Prep Chatter: Some of nation's best wrestlers in Kaukauna for 25th Cheesehead Invitational; Hortonville girls get big FVA win over Neenah
One of the Midwest's most prestigious high school wrestling tournaments is this week in Kaukauna with the 25th annual Cheesehead Invitational.
The two-day tournament starts Friday at 5:15 p.m. and continues through Saturday (8:30 a.m. start). An all-sessions adult ticket is $28 with seniors (60-plus) $23 and students $18 and can be purchased online at cheeseheadwrestling.com.
The tournament features 39 teams from around the nation, including 15 from Wisconsin: Kaukauna, Wisconsin Rapids, Hartland Arrowhead, Hudson, Freedom, Evansville, Fennimore, Amery, Mineral Point, Oconomowoc, Mukwonago, West Bend West, Pewaukee, Wrightstown and Homestead.
Illinois has 11 teams at the event: Prospect, St. Charles East, Barrington, Joliet Catholic, DeKalb, Lockport, Edwardsville, Neuqua Valley, Grant, Warren Township and Yorkville.
Minnesota teams include Simley, Kasson-Mantorville, Saint Thomas, Wayzata and Farmington. Simley has won the Cheesehead team championship the past three years.
Other states represented include Iowa (Southeast Polk), Nebraska (Millard South), Colorado (Chaparral, Ponderosa), Georgia (Jefferson), Missouri (Smithville) and Oklahoma (Coweta).
There are two top-ranked national wrestlers competing with Ben Davino (132 pounds) of St. Charles East and Amery's Koy Hopke (285). West Bend West's Connor Mirasola (190) and Cole Mirasola (285) are ranked second nationally in their weight class, with Homestead's Charlie Millard (157) and Joliet Catholic's Dillan Johnson (285) ranked third.
Polar Bears get big win over Rockets in FVA girls basketball
The Hortonville girls basketball team's 62-60 overtime victory over Neenah on Tuesday leaves a logjam at the top of the Fox Valley Association standings.
Hortonville, Neenah and Kimberly are all tied atop the FVA with 6-1 records.
Hortonville, the No. 7-ranked team in the state in Division 1 by wissports.net, got a superb performance from Rainey Welson in the win over the second-ranked Rockets. Welson scored 35 points and had eight rebounds. Teammate Mikayla Werner added 12 points and 15 rebounds.
Hortonville coach AC Clouthier said he challenged the Polar Bears to raise their level of play heading into the showdown with Neenah.
"I got after our athletes the other day. I thought we were very lackluster and unenergetic, especially on defense and getting what we call 50/50 loose balls and getting some rebounds," he said. "(Neenah) for not being super tall − dare I say that − they're scrappy and they rebound very well and they have bodies everywhere. We challenged our kids all week, our athletes, to make those plays and get those loose balls."
Neenah led late in the second half before Hortonville got back-to-back steals and baskets from Paige Lillie and Welson to help send the game into the extra period.
"Honestly, we just do it for each other," Welson said. "If one of us dives on the floor, all of us are there to pick them up and cheer them on. The second we see someone getting a good block we're like, 'Hey, that was a good play, keep it up.' So we're just constantly encouraging each other and that makes us more confident to dive for those balls and get those dirty possessions and keep going with it."
Area basketball rankings
*Teams are ranked "pound-for-pound" based on success against similar enrollments:
GIRLS
1, St. Mary Catholic (11-0): Top-ranked Zephyrs not only a Division 4 powerhouse, they can beat D1 teams too after handing Oshkosh North a 61-40 defeat. Next: Thursday vs. Pacelli.
2, Kimberly (9-2): Papermakers ascend to No. 2 after Neenah's loss to Hortonville. Kate McGinnis (18.9), Raegan Krueger (11.8) and Ava Van Vonderen (10.2) lead the team in scoring. Next: Friday vs. Fond du Lac.
3, Hortonville (8-3): Polar Bears' three losses have been to Pewaukee, Providence Academy (Minn.) and Kimberly. Next: Friday vs. Oshkosh North.
4, Neenah (10-2): Rockets tumble from top spot after loss to Hortonville. Allie Ziebell is one of the state's top scorers at 30.2 points per game. Next: Friday at Appleton West.
5, Xavier (8-4): Hawks' tough nonconference schedule that included matchups with Laconia, West De Pere and La Crosse Aquinas should bode well as they enter the bulk of the Bay Conference schedule. Next: Friday vs. Green Bay East.
Also: Appleton East (8-3), New London (12-2), Freedom (7-4), Wrightstown (6-4).
BOYS
1, Brillion (12-0): Defending Division 3 state champs are tied atop the Eastern Wisconsin with Kiel. The teams tangle this week for conference supremacy. Next: Friday vs. Kiel.
2, Appleton North (9-1): Lightning suffers first loss of season, 63-60, on Tuesday to Fond du Lac. Team will look to rebound against Bay Port. Next: Thursday vs. Bay Port.
3, Fox Valley Lutheran (8-0): Foxes have tough matchups this week with Freedom before nonconference showdown with Xavier on Saturday. Next: Thursday vs. Freedom.
4, Xavier (9-1): Hawks also suffer first loss in 64-48 setback to Milwaukee Pius XI. Tyler Brightman leads team in points (15.9) and rebounds (8.4). Next: Friday at New London.
5, Kaukauna (7-2): Ghosts have won seven of their last eight games. Keegan Van Kauwenberg (20.4) leads the team in scoring. Next: Saturday at Madison Memorial.
Others: Clintonville (8-2), St. Mary Catholic (8-3), Freedom (7-2), New London (6-3), Hortonville (7-4), Kimberly (5-4), Hilbert (5-4).
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Prep Chatter: Kaukauna wrestling hosting 25th Cheesehead Invitational
