The Hillsboro boys wrestling team was 25th in the state in Class 3 when Dalton Litzsinger was a freshman in 2019. He qualified for state that year but didn’t win a medal.
By the time Litzsinger graduated in 2022 with three state medals, the Hawks had risen to second place in Class 3 and were an up-and-coming power in the sport. Litzsinger moved on to Maryville University on a wrestling scholarship. Hillsboro won its first state championship in 2023.
Litzsinger’s brother Evan, a junior, has kept the family bloodline going, finishing third at 113 pounds to help the Hawks finish second and claim their fourth straight team trophy last year.
Evan stayed at 113 and is 28-5 as Hillsboro geared up for the District 1 meet in Farmington by sweeping five other schools at the Don Fuhrmann Duals, hosted by Hillsboro Feb. 8.
That same day, Dalton was in Indianapolis for the Greyhound Duals, and Maryville, ranked No. 24 in NCAA Division II, defeated No. 6 Grand Valley State 32-14. The Saints also beat Kentucky Wesleyan 48-3 but fell to Glenville State 30-12. Dalton won two of his three matches at 184.
He said the youth programs in Hillsboro that fueled his development from an early age will continue to churn out high school and college standouts.
“They’ve done such a great job of producing solid wrestlers,” Dalton said. “Being around winners breeds winners. Being in a room with Jackson Tucker (and) Carter Wallis (both two-time state champions) and my brother, the (other wrestlers) believe they’re going to win just being around those guys. I’m around when my schedule lets me. I coach from the stands.”
On Feb. 4, the Great Lakes Valley Conference honored Dalton as the Wrestler of the Week. The marketing major earned the honor going 2-0 in two conference duals, including a 9-5 win over No. 7-ranked Colton Bye of Upper Iowa Feb. 2. He also beat Lucas Wendling of McKendree University 5-1 to help the Saints upset seventh-ranked McKendree.
Over the years I’ve gotten to know many of the families of the athletes I cover, including the Litzsinger boys and their dad, Jeff, who I’ve talked to many times, especially at the state meet.
Jeff coached the Hillsboro little league wrestlers and introduced his sons to the sport.
A strong, supportive family is one of the pillars of individual success in any high school sport. The Litzsingers are one of many who’ve laid the foundation.
Dalton is a junior this year. He had to take a medical redshirt last year when he damaged ligaments in his hand at practice and missed the season. He has grown from 120 pounds as a Hillsboro freshman to 184 now.
“Last year I cut a lot of weight to 157,” he said. “Maybe that’s the reason I got hurt (because) 184 is my natural weight. I can eat what I want.”
He turned 21 in January, a milestone many mark by imbibing a favorite adult beverage – unless you’re training, sweating, grinding every day to face top-ranked wrestlers who want to turn you into sawdust.
“I got snowed in at dad’s house (on the birthday),” he said. “I (only) ate a little cake because I was cutting down to 174; our regular guy (at 174) got hurt.”
Dalton and his teammates returned from Indianapolis Saturday night and he was at home with his family in time to watch the Super Bowl between the Chiefs and Eagles. He said the family has rooted for the Chiefs for years. I’ve often wondered how many local Chiefs partisans are disaffected St. Louis Rams fans. Some of them may go back to when the football Cardinals moved to Arizona.
I try not to bring up any of this in conversation most of the time.
“Anyone who thinks I’m a bandwagon fan can get off that,” Dalton said with a laugh. “I don’t enjoy anything else other than wrestling, but I enjoy the big game. Both teams beat the best teams in the league. As a college athlete, I enjoy watching high-level matchups.”
Dalton’s next goal is to crack the top 20 in the national rankings. All he needs is another win or two over ranked opponents like Bye, a first-team all-conference pick last year. Litzsinger had lost a 4-2 decision to Bye at the Midwest Classic in December.
“As far as that (Feb. 2) match goes, when I wrestled him in December, I was right there,” Dalton said. “I knew I had to score a takedown at some point to force his hand. He’s tough to score on, like any high-level guy. He got in on my leg, I squared up, faced him and elevated him into a cradle. I thought he was pinned, but the ref thought otherwise. Win position, continue to score if I can, but don’t force anything.
“It was a fun match. I felt like I was focused and didn’t get caught up in the moment. I’m not too worried about (being ranked in the top 20). I’ll stay off the radar, get underestimated and continue to beat these guys.”
Litzsinger isn’t the only Saint wrestler with roots in Jefferson County. Nick Baer is a freshman at Maryville and his record as of Feb. 2 was 5-13, mainly wrestling at 157 and 165. Baer graduated from Windsor last year and was a state qualifier in 2023.
Maryville’s head coach is Charlie Sherertz II, who won 11 state titles at the prep level coaching Whitfield in St. Louis County.
The postseason begins for Maryville Sunday at the GLVC Championships in Lebanon, Ill. The NCAA Super Region IV is March 1 in Warrensburg, and the NCAA Division II Nationals are March 14-15 in Indianapolis.