An undefeated season

Published 9:14 pm Sunday, February 21, 2016

Lake Mills’ Slade Sifuentes celebrates winning the Class 1A championship Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. – Lory Groe/For the Albert Lea Tribune

Perfect.

That’s Slade Sifuentes’ season in one word.

The Lake Mills junior rounded out an undefeated season by dominating top-ranked Landers Kuboushek of South Winneshiek 8-3 in the 195-pound championship match in Class 1A Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

On his way to the championship, Sifuentes earned a 9-5 victory in the Class 1A semifinals over Ogden’s Nick Ross on Friday, which was all too fitting. Ross was the one who ended Sifuentes’ season in the district meet last season.

Sifuentes finished his season 56-0, and was never ranked No. 1 until Saturday. In the preseason, he was ranked sixth. His win Saturday and his contribution to the Bulldogs wrestling team as a whole helped Lake Mills compete as a team in the state tournament for the first time in 16 years. Sifuentes is Lake Mills’ second finalist in the past three seasons, joining Noah Irons, and is the Bulldogs’ first state champion since Tim Helgeson in 1999.

: Lake Mills’ Slade Sifuentes celebrates winning the Class 1A championship Saturday with coach Alex Brandenburg. – Lory Groe/For the Albert Lea Tribune

: Lake Mills’ Slade Sifuentes celebrates winning the Class 1A championship Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. – Lory Groe/For the Albert Lea Tribune

: Lake Mills’ Slade Sifuentes wrestles Landers Kuboushek of South Winneshiek at 195 during the Class 1A championship match Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. – Lory Groe/For the Albert Lea Tribune

: Lake Mills’ Slade Sifuentes wrestles Landers Kuboushek of South Winneshiek at 195 during the Class 1A championship match Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. – Lory Groe/For the Albert Lea Tribune

: Lake Mills’ Slade Sifuentes wrestles Landers Kuboushek of South Winneshiek at 195 during the Class 1A championship match Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. – Lory Groe/For the Albert Lea Tribune

: Lake Mills’ Slade Sifuentes stands on the podium before being awarded a medal for winning the Class 1A championship Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. – Lory Groe/For the Albert Lea Tribune

: Lake Mills’ Slade Sifuentes celebrates winning the Class 1A championship with coach Alex Brandenburg Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. – Lory Groe/For the Albert Lea Tribune

: Lake Mills’ Slade Sifuentes and coach Alex Brandenburg embrace as Sifuentes is given his medal for winning the Class 1A championship Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. – Lory Groe/For the Albert Lea Tribune

: Lake Mills’ Slade Sifuentes looks around the arena after receiving the medal for winning the Class 1A championship Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. – Lory Groe/For the Albert Lea Tribune