By Tim Kowols

The championship layoff is over for two local teams as the high school wrestling season kicks off this weekend.

The defending Packerland Conference champion Kewaunee Storm hits the road Thursday evening for its first dual meet of the season against Green Bay West. The Storm will likely be led by Packerland Conference wrestler of the year Jack Severin, who took 5th in last season’s individual state tournament. Kewaunee hopes to repeat its team success from last year after winning several tournaments along the way to a berth to the WIAA Team Sectional.

The state champion Luxemburg-Casco Spartans wrestling team also gets underway Thursday evening with a dual meet at conference rival Wrightstown. The Spartans return a number of its lightweight wrestlers crucial to its title run in Madison last year, including three-time state champion Bryce Bosman.

Both dual meets begin at 6:30 p.m. with junior varsity matches preceding the varsity meet.

The pair of meets kicks off a busy weekend of wrestling for area teams. See below for Saturday’s schedule:

LUXEMBURG-CASCO: Triple dual at home Saturday against Bay Port, Green Bay Preble, and Sheboygan Falls
STURGEON BAY/SEVASTOPOL: Papermaker Invitational at Kimberly
KEWAUNEE: Papermaker Invitational at Kimberly
SOUTHERN DOOR: Tournament at Stratford