State titles in three different sports were passed out over the weekend.
WRESTLING
Kaukauna, St. Croix Falls, and Mineral Point earned championships at the 2025 State Team Wrestling Tournament Saturday at the UW Field House.
Top-seed Kaukauna (20-0) won its fifth straight team title in Division 1 with a 54-13 victory over second-seeded Arrowhead (14-2) in the championship match. The Galloping Ghosts came out strong in the match, winning the first five bouts and eight of the first nine. They secured multiple wins by fall, including Brady Sprangers at 175, Trenton VanSchyndel at 106, Andy DiPiazza at 126, Breck Ritchie at 144, and Kolin DeGroot. In addition, technical falls by Zach Winnekens at 190, Nick Jenkins at 120, and Peyton Lee at 157 ensured the Galloping Ghosts another title. Kaukauna won its ninth team championship in its membership-leading 23rd Team Tournament appearance. The Galloping Ghosts navigated through the bracket to reach the finals with a 62-17 win over West Allis Hale in the quarterfinals and a 40-22 victory over Holmen in the semifinals. Arrowhead was runner-up in its 13th tourney appearance. The Warhawks topped Waukesha West 43-28 in the quarterfinals and edged Bay Port 35-24 in the semifinals to advance to the final.
In Division 2, second-seeded St. Croix Falls (12-1) emerged victorious over top-seeded Coleman (18-2) by a final score of 38-29. Saints’ wrestlers who delivered pivotal wins by fall included Carter Ridgeway, Dominic Viebrock at 132, Jack Ryan at 138, and Drake Petersen at 165. Coleman received strong efforts from Parker Owens at 106, Cole Berth at 157, and Micah Kuchta at 190. However, the Saints' overall depth proved to be the difference-maker. St. Croix Falls won its first wrestling team championship in the program’s fifth appearance at the State Tournament. In semifinal action earlier in the day, the Saints defeated Kewaskum 43-32. Coleman, which finished runner-up in Division 3 last season, moved up to Division 2 this year to finish runner-up in the Cougars’ 18th-team tournament experience. They tripped up Fennimore 34-30 in the semifinals.
Second-seeded Mineral Point (19-1) edged out top-seeded Weyauwega-Fremont (26-2) 32-28 in the hard-fought Division 3 title bout. For St. Croix Falls, Memphis Burkhalter and Roen Carey recorded critical pins at 106 and 144, respectively. Kade Rule and Liam Carey also added technical falls to help propel the Pointers toward the victory. Despite Weyauwega-Fremont securing a pin by Carter Birdyshaw at 138 and a late forfeit win, Mineral Point’s tactical victories in tight matches sealed the State championship. Mineral Point captured the school’s 13th team championship, including six since the advent of the dual-team tournament format. The Pointers downed Oostburg 45-33 in the semifinals to advance to the tournament final. Weyauwega-Fremont placed runner-up in its second State appearance. The Warhawks advanced to the final with a 39-23 victory over Stratford in the semifinals.
HOCKEY
The 2025 State Hockey Tournament produced boys champions in two divisions and one girls division at Bob Suter’s LEGACY20 Arena Saturday.
Edgewood (23-6) stormed past third-seeded Notre Dame (19-9) 5-2 in the Division 1 championship game, securing the program’s first-ever state championship in its eighth tournament appearance. The Crusaders is the first #4 seed to win a title since seeding the State Tournament began. The game started with fireworks early as Notre Dame struck first. Just 3:55 into the opening period, Owen Atkinson capitalized on a power-play opportunity, assisted by Drew Heil, to give the Tritons a 1-0 lead. Edgewood responded late in the first period when Owen Koch found the back of the net at 15:27, with an assist from Owen Porter, to even the score at 1-1 heading into intermission.
The second period was all Crusaders, as Davis Halbleib broke the tie with an unassisted goal 2:41 into the frame to put Edgewood on top 2-1. Later in the period, Owen Porter extended the lead with a power-play goal at 14:54, assisted by Matt Richter and Bennett Cagle, giving the Crusaders a 3-1 cushion heading into the final period. Koch struck again early in the third, notching his second goal of the night at 3:24 with another assist from Porter and Owen Barnet. Notre Dame fought back with a late power-play goal at 15:14 by Andrew Ostermann, assisted by Heil and Atkinson. However, it wasn’t enough to spark any comeback because just 22 seconds later, Halbleib sealed the victory with his second goal of the night at 15:36, off an assist from Richter. The Crusaders outshot Notre Dame 29-26, with Koch and Halbleib leading the offensive charge with two goals. Porter was instrumental in the victory, tallying a goal and two assists. On the defensive end, Edgewood goalie Hayden Reuhl was stellar between the pipes, stopping 24 of 26 shots. The Tritons were led offensively by Owen Atkinson, with a goal and an assist, and Drew Heil, who dished out two assists. Anton Widas recorded 24 saves in the game for Notre Dame. After winning the championship the past two seasons, Notre Dame finishes runner-up in their 12th State Tournament appearance.
Top-seeded Tomahawk (22-6-1) made school history by winning its first championship in its third State appearance. The Hatchets captured the Division 2 title with a 5-3 victory over second-seeded Amery Co-op (24-4). The game got off to a lightning-fast start, with Tomahawk’s Jett Reilly scoring just 42 seconds into the contest off a feed from Brayden Lamer. Amery quickly answered when Logan Doten found the back of the net at 4:29 in the first period, assisted by Jasic Manning and Jacob Maxon, leveling the score at 1-1. In the second period, Amery grabbed its first lead as Elliot Greene capitalized on a power play at 3:12, with Doten picking up the assist. However, Tomahawk responded with two consecutive goals to take control. Jonah Dickens tied the game at 8:57, assisted by Reilly, before Lamer netted a power-play goal at 11:05 off assists from Dickens and Reilly, giving Tomahawk a 3-2 advantage heading into the third period. Tomahawk extended its lead in the third period when Sawyer Hanna scored a goal at 7:09, with Lamer adding his third assist and Lamer his second. Just over a minute later, Reilly struck again, assisted by Austin and Bryden Lamer, to put Tomahawk ahead 5-2. Amery Co-op fought to stay in the game, cutting the deficit to 5-3 when Gavin Humpal converted on a power play at 10:05, assisted by Kemper Lundgren, but the Hatchets held on the rest of the way to clinch the title. Tomahawk outshot Amery 34-25, with Reilly leading the way offensively with two goals and two assists. Brayden Lamer added a goal and three assists, while Dickens contributed two goals. In net, the Hatchets’ Trevor Seliskar made 22 saves. Logan Doten led the Warriors on offense with a goal and an assist. Defensively, goalie Carter Meyer made a game-high 29 saves. The Amery Co-op, making its debut on the State Tournament stage, finished runner-up.
De Pere Co-op (27-1) captured its second title in the past three seasons with a commanding 8-0 victory over D.C. Everest Co-op (23-6) in the State Girls Hockey Tournament championship game at LEGACY20 Arena in Middleton. The top-seeded Ice Bears wasted no time seizing control, striking twice in the first period. Faye Brunke opened the scoring just 3:48 into the game, assisted by Mya Sheppard and Emily Bill, before doubling her tally at 11:39 with an assist from Bill and Tiana Sindt to give Ice Bears an early 2-0 lead. The offensive onslaught continued in the second period, as Bill scored 3-0 at 2:37, finishing a pass from Julianne Bradford and Brunke. Bradford then got on the board herself at 10:15, with Brunke and Bill notching assists, extending De Pere’s advantage to 4-0 heading into the final period. De Pere Co-op put any doubt on the game’s outcome to rest in the third period, adding four more goals to seal the title. Brunke completed her hat trick with a shorthanded goal at 8:36, assisted by Ava McDonald. Just over a minute later, Lily Lyons found the back of the goal at 9:38, with Hannah Von Haden providing the helper. Rachael Beeck added to the tally at 13:01, assisted by Addison Gady, before Brunke capped off her stellar performance with her fourth goal at 14:33, set up by Bill and Bradford. The four goals were the most scored by an individual in a State final. De Pere Co-op outshot D.C. Everest Co-op 31-16, with Brunke leading the charge with four goals and two assists. Bill contributed a goal and four assists, while Bradford recorded a goal and two assists. Goaltender Reese Spiering stopped all 16 shots she faced to secure the shutout. Conversely, Cami Flohr made 23 saves for D.C. Everest in goal. Offensively, Sophie Bohlin led 10 Storm players with four shots on goal. In its fifth State appearance, the De Pere Co-op avenged last year’s runner-up finish by reclaiming the championship it won in 2023. In addition, the Ice Bears won the title in 2014. Former defending champion D.C. Everest, making its sixth state tournament appearance, finished as the runner-up.
GYMNASTICS
The 2025 State Gymnastics Championships crowned individual champions in five events in two divisions Saturday following the team championships Friday at Wisconsin Rapids High School.
Senior Kylee Frank of Elkhorn won the Division 1 all-around competition after placing eighth last season in Division 2 and third in 2023, compiling a four-event score of 38.050. Junior Zoe Marckesano of Verona/Edgewood scored a 37.50 to finish second in the all-around. Frank also won the uneven bars and the vault events. She earned the title on the bars with a score of 9.683 following a third-place standing last season in Division 2 and a runner-up finish in 2023. Frank’s teammate, junior Norah Adams, was second on the uneven bars with a score of 9.417. Frank captured the vault championship with a performance earning her a score of 9.60. Sophomore Annika Lee of Waunakee/Edgewood came in second with a score of 9.517 following her third-place finish in last year. Another Elkhorn gymnast won the championship on the balance beam. Senior Kate Krauklis scored a 9.583 to win the gold medal, jumping up from 19th place in Division 2 last season. Senior Addison Friedl of Hartford was runner-up in the event with a judges’ score of 9.467 after tying for eighth last season. Marckesano claimed the title in the floor exercise with a score of 9.567, and Ava Krista, a senior from Chippewa Falls/McDonell Catholic, was runner-up with a score of 9.417 after tying for seventh a year ago.
In Division 2, senior McKennah Orth of West Bend East won three titles. She won the all-around championship with a four-event score of 37.183, and she captured the crown in the floor exercise with a 9.65 and tied for the title in the vault at 9.40. Senior Madison Rummel, a teammate of Orth’s, finished second in the floor exercise with a score of 9.517, and junior Zofia Raduege of Jefferson/Cambridge tied Orth for the gold medal on vault with a score 9.40. Sophomore Madelyn Klein of the Dodgeville Co-op claimed the title in the uneven bars competition with a 9.383 and finished second to Orth in the all-around, compiling a tally of 37.067. Senior McKenna Breunig of Sauk Prairie was runner-up to Klein in the uneven bars with an effort earning a score of 9.017. Senior Avery Ash of Rice Lake successfully defended the title she won last season on the balance beam by scoring a 9.583. In addition to her two titles in the event, she also placed runner-up in 2023 and 10th in 2022. Orth came one place away from winning a fourth title in this year’s State championships, finishing runner-up on the beam with a score of 9.467. Chippewa Falls/McDonell Catholic earned the Division 1 title with a four-event team score of 143.55. It’s the first championship in the program’s history. The co-op placed fourth last year and third in 2023. Oak Creek/Whitnall finished runner-up with a total of 142.60 points. Rice Lake won the Division 2 championship with a score of 138.234 to earn the program’s first team championship in its history. The Warriors’ highest finish as a stand-alone program in their previous three State appearances was seventh in 1976. They also qualified 11 times in a former co-op with Cumberland. Monona Grove finished in second place with 137.517 points.
