March of Champions a season highlight

Wrestlers trot out during the March of Champions at February's state championships.

When I started covering high school athletics a few years ago, I have to admit I knew nothing about wrestling. I didn’t know how it was scored, didn’t know the strategy, didn’t know the terminology.

If I covered a match, my conversations with the coaches afterwards were essentially a walk-on-eggshells endeavor where I tried not to ask a stupid question. I didn’t want to insult the coaches by trying to interpret an event about which I knew precious little.

I like to think I’ve made a pretty good effort to understand it since then, largely because it has become one of my favorite sports to cover. I’m in tune with who can be considered the best wrestlers or teams in the state, I can identify pretty much everything the moderate fan understands and I positively love the state tournament in Madison. I’ve been lucky enough to cover a small handful of state champions, continuing last weekend when Arrowhead’s Jake Sueflohn won the 135-pound state title.

I don’t think people outside the wrestling community expect or understand how remarkable the finals round Saturday can be. With so many different communities represented, the Kohl Center is essentially filled to the rafters. The three divisions host concurrent matches, so the waves of cheering sometimes come without warning for people zoned in on a specific match.

There must be an official title for what happens immediately before the start of the finals matches – I’m pretty sure it’s the “March of Champions,” but I’ve heard “Ring of Champions,” “Ring of Honor” and a few other variations. With the lights off and spotlights rolling through the venue, two separate lines of wrestlers emerge from the Kohl Center’s service level and circle the arena.

These are the state finalists, and each wrestler ultimately finds a spot along one of the mats, where they stand for the national anthem. Standing directly across the way is the last competitor blocking the path to a state title.

A well-produced video package showcasing the action earlier in the weekend precedes the march, and afterwards comes the flurry of title matches. It occurs to me watching the march that every one of the competitors is at the most elite level, and half of them are going to walk away having etched a permanent place in state history. It winds up being pretty powerful.

There are other moments each year that stand out – not the least of which is the occasional standing ovation from the house, usually afforded to a four-time state champion or other remarkable achiever. This year, 171-pound wrestler Davion Willis of Milwaukee Custer was given the tribute after he won a state title, a rare feat for a wrestler from the City Conference.

But to me, it’s the march that makes the state wrestling tournament such a unique experience. There is an awe generated from seeing the absolute best grouped together in that format, more than there would be for the light-hearted atmosphere of an All-Star game.

Even if you understand nothing about the sport, it’s easy to appreciate.