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Meeuwsen wins state title with second-period pin

By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor


MADISON – Bay Port’s Max Meeuwsen never really thought he could win a state wrestling title.

“My coaches always told me they thought I could win a state title and that should be my goal, but I wasn’t sure if that’s what they just told everyone,” laughed Meeuwsen, who is a Division I football recruit.

As it turns out, his coaches were right.

The junior capped off a near-perfect season when he won the WIAA Division 1 heavyweight title in Madison Feb. 23 with a second-period pin of Janesville Craig’s Keeanu Benton.

The Pirates’ last individual wrestling state champ came in 2015 when Alec Ingold won the 220-pound title. Ingold is now preparing for the NFL draft after a successful career at UW-Madison.

The 6-foot-1, 230-pound Meeuwsen, who ended the season at 40-1, had never wrestled or even watched a high school match before his sophomore season. He also didn’t know any of the moves that would eventually help him win a state title.

“I didn’t think I could do it, but it feels great,” Meeuwsen said. “After sectionals, I was feeling really good, but I still wasn’t sure where I’d place. I hadn’t seen half of the guys at state, so I didn’t know how good they were.”

Meeuwsen garnered all his strength to lift and throw the much-heavier Benton early in the second period to set up the pin.

“My coaches and I figured Benton was probably wrestling close to 290 pounds by the time of the match,” he added. “I had seen videos on him throwing kids around on the mat. I knew the only way I would face him was in the finals match, and prior to the tournament when I thought about that, it made me nervous. But once I got to the tournament, I knew he could be beaten like anyone else.”

When Meeuwsen threw Benton to the mat, he appeared to knock the wind out of him, making him go limp.

“He wasn’t moving too much, so I put the headlock on him,” Meeuwsen added. “After I did that, I felt him quit moving and I got the pin. I think he blacked out a little bit.”

Benton responded quickly after a few seconds and got up and congratulated Bay Port’s new state champ.

Ironically, Meeuwsen doesn’t think he will wrestle much between now and next season but will hit the weight room in hopes of putting on 15 pounds.

“It’s weird to say, but wrestling is kind of a side sport for me,” he said. “I really love the sport, but now I’ll start focusing on track and football again. I like to take each season one at a time and focus on the task at hand.”

Editor’s note: For more pictures from the state tournament from Andrew Pekarek, log on to prepsagenda.com or follow him on Twitter (@AndrewPekarek).

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