The Ellsworth Wrestling program announced this year's Hall of Fame selections this week, and they are Ara Engeset, Mark Matzek, Jerad Erlandson and Chuck Foy.

Each of these men have been a big part of the Panthers Wrestling tradition and continue to reside in Ellsworth to this day.

Matzek says he is competitive by nature, and his love for sports drew him into the Ellsworth wrestling program. His oldest brother Dennis carted Mark and his younger brother Tim all over the region to wrestling tournaments as youth and as cadets and juniors.

The commitment of the parents and the rise of Ellsworth wrestling in the late 1990s helped Matzek to win the 112-pound state title in 1999, which ended a 14-year state title drought for Ellsworth. A year later, he won the 125-pound state title along with his teammates Jeremy Gunderson and Josh Erlandson. This only got better when the team won the program’s first dual meet team state title a week later.

Overall, Matzek earned his stripes as a two-time state champion, three-time All-American and two-time national champion for the Auggies. He was also a three-time Scholar All-American. After college, he joined the coaching staff at his alma mater as an assistant before taking over as the head coach of their program in 2008. His teams placed second in the nation three times, third in the nation, and were the NCAA team champions in 2010.

Since moving back to Ellsworth with his wife Jessica and taking over the helm for the Panthers’ wrestling program, the team has placed second as a team at state three times and has won the team title twice in back-to-back years in 2016 and 2017.

Jerad Erlandson punched his ticket to the Ellsworth Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002 when he earned his way to state and wrestled his way into winning the Individual State Championship.

Erlandson’s wresting career began in grade school when he would go on the road with his family and friends for wrestling tournaments. Over time, he developed a unique wrestling style with his signature leg riding/crab riding move that set him apart from the competition and could best be described as "creative" or "unconventional.”

By the time he reached the high school level, he was ready to shine. Erlandson made his varsity debut as a freshman at 125 pounds where he was a force to be reckoned with, never once finding himself on the junior varsity roster. Despite a slight setback in 2000 with a broken jaw, Jerad Erlandson bounced back and returned just in time for the team state tournament, which resulted in a team championship.

Highlights of his high school career include becoming an Individual State Champion in 2002 at 135 pounds, racking up a record of 127-20, winning the Sectional Championship in 2002, and clinching fourf Regional Championships from 1999 to 2002. He also served as team captain in 2002 as well, which was his senior year.

He went on to wrestle some in college but returned to open Clyde's Corner Bar and Grill in Beldenville with his wife, Sara Gutting.

Chuck Foy was one of Ellsworth's first state place winners in the class of 1972. He wrestled on the varsity team for four years under Kirby Symes from 1968–1972. During that time, he won four UWRF invite championships, three conference and regional championships, two sectional championships and took sixth in the state tournament.

“I was coached by Kirby Symes, Dave Amdahl, and Tom Madison. Under the tutelage of those men, and spending a lot of time in that small, smelly wrestling room, I learned many life lessons that after 56 years stick with me today,” Foy said. “Kirby was quite a guy to be around. He didn’t pull any punches about how he felt. Even with us young guys.”

Foy says one of the funniest things the guys in the room ever saw was the big Symes trying to work on the mat with the skinny 95-pound version of himself on some leg positions, which he says “must have been quite a sight.”

“I did have the opportunity a couple years before he died to contract some remodeling on his home. I got to have lunch with him and his wife Ty just about every day for a couple weeks,” Foy said. “I was fortunate to have a son who had an interest in wrestling, so that kept me involved with Panther wrestling for quite a few more years. At the 2023 Ellsworth Invite, I was watching my son coach for another team while I was holding my grandson, his son, in the stands. Truly a full circle moment.”

Life after wrestling has been typical, according to Foy. Post secondary schooling, employment in the construction management/contracting field, 46 years of marriage to his wife Deb, two children, five grandchildren, and now semi-retirement.

“I want to thank the Association for this honor and will fondly remember it for the rest of my days,” Foy said.

Ara Engeset was a multisport athlete in Ellsworth who eventually gravitated towards focusing on his favorite of all his youth activities, wrestling. He credits the many dedicated parents who drove the kids around to tournaments for making it all possible, and it was these tournaments that allowed him to meet other kids outside his friend group who had not followed him in his pursuit of wrestling.

The biggest influence on wrestling for him was when he saw the dedication of the high school wrestlers and alumni who helped out with the youth practices and even showed up for the junior high and middle school practices.

In 1999, Engeset began his varsity career as a sophomore competing with one of the Panthers most prolific squads who took second at team state later that season. Individually, he brought home a sixth=place finish, weighing in at 103 pounds.

The following year, the wrestling team returned to the state tournaments where they brought home the wrestling team state championship to Ellsworth. Individually, he placed fifth, once again at 103 pounds.

“It was the best moment of my wrestling career,” Engeset said.

The 2001 season was his last, and he started off his senior year with a home dual match. After coming off the mat completely exhausted, he sat next to Jack Radabaugh to watch the next match who asked Engeset what his goal was for that season, and without hesitation he responded “to win a state title.”

It was then that Engeset realized that he needed to step it up not only for his coach but for himself and his team. That year his record was 35-5 and he won the 112-pound state championship, and the Ellsworth Wrestling Team made it all the way to the finals and ended up finishing second in the state as a team once again.

Ellsworth Scholarly Athletes

Seniors Molly Janke and Logan Brand of Ellsworth were chosen to represent their school as Middle Border Conference Scholar Athletes at a banquet held at St. Croix Central High School this past week.

Every year, MBC member schools select one male and one female senior to receive recognition. Students must have a minimum of four varsity letters and a 3.5 GPA to be eligible, and the 16 conference nominees, their friends and family are all invited to the event where they deliver speeches on what participating in high school athletics has meant to them.

The MBC Male Scholar Athlete for 2024 from Ellsworth is Brand, who is a two-sport athlete that has earned a total of five letters in football and basketball while maintaining a 3.6 GPA. He is also an active member in 4-H, FFA, NHS, Math League and Senior Council, so he truly understands the impact that being involved can have on his future. 

Next year,Brand will attend Iowa State University to major in Agricultural Business.

This year’s 2024 MBC Female Scholar Athlete from Ellsworth is Janke, who is a decorated three-sport athlete and has earned a total of 11 letters in Tennis, Basketball and Softball while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

She has participated at the state tennis meet and received Middle Border All Conference Awards as an individual in basketball, tennis, and softball. 

Janke will also graduate this spring as the school leader in points, steals, assists and rebounds in basketball. She is one out of only 15 athletes in the state to earn Academic Elite Honors from the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association and has earned All-State Recognition in basketball two years in a row. She has been selected to play in the WBCA All-Star Game this summer.

Next year, Janke will be attending UW-La Crosse and will major in Exercise Science and is playing basketball for the Eagles.