(ABC 6 News) — The Chatfield Gophers came up short in the Section 1A Championship the past two years.

Heading into the 2023-24 campaign, they would not be denied a third time.

“We all pushed each other hard this season because we knew this season was going to be something special,” senior Kail Schott said after their Section 1A title win on February 17.

That special something happening for the first time in a decade in what junior Carson Rowland called “the best season I think I have ever witnessed.”

After 10 years, the Chatfield Gophers were once again State Champions, winning the Class A Title over Staples-Motley on February 29. Reaching that coveted goal was something these athletes have had on their minds from the very beginning.

“(We) worked our butts off all season long,” Rowland, who also won the Class A 152-LB Title, added. “We have been working on this for years, (it) means so much for the dream to finally come true man, I’m so happy.”

In the process, Chatfield finally overcame the heartbreak of the past few seasons, falling short in the very last match of the Section finals the past two seasons. Now, the only thing left to do was thank those before them and the community that has followed this core to the end.

“Feels great, I mean we always dream about winning the State title,” senior Gage Bartels affirmed. “Cause we looked up to those guys in the 2014 team, so it feels great to be that next generation.”

“It feels pretty special, especially on the 10-year mark we just recognized those guys at the Kasson dual back at our home meet,” junior Ben Carrier noted. “And it’s just a really special feeling to be State champs and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

“Well, we came, we showed up,” Bartels continued. “Chatfield, the whole town came, so it’s awesome, we have a great fanbase behind us.”

As time comes full circle for the Gophers, this new homegrown group of grapplers now has another task to accomplish. Come next winter, it will be the quest to write history that’s most definitely worth repeating.

Hopefully, for the Gophers community, it won’t be another decade-long wait.