This story is sponsored by: The Marshfield Tiger Booster Club
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
WAUSAU – The Marshfield High School boys curling team won the 60th annual Wisconsin State Curling Championship on Saturday at the Wausau Curling Club.
The team of Hunter Weik (skip), Logan Schmoll (vice), Bently Northup (second), and Paul Fischer (first), all seniors, was ranked 12th out of the 16 teams at the state tournament, which started Friday, but came up with a number of upsets to pull out the title.
After losing to Kimberly in pool play on Friday, the Tigers upended No. 1 seed D.C. Everest, then beat Stevens Point on Saturday morning to advance from pool play with a 2-1 record.
Marshfield blanked No. 3 Portage 10-0 in a semifinal, then came back from three down after the 6th end to top Wausau East in the championship match 6-5.
According to Jillian Behling, daughter of Marshfield coach Mike Behling, Marshfield had to “steal” a point to win. In curling it is assumed the team who throws the last rock will score the points for the end. The other team attempts to score their own point instead of allowing the opponent to score, hence the term “steal”. Northup was able to place one of the team’s stones in perfect position to score early in the end. The rest of the team was able to guard his stone and prevent the other team from knocking it out.
Marshfield High School does recognize the sport, but is unable to fund the coaches, players’ basic equipment, or travel. The team is funded by local businesses and local curlers from the Marshfield Club. Mike Behling, the founder of the Marshfield High School team, has been coaching since its origin in 2009. To learn more about curling in Marshfield, visit www.marshfieldculing.com.