Whiting, Stegeman state title wins top Times Herald stories

Editor’s note: The following is a list of the top five sports stories for 2019, as voted on by NEW Media editorial staff.

1. Whiting caps freshman season with state title

Oconto Falls’ Clayton Whiting had high expectations for himself in his first high school wrestling season. The then-freshman lived up to the hype, taking first at regionals and sectionals before capping the season with a 2019 state title in the Division 2 152-pound weight class.

Whiting knocked off three seniors on the way to his state title, winning three decisions. His 9-0 decision win in the first-place match capped a 48-3 season.

“It’s kind of crazy; everyone is like, ‘Oh, he’s just a freshman. He shouldn’t be nothing.’ But I’m a whole different other person out on the mat — I can change people’s minds like that,” said Whiting after winning state.

Along with his state title, Whiting was also named to the North Eastern Conference first team.

Oconto Falls’ Tyler Budz and Gillett/Suring’s Sam Lemens also ended their seasons competing at the state tournament.

2. Stegeman wins state pole vault title

Suring Mitch Stegeman enjoyed a strong high school athletic career, capping it with some big-time honors and accomplishments in his senior season.

Stegeman ended the school year competing in three track and field events at the 2019 State Track and Field Championships. Stegeman came in seventh in the 300-meter hurdles, fifth in the high jump and cleared 14 feet to take home a Division 3 pole vault title.

“I am super excited to have placed first. It was a goal of mine ever since I started vaulting in sixth grade,” Stegeman said. “Freshman and sophomore year, I was the top Division 3 vaulter in my grade. Last year was a little disappointing because I didn’t go up any, but this year was just a dream come true.”

Stegeman, who was the ninth Suring boy to win a state title, earned 16 points on his own, which tied Suring for 11th among the Division 3 state boys teams.

A few months earlier, Stegeman was dazzling on the basketball court, helping Suring reach the regional title game.

Stegeman was named the Marinette & Oconto Conference’s Player of the Year after averaging 18.9 points.

3. Gillett cross-country teams make it to state

With young, yet experienced rosters, the Gillett cross-country teams believed they could both make it to state. The girls and boys teams were able to achieve that goal, taking first at sectionals to qualify for the WIAA Cross-Country State Championships.

Both teams turned in strong showings at state, with the girls team placing second and the boys seventh.

Sophomore Ryann Wagner took 20th overall as an individual to lead the girls team, while junior Sylvia Hansen came in 32nd. Sophomore Angela Mosconi took 62nd, freshman Cheyenne Krueger was 67th and freshman Kasey Hansen placed 69th to fill out the team score. Freshman Megan Wagner and sophomore Alaina Herzog were also ran at state.

“It (taking second as a team) means the absolute world to me,” said Sylvia Hansen. “These girls on my team gave everything they had this season and it showed today. I’m so proud and so blessed by God to be a part of such an amazing, hard-working group of people that I can share my love for running with.”

Alex Peterson led the boys team, finishing 38th overall. Junior Derek Hanson came in 48th, while sophomore Connor Hanson took 81st. Freshman Evan Peterson placed 95th and junior Riley Engebretsen 97th to cap the team score, while sophomore Antonio Lizarrag was the team’s sixth runner.

Earlier in the season, the girls and boys teams each captured M&O titles.

4. Suring football team makes playoffs

After making the playoffs as an 11-man team in 2018, the Suring football team made the transition to 8-man this fall. Behind a huge year from senior Logan Stuart, the Eagles tied for the MONLPC-8 title and earned a No. 2 seed for the playoffs.

Stuart led the way, eventually being named the conference’s offensive and defensive player of the year. He rushed for 2,475 yards and 32 touchdowns while racking up 162 total tackles and forcing six fumbles on defense.

“It’s truly an honor, and I couldn’t be happier. I’m so glad that my last football season in high school went as well as it did, and I got to enjoy it with the best team I could’ve asked for,” said Stuart.

A total of seven Eagles were named to an all-conference team.

Suring’s only regular-season loss came to Gibraltar, who would eventually be the team that knocked the Eagles out of the playoffs.

5. Five track and field athletes shine at state

It wasn’t just Stegeman that turned in a strong showing at the 2019 State Track and Field Championships, as individuals from Gillett and Oconto Falls also had success there.

Oconto Falls’ Kari Albrecht, a junior at the time, competed in the 100 hurdles. Albrecht took eighth in the prelims, which qualified for the finals, where she again placed eighth.

Gillett’s Bo Krueger, also a junior at the time, qualified for the finals in the discus. Krueger made the podium (top six) with a sixth-place finish.

Teammate Aubrey DeBauch, then a sophomore, also ended the season on the podium. She placed sixth in the 300 hurdles.

Then sophomores Sylvia Hansen and Derek Hanson also competed at state for Gillett.

Hansen finished seventh in the 1,600 before taking 11th in the 3,200. Hanson came in 10th in the 1,600.