Wildcat trio make mark during State competition

Wildcat wrestling clawed out some history as seniors Nelson Fournier, Edwyn Schroeder, and Ryland Schneider descended on Madison on March 1, with Schroeder placing second and Schneider fourth in State competition. 

Throughout their senior season, these wrestlers worked tirelessly to accomplish their goals. Fournier believes success begins with consistency.

“I worked hard in and out of the wrestling room and made sure I did all of the little things right,” he said. “I gave it my all everyday, and aimed to improve myself everyday.”

After the effort and the winding path to State, he finds the ending bittersweet.

“I feel like my season went really well,” he said. “I went further than I ever have, and I am proud of myself for making it to state. It sucks that it’s over though.”

After 199 matches over four years, Schroeder took home 175 wins, breaking the school’s record for most career victories. The senior has been wrestling for a majority of his life, putting in hours of work that prepared him for his final matches. 

“As a kid, I tried most sports, but I stuck with wrestling because I wanted to be different and I found a hidden love in the sport,” he said. “From the losses to the wins, I really enjoyed the sport as a whole, and how hard I had to work to become successful.”

Schroeder finished the year 49-4, breaking his own school record for most wins in a season, gaining the last two wins at state.

“The week before state, I made sure to focus in and focus on all things wrestling,” he said. “I found ways to get better technique, wrestling, and mindset wise.”

To prepare for a grueling weekend, Schroeder followed his own rituals and activities. 

“I like to take a step back from wrestling and do different breathing exercises and think about having fun and realizing there’s more than winning and losing,” he said. 

Coaching also played a large role in the State run. Coach Matthew Cuadra just finished his fourth year as a coach and continues to support and encourage the team in a welcoming way.

“I believe the best way to support your athletes is making a culture where the athletes can be themselves while following the expectations we set for them,” he said.

Schneider enjoyed his years with Cuadra as a coach.

“I couldn't have asked for a better coach; the bond we built over the last four years will last a lifetime,” he said.

Making it to State proved a definitive moment as this year’s tournament had about 18,000 viewers, making it a stressful environment. Fournier coped with his stress at State in an interesting way. 

“Coach Cuadra’s kid, Jan, showed us something called Spiderman Breath; which is breathing in with a deep breath, making the signature Spiderman hand signal, and pretending to shoot out webs,” he said. “Doing this silly exercise helped me stay calm and collected.”

Schroeder defied predictions made for his placement at State. 

“The state tournament went well for me,” he said. “Obviously I wanted to win. Although, going into the tournament I was seeded 5th, I still beat the number 4 and number 1 seeded wrestlers. So doing better than what I was seeded and proving people wrong felt amazing.”

Schroeder loved the excitement that comes with going head to head with Wisconsin’s best of the best.

“Competing with the team is always fun but being down in Madison competing with the best in the state and doing well completed the season in the best way,” he said. “Knocking off multiple top ranked guys in one tournament always feels good but doing it at State makes it even better and more memorable.”

Schneider feels pride despite missing out on his own personal goal.

“My goal for this year was to win a state championship,” he said. “I fell short of my goal when I placed fourth at the state tournament. I know that it isn’t losing if you learn from it, so I try to learn from my losses as much as I can.”

Cuadra is likewise proud of his entire squad. 

“I feel good about how I did as a coach this year,” he said. “We were able to accomplish many goals that we set for ourselves and to do that, it feels good. There are some areas that I look back on and wish I would have improved; just like athletes, coaches are always looking to improve as well.”

Wrestling is more than just pins and takedowns. There’s an art to the sport that takes commitment and dedication.

“Take time and do the little things correctly, have fun with things, and don’t overthink it,” Schroeder said. “You have to work for everything and not take things for granted.”

by Sophia Rigoni

Published March 17th, 2025

Oshkosh West Index Volume 121 Issue VI