The Wilmot Union High School Academic Decathlon entered state competition ranked third after regionals.
However, the squad overcame the odds, and came away with its ninth consecutive Wisconsin Academic Decathlon title last week behind a collective effort from all team members.
An academic decathlon is a competition composed of ten categories: art, economics, essay, interview, language and literature, math, music, science, speech and social science.
WIAD, in conjunction with the United States Academic Decathlon, selected “Water: A Most Essential Resource” as this year’s theme.
Don Serkowski, Wilmot coach, said this was the first time a team ranked third following regional competition won the state title in Wilmot history.
“After analyzing their scores, it’s exciting as a coach to know every single decathlete can claim that they significantly contributed to this team victory,” he said.
Junior Isaac Keen, competing in the honors division, captured gold medals in literature, music, science, art, economics, social science and super quiz as well as a silver medal in mathematics to become the overall top honors scorer in the state. He received a gold medal for his accomplishment.
Keen’s accomplishment earned him a $650 cash scholarship from WIAD.
Additionally, senior Sydney Fontaine, also competing in the honors division, received a silver medal for being the second highest scorer in the state. She earned silver medals in music, science, art and super quiz as well as a bronze medal in economics.
Mary Catherine Slagle, another honors competitor, picked up a bronze medal in super quiz.
Junior Emilee Olenick, who joined Fontaine and Keen on the all-state team, earned the top score in the scholastic division.
Olenick received gold medals in social science and science, silver medals in music, art and super quiz as well as bronze medal in economics to become the top scholastic scorer in the state.
Senior Isaac LaRose, Wilmot’s most improved decathlete, picked up silver medals in literature and economics as well as bronze medals in science and art competing in the scholastic division.
Andrue Dasilva rounded out to the scholastic division contributors with a bronze medal in super quiz.
In the varsity division, freshman Charlie Fielder won gold medals in music and science as well as bronze medals for art and super quiz while junior Devon Hall notched a bronze medal for super quiz.
Wilmot, which won the national title last year, will look defend its championship during a virtual competition held April 21-23.