By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
Recent Spencer High School graduate Logan Zschernitz wrapped up an incredible three-sport career at the school by earning a pair of medals at the WIAA State Track & Field Championships.
That was the icing on the cake for Zschernitz, who was a force on the football field, wrestling mat and in two throwing events for the Rockets’ track team, will take one final award away from his high school career.
After earning Cloverbelt Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors in football, winning his second-straight Division 2 285-pound state title in wrestling, and taking home a pair of silver medals at the state track meet, Zschernitz has been named the WDLB-WOSQ Radio & MarshfieldAreaSports.com High School Athlete of the Year for the 2018-19 school year.
The Athlete of the Year announcement culminates the 2018-19 school year in which 10 area athletes won Athlete of the Month awards via monthly voting at MarshfieldAreaSports.com.
The High School Athlete of the Month and Athlete of the Year awards are sponsored by Cost Cutters Family Hair Care of Marshfield and Burt Trophy & Awards.
Varsity athletes from the following high schools are eligible to be nominated for the monthly award: Abbotsford, Athens, Auburndale, Colby, Columbus Catholic, Edgar, Granton, Greenwood, Loyal, Marathon, Marshfield, Neillsville, Owen-Withee, Pittsville, Spencer, Stratford and Thorp. The Athlete of the Year award was selected by MarshfieldAreaSports.com and WDLB-WOSQ Radio staff.
Zschernitz, a 6-foot-4, 295-pound offensive and defensive lineman, was named Cloverbelt Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2018, helping the Rockets to a second-place finish in the conference, an 11-2 overall record, and a trip to the WIAA Division 5 state semifinals.
In December, Zschernitz signed a letter of intent to attend Northern Illinois University and play Division I football for the Huskies.
After the successful fall season, Zschernitz turned his focus to wrestling and defending his Division 2 285-pound state title that he won as a junior. Mission: Accomplished.
Zschernitz riffled through his competition from start to finish, ending up with a perfect 46-0 record and a second state title. He pinned Dom Meurett of Mauston in 2:15 in the championship match at the Kohl Center in Madison to earn his second-straight title.
Zschernitz wrapped up his stellar athletic career by earning two silver medals at the WIAA State Track & Field Championships in La Crosse. He finished second in the Division 3 boys discus with a throw of 172 feet, 11 inches, and also took second in the D-3 shot put with a throw of 56 feet, 4½ inches.
The 2018-19 Athlete of the Month winners were: Spencer/Columbus Catholic football player Jarred Mandel (September), Marshfield football player Ryan Krueger (October), Columbus Catholic girls basketball player Hailey Roehl (November), Stratford boys basketball player Vaughn Breit (December), Auburndale wrestler Dylan Baird (January), Stratford wrestler Dylan Schoenherr (February), the Marshfield Columbus Catholic boys basketball team (March), Auburndale softball player Hailey Grimm (April), Stratford baseball player Lance Heidmann (May), and Stratford baseball player Chandler Schmidt (June).
The 2019-20 WDLB-WOSQ Radio & MarshfieldAreaSports.com High School Athlete of the Month series will begin Oct. 1 with voting for the September award. Stay tuned.