Sauk Prairie wrestlers picked for third

The following preview of the Northern Badger Conference was compiled Wissports.net.   2019 recap: Stoughton won the conference tournament going away. The Vikings were the No. 1 ranked team in all of the Division 1 for the duration of the season and went on to win their second consecutive Team State championship.  In total, the Badger Conference produced a pair of individual state champions and 11 state place winners.  Ten of last year’s 14 conference champions are expected back this year.  Team Previews 1. Stoughton The Vikings bring back five 2019 conference champions, including sophomore Nicolar Rivera who is ranked seventh in the nation at 126 pounds. Rivera was a perfect 58-0 last season en route to a Division 1 state title at 106 pounds.  Senior Braeden Whitehead is back in the fold. He was tops in the conference at 132 a year ago and was a state qualifier.  Junior Luke Mechler was the Badger Conference champ at 145 in 2019 and finished the year as state runner-up in D1 at 145 pounds. His teammate, Gavin Model, was conference champion at 152 and went on to qualify for state. He is also part of Stoughton’s strong returning contingent.  Brooks Empey was the 195-pound conference champ as a sophomore last season. He was a state runner-up at that weight class.  State qualifier Brandt Spilde is also back this season. He was third in the conference at 170 a year ago.  The Vikings are bringing back wrestlers that scored 268.5 of their conference tournament team points, a total that encompasses more than 70% of their 2019 total. Their returning wrestlers alone would have placed them second at the last year’s tournament.  Stoughton opens the year as the No. 1 team in D1 according to the Wisconsin Wrestling Online Team Rankings.   2. Waunakee  The Warriors return a pair of conference champions in Sam Lorenz (120) and Colton Grindle (170).  Lorenz, a junior, was a D1 state qualifier a year ago and posted a record of 32-6. Grindle, a senior, also qualified for state with a 41-8 mark.  Waunakee also brings back state qualifiers Kolby Heinz (106) and Berhett Statz (126). Each finished third at the conference tournament a year ago.  The Warriors were regional champions last season, ultimately falling to Holmen at team sectionals.  Waunakee begins the season ranked No. 7 in D1 in the Wisconsin Wrestling Online Team Rankings.    3. Sauk Prairie  Junior heavyweight Connor Warren leads the way for the Eagles this season. He was a conference champion a year ago  State qualifiers Dawson Enge (106) and Marcus Hankins (195) are also back. Hankins placed second at the conference tournament a season ago.    4. Baraboo  The Thunderbirds have a pair of returning state qualifiers back in the fold.  Brandon Jesse (132) was 31-13 a year ago and placed third in conference, while fellow junior Carlos Chavez (145) was 36-10 and also placed third.  Baraboo starts the year as an honorable mention selection in the Division 1 team rankings.    5. Milton  A program with a strong tradition trying to return to its former glory, Milton brings back conference champ Riley Nilo (106) who went on to place sixth at the individual state tournament.  The RedHawks also return sophomore Kade Desormeau (152) and senior Jordan Stivarius (160), who were both fourth in conference last year.    6. Watertown  Senior Edward Wilkowski will lead the charge for the Goslings this year. He finished second in the conference at 126, falling to Jessie Tijerina of Portage in the championship match.  Wilkowski avenged that loss in the state tournament as he topped his conference nemesis in the state semifinals, pinning Tijerina in 3:43. Wilowski ultimately finished as state runner-up.    7. DeForest  The Norskies bring back talented sophomore Brody Hemauer who placed second in the conference at 138. Hemauer went on the qualify for state.  Sophomore Chase Shortreed is as also back in the fold. He was conference runner-up at 106 last season.    8. Monroe  A pair of solid seniors will highlight the upper weights for the Cheesemakers.  Bodie Minder placed fourth at state at 220 pounds. He was finished third at the conference tournament last year and posted a record of 41-10.  Alex Witt was runner-up in the Badger Conference at 170 and went on to qualify for State. He compiled a mark of 42-8.    9. Fort Atkinson  Thomas Watkins placed third in the conference tournament at 195 pounds as a sophomore. He dropped to 182 for the state tournament series and ultimately qualified for state.  He finished the season with a record of 37-9.  Senior Sawyer Brandenburg placed fourth in conference at 113 and is also back this year.    10. Portage The aforementioned Tijerina was the conference champ at 126 last year. He went on to place sixth at state.  He is complemented in the middle of the lineup by sophomore Lowell Arnold. He was conference runner-up at 132 a season ago and qualified for the individual state tournament.    11. Beaver Dam  Sophomore Kyler Neuberger is the top returner for Beaver Dam. He placed fourth in the conference at 106 punds.  Monona Grove/McFarland  Zachary Gunderson will lead the way for MGM. He was conference runner-up at 145 pounds last season.    12. Reedsburg  Nick Coplien is the top returner. The junior was fourth in the conference at 138 a season ago.  Junior Garrett Schinker is also back. He placed fifth at145.    13. Mount Horeb  Senior Josh Radke was sixth at 160 last season, while junior Ethan Steinhoff was sixth at 132. Both hope to be building blocks for the Vikings the year.    14. Oregon  Nathan Hall is the top returner for Oregon. The senior finished sixth in conference at 195.  Sophomore Michael Schliem is also back. He placed seventh at 126.