The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, in cooperation with Rural Mutual Insurance, has chosen the recipients of the team Sportsmanship Awards for the 2015 winter State Tournaments. 

The winners of the prestigeous sportsmanship honor are Spring Valley/Elmwood in wrestling, Mount Horeb in gymnastics, Superior in boys ice hockey, the D.C. Everest Co-op in girls ice hockey, Marathon in girls basketball and Mineral Point in boys basketball.

The Spring Valley/Elmwood Co-op was declared the winner of Sportsmanship Award in team wrestling for the second time, also earning the recognition in 2012. Spring Valley also received honorable mention last year and was the recipient of the award in boys basketball in 1991. The Cardinals captured the Division 3 championship, downing Random Lake 37-22 in the semifinals and Coleman, 40-27, in the final. Coleman and Sparta received honorable mention for the award.

Mount Horeb receives the Sportsmanship Award in gymnastics. It’s the first State sportsmanship honor for the Vikings in gymnastics, and its the second time overall. They also were presented the honor for boys soccer in 2012. The team and spectators received positive evaluations for their support of all participants. The Vikings won the Division 2 State Gymnastics team championship in March, giving the program its fourth State title in gymnastics. The schools and communities receiving honorable mention include Antigo, Ashland, Franklin/Muskego/Oak Creek/Whitnall, Grafton/Cedarburg, Nicolet, Mukwonago/East Troy/Kettle Moraine and Reedsburg.

Superior repeats as the Sportsmanship Award selection in boys hockey. It is the sixth time the school and community have received the sportsmanship honor, all coming in the sport of hockey. They also received recognition in 1993, 1996, 1997, 2008 and again last season. The Spartans won their membership-leading 13th State championship with a 6-0 blanking of Wausau West in the title game. They advanced to the final with a 4-2 win over Janesville Parker/Craig in the quarterfinals and a 3-0 shutout over Cedarburg in the State semifinals. Honorable mention for the award goes to Madison Memorial, Reedsburg Co-op and Wausau West.

The D.C. Everest Co-op, which includes D.C. Everest, Mosinee, Wausau East and Wausau West, wins its first sportsmanship award in girls hockey. But in essense, it’s the second award bestowed on the co-op. The same group of schools were recognized as the Mosinee Co-op in 2007-08. The Storm were edged 1-0 in their State semifinal match-up with the Hayward Co-op, which received honorable mention for the Sportsmanship Award.

Marathon earned its fourth sportsmanship recognition overall with its positive spirit at the State Girls Basketball Tournament in Green Bay. The Red Raiders fell 56-51 to Fall Creek in the Division 4 State semifinals in the program’s fifth State appearance in the State Tournament. Marathon was also recipient of the Sportsmanship Award for girls basketball in 1987, for boys basketball in 2011 and in girls volleyball last fall. Schools receiving honorable mention were Fall River, Kettle Moraine Lutheran, Middleton and River Falls.

Mineral Point made its first appearance at the State Boys Basketball Tournament since 1974. They finished runner-up to four-time defending champion Dominican following a 75-49 setback in the final. The Pointers advanced to the final with a 66-59 win over Auburndale in the semifinals. It is the first time Mineral Point has received the honor in boys basketball and the second time the Pointers have been recognized as an overall program. Their sportsmanship was also celebrated in team wrestling in 2011. Auburndale, Dominican, Regis, Washburn and  West Allis Central received honorable mention.

The WIAA/Rural Mutual Insurance sportsmanship award is presented to one school and community in each of the State team tournaments. The award winners are determined by the conduct and sportsmanship displayed by athletes, coaches, cheer and support groups, mascots, bands and spectators. Additional consideration is given for the effort of school administrators and chaperones to insure support for their teams are positive and that the highest ideals of sportsmanship are upheld. Award winners receive a plaque and banner in recognition of the honor. Schools receiving honorable mention are acknowledged with a certificate of recognition. 

The selection process includes contributions and evaluations from contest officials, tournament management, police and security personnel, crowd control and ushers, WIAA staff members, area hotels and restaurants.

Rural Mutual Insurance has been a sponsor of this award for over 40 years, and their participation is essential to promoting sportsmanship and education-based athletics as a valued corporate partner of the WIAA.