The Fennimore wrestling team closed out the 2017–18 season two weekends ago with a second-straight second-place finish at the WIAA Division 3 Team State Tournament.
It was the Golden Eagles’ fourth straight trip to the team state tournament and third consecutive appearance in the Division 3 team state championship match. Fennimore also sent eight wrestlers to the WIAA individual state wrestling tournament a week earlier.
The Golden Eagles (17–3–1, 6–0) dominated southwest Wisconsin again this year, going a perfect 6–0 in conference duals to win a four-straight SWAL duals title. Fennimore also won a fourth straight SWC/SWAL Clash conference tournament championship, a fourth straight D3 regional title and a fourth straight D3 team sectional title.
With Fennimore’s on-mat dominance, it was no surprise that coach Chad Steldt’s team also dominated the all-conference selections.
Seven Golden Eagles earned first-team All-SWAL honors, while three others earned second-team accolades.
Freshman Brody Lee, sophomore Mason Lull, sophomore Aidan Nutter, junior Trevor Wanek, senior Riley Blair, junior Maguire Fitzgerald and sophomore Will Ahnen earned first-team All-SWAL honors. All seven were also individual state qualifiers, along with sophomore Alex Birchman, who missed most of the regular season with a broken hand.
Sophomore Luke Blair, senior Trevor Neuroth, and junior Brayden Leffler were named second team All-SWAL.
Lee (37–15) was named first-team all-conference at 106 pounds. He was a state qualifier and placed second at the conference meet.
Lull (20–13) earned first-team honors at 120 pounds. He finished a team-best third at state at 113 pounds and returned from an injury just in time to place third at conference.
Nutter (40–11) shared first-team all-conference honors at 132 pounds. He placed fifth at state and third at conference at 126.
Wanek (47–8) shared first-team All-SWAL honors at 138. He placed second at conference at 138 and fourth at state at 132 and finished with a team-best 47 wins.
Riley Blair (30–5) was named first-team All-SWAL at 145 after winning the conference title. He placed fifth at state at the same weight.
Fitzgerald (30–13) was the first-team all-league pick at 152 pounds. He placed second at conference and fourth at state at 152.
Ahnen (38–19) shared first-team All-SWAL honors at 160 with state champion Max Maylor (45–1), a senior from Iowa–Grant/Highland. Ahnen placed fourth at conference and fourth at state at 160.
Luke Blair (25–13), who filled in for injured teammates Lull and Birchman (17–9), earned second-team all-conference honors at 113. He placed fifth at conference.
Neuroth (26–14) was named second-team all-conference at 182. Neuroth, who place third at regionals and fifth at conference, closed out his career with a pair of victories at team state.
Leffler (32–14) earned second-team honors at 195. He finished fourth at conference and was a sectional qualifier.
With seven individual state qualifiers returning from this year’s roster, the Fennimore wrestling dynasty isn’t about to end anytime soon.
2018 SWAL All-Conference Wrestling Team
First Team
106 Brody Lee, Fennimore fr.
113 Gage Updike, Boscobel so.
120 Mason Lull, Fennimore so.
126 Danny Pittz, Mineral Point jr.
132 Aidan Nutter, Fennimore so.
Caden Carey, Mineral Point jr.
138 Trevor Wanek, Fennimore jr.
Kolbe Ubersox, Darlington/BH jr.
145 Riley Blair, Fennimore sr.
152 Maguire Fitzgerald, Fennimore jr.
160 Max Maylor, Iowa–Grant/High. sr.
Will Ahnen, Fennimore so.
170 Tyler Hach, Riverdale so.
182 Brady Peat, Iowa–Grant/High. sr.
195 Caleb Johnson, Riverdale sr.
220 Brody Milz, Darlington/BH sr.
Drew Hennessey, I–G/High. jr.
285 Sean Deglow, Riverdale sr.
Second Team
106 Justice Dilley, Riverdale fr.
113 Luke Blair, Fennimore so.
120 Alex Zimmer, Iowa–Grant/High. jr.
126 Paul King, Darlington/BH sr.
132 Braiden Pickett, Boscobel so.
138 Dakota Frazier, Boscobel jr.
145 Logan Schmitz,Mineral Point jr.
152 Tanner Bassett, Boscobel jr.
160 Clayton Kite, Iowa–Grant/High. sr.
170 Chase Beinborn, Boscobel jr.
182 Trevor Neuroth, Fennimore sr.
195 Brayden Leffler, Fennimore jr.
220 Garret Wilmot, Riverdale sr.
285 Fancisco Garcia, CC/SW/Ben. sr.
