MADISON — Two decades after his head coaching father concluded his prep wrestling career on the mats at the WIAA state tournament, Hillsboro senior Spencer Treu followed in those paternal footsteps.

Treu’s career came to an end in Friday afternoon’s 160-pound Division 3 consolation semifinals at the Kohl Center with a 10–4 loss to Ozaukee’s Kevin Beckman.

Trailing 7–4 at the end of the second period, True chose the top position.

But Beckman, who went on to place fifth, got an escape, then scored a take down and rode out Treu to hold on for the win.

“We chose top in third, trying to sneak a cradle in and get those back points,” said Hillsboro coach, and Treu’s father, Snapper Verbsky. “But he got out and got a takedown and rode us out from there. We just couldn’t get away from him.

“I think that was probably a winnable match. We just didn’t get it done, but  does that by no means take anything away from Spencer’s season,” added Verbsky who finished third at state as a senior at Hillsboro in 1994 and fourth as a junior in 1993.

“Spencer had a great season. He went a lot further than any other opposing coach thought he could. He came back time-and-time again. He dedicated his offseason to a lot of lifting and went to a lot of camps. He worked hard and earned his way to state.”

Treu finished his senior season with 37–12 record and his career with 101 wins, one more than his father and coach. Treu also set the single-season school record for pins with 25, two more than heavyweight Matt Sronk in 2002.

“101 is a great career,” added Verbsky. “I’m going to miss him not only because he is my son, but because he was a great wrestler, a hard worker and a great leader. He will be missed in the wrestling room.”

Treu opened his state tournament Thursday night with a six-point third-period flurry to notch a 6–0 first-round victory over Elcho’s Joey Johnson.

With the score tied at 0–0, True chose stop to being the third and put in cradle, twice putting Johnson on his back for a three-point nearfall.

Treu was sent to the consolation bracket with a 9–0 major decision loss to eventual runner-up Ross Peterson of Ladysmith.

Junior Max Sebranek lost his opening-round match at 182 pounds Thursday night — a 6–0 decision to Flambeau’s Mike Scharenbrock — and did not place.

“We knew it was going to be a tough match going in,” said Verbsky. “We had [Scharenbrock] scouted and knew he going to present quite a challenge.”

Scharenbrock (46–4) finished third.

“Max went six minutes with him and wrestled tough the whole way,” added Verbsky. “It kind of sucks that he lost just that one match and his tournament was done, but I was happy with the way he wrestled. It shows his promise for next year.

Sebranek finished the year 21–9 despite missing more than three weeks in January after suffering a severely sprained ankle at Bi-State.

“Max’s season is tough to sum up because off the ankle injury,” said Verbsky. “He was out more than three weeks recovering and his ankle was still not 100 percent at the end of the year. I would say he was only 75 percent even when he was wrestling at the state tournament. But it shows a lot about Max’s character and work ethic to be able to get to state despite the injury.”

Hillsboro, which battled injuries and a thin roster all season, finished 2–10 overall in duals and 1–5 in Scenic Bluffs duals.

“It’s been our first losing season as far as dual meets in quite awhile, but it was still a satisfying season,” said Verbsky. “We sent two guys down to the state tournament, the most in the Scenic Bluffs in fact, and more importantly we had a lot of fun.”