Milton Tyson Peach celebrates after defeating Janesville Craigs Landon Colson in the 138-pound sectional title match during a Division 1 sectional wrestling meet at Milton High School on Saturday.
Miltons Madi Peach celebrates after a win against Janesville Craigs Niah Holmes in a 126-pound girls sectional semifinal match during a Division 1 sectional wrestling meet at Milton High School on Saturday. Peach won her championship match to qualify for the state tournament in Madison starting Thursday.
Milton Tyson Peach rolls up Janesville Craigs Landon Colson in a 138-pound sectional championship match during a Division 1 sectional wrestling meet at Milton High School on Saturday.
Miltons Madi Peach prepares for her 126-pound sectional semifinal match against Janesville Craigs Niah Holmes during Saturday's Division 1 sectional wrestling meet at Milton High School.
Miltons David Bilhorn competes in a 106-pound sectional championship match with Mukwonagos Gavin Meinecke during a Division 1 sectional wrestling meet at Milton High School on Saturday. Bilhorn lost to Meinecke but came back to win the second-place match and qualify for the state tournament in Madison.
Milton Tyson Peach celebrates after defeating Janesville Craigs Landon Colson in the 138-pound sectional title match during a Division 1 sectional wrestling meet at Milton High School on Saturday.
Miltons Madi Peach prepares for her 126-pound sectional semifinal match against Janesville Craigs Niah Holmes during Saturday's Division 1 sectional wrestling meet at Milton High School.
MILTON Milton High wrestling coach Pat Jauch, his wife, Tiffany, and their family were enjoying a getaway to Wisconsin Dells during the summer of 2022 when his cellphone rang.
Jauch had no idea Christmas was about to come early.
On the other end of the call was Rodney Peach. Peach told Jauch he and his wife, Lisa, had decided to move to Milton from Kimberly so his children could be part of the Red Hawks wrestling program.
Jauch could not believe what he was hearing.
During the 2021-22 wrestling season, Jauch had watched Tyson Peach of Kimberly go up against the Red Hawks Matt Haldiman, who eventually finished second in the state tournament in the 126-pound weight class.
For the first time in his coaching career, the performance by Peach a Milton opponent had stood out in his memory.
He haunted me, Jauch said. There was something about him. Matt was a hammer, and Matt won the match, but it was something about Tyson that haunted me the rest of the year.
I was happy to get out of that with a win, Jauch said. But I did not want to see (Peach) again.
And here, while on vacation just a few weeks before the 2022-23 school year was to start, Rodney Peach who Jauch had never met was telling him Tyson was going to be on the Milton High wrestling team.
Lo and behold, (Peach) was now on my team, Jauch said.
Success at Milton
Tyson was a gift that Jauch did not have to return. In his first season at Milton, Peach went 50-3 and finished fifth at the state tournament at 132 pounds a year after finishing fourth at 126 during his sophomore season at Kimberly.
On Thursday, the senior will take a 36-2 record into the opening match at 138 pounds at the WIAA state individual wrestling tournament. He is the No. 2 seed.
Milton Tyson Peach rolls up Janesville Craigs Landon Colson in a 138-pound sectional championship match during a Division 1 sectional wrestling meet at Milton High School on Saturday.
Anthony Wahl
Peach will attend South Dakota State University and wrestle on the Jackrabbits squad that is ranked No. 11th nationally in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association poll.
Tysons style is going to translate well at the college level, Jauch said. South Dakota State is a great fit for him.
Jauch describes Tysons wrestling style to a boa constrictor that wears the will out of opponents with his strength and competitive nature.
Hes like the gears of a machine, the head coach said. If he gets his hands on you, you just cant get away.
He might not hit you with an explosive move, although he does have that in his arsenal, Jauch said. Its more like being trapped by a predator. He gets his claws into you and squeeze the life out of you.
That is not how the senior is off the mat.
Hes just a super nice guy, Jauch said. If you want something done, you ask Tyson.
Added gift with Madi
And having Madi Peach on the Milton squad was the added bonus of that phone call two summers ago.
I didnt even know about Madi, Jauch said.
Madi is among three Milton High wrestlers who will compete in the third annual WIAA girls wrestling individual state tournament.
Miltons Madi Peach celebrates after a win against Janesville Craigs Niah Holmes in a 126-pound girls sectional semifinal match during a Division 1 sectional wrestling meet at Milton High School on Saturday. Peach won her championship match to qualify for the state tournament in Madison starting Thursday.
Anthony Wahl
Madi, a sophomore, is 21-0 in girls competition and is the No. 1 seed in the state 126-pound weight class.
She is one of the toughest young ladies Ive ever been around, Jauch said. Shes a young woman, but you do not want to mess with her.
Peach proved that by competing against the boys in several matches and tournaments this season. She compiled a 14-9 against boys and chose to wrestle in the Badger Conference boys meet instead of the girls.
She took fifth, and we have a pretty good conference, Jauch said.
If Peach gets a takedown, her opponent is in trouble no matter whether it is a boy or girl.
On her feet, she is super smooth, Jauch said. But she is a hammer on top.
Jauch believes she could win a match or two against the boys 126-pound field this weekend at the Kohl Center if she had the opportunity.
Im sure there are a few boys at the state tournament that she could beat, Jauch said. I know there are some people that might not like hearing me say that.
She pinned a couple of boys last year that went on to the state tournament, Jauch said. She has beat some highly ranked boys. When she gets on top, she is scary. Shes a great tactician and really gets after it.
That spells trouble for the girls field starting Thursday.
I dont want to sound arrogant, but I dont see any of those girls having a chance, Jauch said.
Other Red Hawk qualifiers
There are a total of six Milton High wrestlers who begin action Thursday afternoon.
Junior Makenzie Usher and sophomore Clara Jauch join Madi Peach at the Kohl Center for the girls competition.
Usher takes an 11-0 record into her opening match at 114 pounds Thursday afternoon. She is seeded No. 7, but that likely stems from her lack of matches against girls.
Jauch first got acquainted with Usher when she attended his summer school wrestling camp a decade ago.
Usher has had to overcome several personal hardships, including recovering from a foot injury that ended her sophomore season last year after she had won her first 10 matches. She is 21-0 wrestling against girls.
For her to get to the state tournament and have a chance to win a state title is something weve talked about years ago, Jauch said. Its a cool story.
Clara Jauch takes a 17-5 into her opening match in the 100-pound weight class.
Coach Jauch knows Clara Jauch well. She is his niece, and daughter of Sean Jauch, who was a 1991 graduate of Milton High, one year ahead of Pat.
This is the first year Clara has gone out for wrestling. But like her father, she has been a quick learner.
I remember the first time Sean rode a bike, Pat said. He just jumped on and rode off. It took me months. Id hit trees and other stupid stuff.
Not that Im bitter about it, he said.
There is no joking when he describes his nieces improvement.
Its funny to coach your niece, Pat said. I see her do things, and it reminds me of (Sean). Just the way she moves and things she does.
Shes more coachable than he probably would have been, Pat said. Its been fun to see her grow because she has improved so much since the beginning of the season.
The blessing for me is Ive gotten to know her in a much different way, Jauch said. Its been fun. My brother (who was a conference champ as a senior) has been able to get back into wrestling. As a family, its been super fun.
Miltons David Bilhorn competes in a 106-pound sectional championship match with Mukwonagos Gavin Meinecke during a Division 1 sectional wrestling meet at Milton High School on Saturday. Bilhorn lost to Meinecke but came back to win the second-place match and qualify for the state tournament in Madison.
Anthony Wahl
Joining Aeoden Sinclair and Tyson Peach in the boys side of the Division 1 bracket will be freshman David Bilhorn at 106. Bilhorn, nephew of Milton High principal Jeremy Bilhorn, takes a 28-14 record into his first-round match at 3 p.m. Thursday.
David had a lot of experience on the youth level, but when you come in as a freshman and wrestle a schedule like ours, its so tough, Jauch said. He really weathered it well and has been a sponge picking stuff up.
Social acquaintances
There will be an added level of teammates cheering on teammates among the Red Hawks at the Kohl Center starting Thursday afternoon.
Aeoden Sinclair, the consensus favorite to win his third WIAA State title at 190, is dating Madi Peach.
In addition, Tyson Peach is dating Usher.
Its kind of a crazy storyline, Jauch said.
The Red Hawks have many of those. There could be several with a celebration Saturday night.
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