ELROY — Senior Max Sebranek was one of the few bright spots for Hillsboro at Saturday’s 13-team Royall Invitational.

Sebranek went 2–1 and finished second at 182 pounds.

Sebranek was the only Tiger to place, and just one of three Hillsboro wrestlers to win more than one match.

Sebranek dominated his first two opponents pinning Kickapoo/La Farge’s Morten Reser in the opening round, then Blair/Taylor’s Jake Morrison at 1:03 of the first period.

In the championship Sebranek suffered a 12–3 major decision loss to Royall senior Dalton Lunde, who went 36–9 and finished third at sectionals a year ago.

Junior Warren Paulson won his preliminary match with a first-period pin of Jamore Rand of Wisconsin Dells, but did not place after losing two of his final three matches.

Paulson also earned a 13–7 decision over Poynette’s Layne Doherty and finished 2–2 in his first varsity wrestling event.
He did not wrestle in Hillsboro’s 36–24 season-opening loss on Dec. 2.

Senior Tyler Seeley also went 2–2 on the day at 152 pounds, but also did not place.

Seeley opened the day with a first-period pin of Blair–Taylor’s Josh Nitek, and after a loss to New Lisbon’s Kyle Woodward, defeated Viroqua’s Jake Baumgartner in the consolation bracket. Seeley’s day ended with a pin defeat to Poynette’s Cole Workman.

Junior Sebastian Miller went 1–2 and 160, and senior Christian Beyer went 1–2 at 285.

Mitch Beckwith (120), Logan Rohn (132), Josh Muller (138), Katie Blaha (145) and Dylan Thew (220) each went 0–2 on the day.

Hillsboro scored 32 points,  20 by Sebranek, and finished 11th out of 13 teams.

New Lisbon crowned three champions (Cullen Pedersen at 160, Justin Giebel at 195 and Jay Turner at 220), had three runner-ups and scored 198 points to win the team title ahead of runner-up Mauston (174).

Hillsboro will return to Elroy on Thursday to face the Royall Panthers in an SBC dual meet.