Evansvilles Danny Heiser celebrates after winning the Division 2 championship match at 150 pounds during the 2024 WIAA state individual wrestling tournament. Heiser finished his high school career by going four-for-four as state champion.
Through his wrestling career so far the focus of Evansvilles Danny Heiser and his coach has always been the next thing.
Saturday night, the next thing was Heiser winning his third state championship in as many years.
The future University of Missouri wrestler scored takedowns in each period against Max Ronsman of Luxemburg-Casco to win a 6-1 decision and join the list of fewer than 100 wrestlers in state history to have won three titles.
Around this time next year, the next thing will be joining an even shorter list of four-time champions.
It feels really good knowing that Im doing something that not a lot of people have done, but at the same time, Im focused on bigger things, Heiser said. My goal is not to be state champ. Its to be national champ, to be winning these bigger tournaments.
Heiser, a junior, credits his success thus far to staying disciplined and working out even when he feels like taking a day off.
Thats just how I keep myself going, he said.
Evansvilles Danny Heiser competes with Luxemburg-Cascos Max Ronsman in the Division 2 championship match at 150 pounds during the WIAA state individual wrestling tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
Blue Devils coach Kent Weiler said thats what sets wrestlers like Heiser and his future collegiate teammate Aeoden Sinclair of Milton apart.
Hes just a young man, but he has these habits and routines that others dont, he said. Aeoden does. Thats the same thing, thats what they do. Theyre not happy with being mediocre.
Over the course of the season, he proved hes anything but. He also picked up wins over this years 150-pound champions in divisions 1 and 3, Wyatt Duchateau of Hartland Arrowhead and Stone Pomeroy of Random Lake.
We know hes the best 150-pounder in the state of Wisconsin, Weiler said.
And while Heiser is quick to turn to the next thing, Weiler said his wrestler will enjoy his state championship before getting back to work.
Hes humble and hes happy to be here, the coach said. He enjoys the moment. He likes to score the next point. ... Hes just thankful and grateful for the opportunity to compete.
Evansvilles Danny Heiser competes with Luxemburg-Cascos Max Ronsman in the Division 2 championship match at 150 pounds during the WIAA state individual wrestling tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison in 2024. Heiser wrestles today (7 p.m.) at 157-pounds in a Division 2 semifinal.
Evansvilles Danny Heiser competes with Luxemburg-Cascos Max Ronsman in the Division 2 championship match at 150 pounds during the WIAA state individual wrestling tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.