sectionals will be a step forward, and a competitive duel would be the cherry on top. I just don't know if they have it with their squad this year to win a duel, especially in a grouping of this caliber. So I have Reidsburg moving on. Steve, you kind of talked about the Reedsburg-Evansville duel already. And I guess just to add on to that, just not flex-just not only flexibility of lineups. Can can Reedsburg uh can Reedsburg win the matches? Yes, but we saw last year when Evansville is on a heater, it is tough to stop bonus points against them. And uh I don't know if Reedsburg will be able to do that per se. So I have Evansville moving on to the finals. Mount Horeb Barneveld and Lodi. Lodi bringing back 11. It could be dangerous. I know it was 50 to 29 last year. Could this be the year for a big Lodi blue devil win against a vaunted Mount Horeb team? I'm saying no, but I think it's in the picture potentially. I do have Mount Horeb Barneveld moving on, which sets us up with a familiar sectional final. So my third place match, Reedsburg versus Lodi. And uh my first place match, Evansville versus Mount Horror Barneveld. I gotta get Lodi down in this bracket. Get him down there. And you keep going, right, team? I uh I do keep going. Steve, we just have the same thing right now. Yeah. We do. Okay. Lodi Reedsburg. Was this a duel that we saw? Let um I'm sorry. I should have just don't have my notes up right now. No, they did not see each other last year. I don't think there's even much off of a transitive property to work off of. With this one. These are two teams that we talked about, fellas, that are our models of consistency year in and year out. And I am wearing a Rietsberg shirt, but it is also Holman Reeds, which by the way, Reedsburg's in the MVC for football and Badger for wrestling. It just grows so weird, but it's like not like their fault or anything. I just think it's weird. I think since it's Rietsburg Football Week, and also I think maybe Lodi exceeded expectations last year. I think their expectation is maybe even to place higher than where we have the mat, Steve. But I have a Lodi beating Reedsburg in uh the third place match.
SPEAKER_02I'm gonna jump in just so we can focus on the the match. I think that is gonna be a great one. Uh I'm gonna take just the opposite over on the other side. I'm gonna take uh I'm gonna take, I think it's gonna be one heck of a third place duel, but I'm gonna go ahead with Readsburg taking third place.
SPEAKER_00And I think we can agree, I mean that could be like a 50-50 duel too. Right. You guys ever look at a word so much that it just starts to not make sense? Because I'm I'm getting that with Lodi right now. I think I've heard and said it so much tonight that it just, yeah. Like I I questioned if I spelled it wrong for a moment. Um Okay. Mount Hora Bardeveld and Evansville. Uh I know the score last year, there it's a little deceiving in that well, it's double deceiving because Evansville did forfeit the rest of their guys um in the duel because they got out to such a lead. Also, I actually don't know how much the score would have changed because the rest of Mount Hora Bardeveld's guys were absolute hammers in that. And uh I don't know. I think this is gonna be a different Mount Hora Bardeveld team, and that uh last year, yes, they had really good guys, but they they learned a tough lesson in team wrestling. Like, not often do you see teams collect such talent and then just go and win everything right away. And I think uh the coach, the wrestlers learn from that, and I think we're gonna see a lot better team wrestling from Mount Hora Barnavel. Mason even brought up the bevy of talent. Uh like whatever talent they could be bringing in that we don't know about yet. I guess we will find out at some juncture. Uh fellas, uh, there's a big lesson I've learned in podcasting, and there's a lot of teams in this where we've been burned by mistakes one way or another. And eventually you have to learn from your mistakes. And uh I think this is the year that I learned from my mistakes, and uh I exercised demons from prognostication seven years ago. And uh, Evansville has such a good thing going right now, and it's not just the the Team State title last year. This is a program that I've been following since like the Lucius Reinhardt days of 2014. And they made to Team State and they've been in the team's sectional picture consistently. And I think I don't know who their coach was before Kent, but man, Kent Weiler, the people person that he is in getting this collection of talent to wrestle as a team. It's like Evansville's in their Magnum Opus era right now, and I I I don't I don't think a team is gonna stop them in this iteration. And I know uh Evansville guys, Mason John, I can't totally see you at the moment, but are there are there teams that could have the talent to beat you guys? Maybe, but I just think the cohesion and the team wrestling, everything that you guys bring to the table, it's why Evansville won a Team State title last year, and it's why I have them at least winning team sectionals this year. And trust me, it's not a pandering pick, because if I had a reason to pick against Evansville, I would. Like I trust that. Everything had to come together for this to happen, folks, and here it is.
SPEAKER_02Uh, you talk about who can't replace, I can't remember the other guy's name, but Andy. Andy, what was the other guy? They were were they Cole had been?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, were they Cole or were they um Rob was the head and Andy was the assistant technically?
SPEAKER_02Oh, I thought I had it the other way around. Those two guys are great guys, and they they had brought, I know it's a it was it's a tough gig when you're replacing two legends like that. So Kent's done a Kent's done a good job completely.
SPEAKER_00Sorry to interrupt you, Steve. Yeah, I wasn't like doing it. I was I didn't I didn't want to make it seem like those guys did anything wrong. Like obviously they did really good things. Kent just seemed to have something else too, like like a perfect guy at the perfect time deal, you know? Right.
SPEAKER_02Well, every great leader wants any a program, his family, his kids, they want them to do better after uh after they're gone. So they obviously laid that foundation. Uh T, you nailed my point with the uh um, you know, the forfeits you can take a look at the score, but obviously Mount Horror Barnabill had some studs there. But and you guys would know this, and Mason, feel free to chime in. And John, how pumped were you guys when that coin flip got drawn and it was Cown Fry as the first wrestler, right? I mean, it's like you look at that lineup, Fry, Bali, Braunschweig, Staver, uh uh, Crandall, Howlett, it's like you look at those and you're looking at your chops thinking, this momentum, we we gotta get on, get this momentum and hold on to it. Any comments on that?
SPEAKER_04I think in that duel, the the plan was kind of bumping them up, and when when the weight came down the way it came down, and the flip came down the way it came down, we we felt pretty good.
SPEAKER_02Momentum is is huge. Um, I look at this and I I I did a couple different things. I looked at last year's score uh 40 45 to 36. Um Evansville loses six points. They lost, uh I believe I can't read my writing. Is it Wessels? Is that uh Wessels got a win? Um and then um Moan Horror Barnefeld loses 12 points. So they lose Leonard and uh Stevens, who score 12 points for them, obviously, by pins. Here's here's the bottom line is uh does Mount What's scary is this? Evansville, we've proven this every year, and you know, obviously they have another little Heiser coming in, which we're all thrilled about who's got to go against them. I don't have to, so I'm thrilled to watch it.
SPEAKER_04When you say we're all thrilled about it, I don't think other teams in the Socks Valley Conference are thrilled about it, but we're we're thrilled as fans, right?
SPEAKER_02And there's I've I've heard I've heard uh this is the best heiser yet coming, so we're we won't go there. We don't want to always put any putting any pressure on the young fella.
SPEAKER_04But I'm pretty sure they said that about every hyzer that came in.
SPEAKER_02Right? They just keep billing on each other. Um we're excited as as podcasters and and guys who get to watch it. Other other folks not so much. They're happy when they're gone, right? And then they can just reflect on it. But uh Evansville always has solid freshmen coming in. We've known that. I've seen that years after years when I coach against them. It's like, who are these middle school kids? They're they're they're amazing. Uh Evansville returns 20 on their roster. Mount Horror Barnaveld won more, they return 21, right? So they have a little bit of edge there. Uh, here's the question Does Mount Horror, we know Evansville has a solid freshman class coming in because they do every year. Does Mount Horror Barneville have another freshman class coming in like they did last year? I mean, if if they have another four-state qualifiers coming in, good night, sweetheart, it's time to go, right? But without that being said, is I just think Evansville, T you talked about it, um battle test it. They've been there, they've done that, they know how to get matchups. It's like we talk about a lot with St. Croix Falls Teague when we cover them. They just they just kind of know how to wrestle team wrestling. And some programs have to develop that, it takes time, right? Um, but I think Evansville has that. And uh um last year I sat here and I picked against them, and we saw the smoke coming out. And and maybe these guys don't want us to pick them with them sitting right here. They want a little bit of the bulletin board material, but I don't pick based off of guys sitting in front of me. I pick with the facts, and that's what my three sheets came up with of notes. So I'm going with Evansville to win this one. Uh, and I do oh, go ahead, T, put pop them on up there, and I do have a wrestle back or a team wrestle back, so to speak, and that would be Mount Horror Barneveld versus Reedsburg. Uh, and I do have Mount Hor Barnavelt winning that one, which I think is huge, right? We thought last year Mount Hor Barneveld or the second place team out of this team sectional could have been the at-large team, right? Um is that this year from this sectional? And and it very well could be Moon Horror Barnabelle.
SPEAKER_00My my early prediction is no, but you'll have to tune into a later episode to find out why. Ah, gotcha. Nice little cliffhanger team. I love it. Yeah. Well, that's the bracket. Appreciate. Oh, I guess I'll I'll fill in the the third place real quick. You you said you have Mount Horror Barnavell beating Reedsburg. Yes, for a second. True second. All right. Uh, Mason and John, while I'm fiddling with this, if you guys want to get your thoughts.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I mean, uh, I think, well, not to get into what you have as the top four, because I think that very well could probably be the top four. And how that how that gets mixed up, well, there's a lot of uh there's a lot of unknowns still, uh, including health. Health can always always throw a wrench into any team's plans, and we know we had that a couple years ago uh happen. But uh as far as like your five and six on there, uh interesting picks. I personally I in line more with uh teague, I I do have Belmont Platville making the top six. And I also have I also have Sparta. And uh I I think that they're bringing over some kids that uh are pretty tough and they got a pretty good team. And I think that they're you know, some teams come into a new section and they get overwhelmed by it, and some teams come into a new section and they're licking their chops. I think they're licking their chops, so we'll see.
SPEAKER_00I did have my sugar river pick before uh before I I knew about Guadalupe from Sparta, which freshman could be a game changer. But Sugar River also has the Bears. That's true. The Sugar Bears.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, Guadalupe, the Bears, uh, you know, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Good stuff.
SPEAKER_04Nice.
SPEAKER_00John, what do you got? John, close us up.
SPEAKER_01I can't top that. Um, all I would say is that that's you know, switching to a Saturday team sectional, um, the environment there, um, getting more teams to to a Saturday event, getting more families and fans to event. I I think I think that was a great environment. I always would say, oh, the my favorite event was the Tuesday night um team sectional, and there was four teams, you know, at least for Division II here. There's four teams in each corn one in each corner, and and that was my favorite one, you know, after the you know, the state tournament. And um uh this this past uh year, the Saturday one was great, right? You had more more of the casual fans coming, right? Whereas those Tuesday nights, you had to travel far and you wouldn't get those casual fans. And I and I felt like uh Evansville brought a nice crowd there, you know, so you got the um fans, and then I guess I would finish it up with uh uh the lacrosse center and what happened there for Team State was you know, there was a lot of energy, fireworks, smoke, the band, the the drum core, all that good stuff, right? The the video hype videos, so uh kudos there. So that I'll end it up with that.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, that was a lot of fun. I I the the one the one thing when the WIA made the you know monumental change to the postseason for wrestling. Um that that Saturday, I I can't remember who it was who said it. I th uh what was it? Uh anyway, one of the WWA guys said this is gonna be a game changer, these team sectional Saturdays. And I was kind of like, all right, let's see. And then we went to one and it's it's bananas, it's wild.
SPEAKER_00And I think if more teams buy into it, it's gonna be better too. Yeah, oh yeah.
SPEAKER_02Well, and don't don't forget, folks. T, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this year at the coal or not the coal center, at the lacrosse center for team state, that girls are gonna be there, right? Wrestling the same time. And I'm gonna tell you this, guys. I know we've we we cover a lot of girls. Like when we go to that duel tournament up in Stevens Point, which is that was the unofficial girls' dual state championship. That gym, we we love covering it because it is so loud. The girls are intense, they're loud, they're cheering, and that is gonna bring a whole new energy to that lacrosse center. It's gonna be fantastic. It's contagious, yeah. I think the guys sit around, the guys sit around, they're kind of like, uh, yeah, you know, they don't they don't necessarily cheer. The girls, like they just get done wrestling, they're right back mad side. They're you know, there's I I've I've been refereeing finals matches, and the whole mat is surrounded by girls and they're all screaming, and I'm like, gosh, am I doing something wrong? No, they're just screaming because they're they're pumped up, right?
SPEAKER_00Okay, a couple of comments here. Uh Mitch, thanks for the love. Glad to see you tuned on. Stayed on for the whole show. Appreciate you, Josh. And I'm glad, I'm glad Jay Wade said something. How did we miss when Bear Boo came up first? How did we miss saying the Thunderbirds? Oh, sorry about that. Epic mascot name. You don't have to apologize, Steve. Yeah. Go, Thunderbirds. Uh fellas, Mason, I know you you you gave us our uh our flowers earlier, but thank you for coming on, taking the time to come on the show and you know making sure we're we're running smooth and all the time you took to research. And uh thank you guys for what you do. I really think uh like what you guys set the standard in production value and uh what you do, like doing it all day. Like it is Evansville Wrestling YouTube is is top-notch in what they do, and like the amount of non-Evansville fans that you guys have, like it really shows like how effective it is, like how good it is at the what you're doing. So keep up the great work. Love having you on. Always love the banter. So yeah, appreciate that.
SPEAKER_04Appreciate that. That that means a lot, obviously. John, with uh with the technical aspect and everything, we we we try to keep it a very pleasant, you know, viewing experience, and then of course take all of those pleasantries away and then throw a bunch of content in there that's just absolutely ludicrous and ruin it. But you know, we we we work well together in that regard, it balances it out.
SPEAKER_00Well, and I think Steve and I agree too, like with what we like the more the more wrestling media out there, the better. Like, I don't I don't care about competition or it because like there's so much stuff in the wrestling world. There's 29 sectionals, like like the rich the Richland Center boys. I don't know who does it, but Richland Center has a wrestling podcast that they do and put on YouTube. Like, yeah, that's pretty cool stuff because I am not a Richland County wrestling expert. I'll talk about it, but like those guys know their stuff down there. So I'm I'm glad to see it. I think you guys have definitely inspired other groups and people to start their own thing, and I think that's truly how you help grow the sport is the more we can get it out there, especially on the web, it's clutch. So I'm glad we can make this collaboration happen tonight.
SPEAKER_04Absolutely, and we we love uh the relationship we have with you guys and the Wisconsin Grappler, and uh we've got all of our uh broadcasts this year will be dual broadcast on the Wisconsin Grappler uh website. So uh looking forward to that. And again, uh as I mentioned before, uh maybe, maybe uh the the people that usually watch the Evansville Wrestling YouTube page will will get to uh hear uh Teague behind the mic up in uh Aquinas on Friday, January 15th.
SPEAKER_00I'll have to keep note of that. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Put it put in the calendar.
SPEAKER_00Putting it in my calendar as we speak.
SPEAKER_02Steve, oh you got anything? No, I'm good. That's uh a great great show, fellas. Appreciate having you on and uh look forward to a great season.
SPEAKER_04Well, fellas, if you're in the neighborhood, uh I don't know what you're doing conference weekend, but conference is at our house this year, so we can actually take you to the night owl after. Just a thought.
SPEAKER_02Oh man. Twist owl ow.
SPEAKER_00Conference conference weekend. If we uh hypothetically get a tournament and then get burned and they go with another stream or something, I don't know. Um conference. Conference weekend, we could do the Rock Valley conference. We could go to the night owl for some snacks and and free cheese curds for the free advertising. And then Sunday, Steve, we go to Reedsburg for the smelt fry. And fellas, you can take along.
SPEAKER_04Ooh, that that just sounds like a fantastic weekend. That's that's a full weekend right there.
SPEAKER_00Oh fried food paradise. Let's go. Well, for the for everyone, for you guys, I know you love good sectionals for the Wisconsin wrestler fans, for the D2 fans. If you love good wrestling, you better tune in on Sunday because we have D2 sectional C with two teams meeting coming from D1 and D3 for competitive balance purposes. And I'll tell you what, it is going to be a barn burner. So stay tuned in for that one. Thank you everybody for tuning in for the long haul tonight. And until next time, we'll catch you on the flip.