Once again, the Criminals left the warm and sunny desert to venture back to the frozen tundra of Wisconsin.  The trip started off without any indications of what lay ahead.  After leavingYuma at 3:00 a.m. and driving to Phoenix, the Yuma team flew out of Phoenix and landed in Las Vegas for a quick layover (so we thought) and was informed that Chicago was snowed in and no flights would be leaving anytime soon.  This proved to be true, since the Crims were stuck in the airport in Las Vegas until after midnight.  After finally getting clearance to depart, the team boarded for Chicago and settled in for the flight north.  We arrived in Chicago at O'Hare airport at 5:00 a.m. on Thursday and got into the rental cars for the normal 3 hour drive to Green Bay.  Six hours later through a driving snowstorm, the team arrived at the Welsing's home near Green Bay.
  Our first day consisted of practice at Denmark High School, and then a visit to a local dairy farm.  Thursday night we went and watched a dual meet for the league championship between Kaukauna High and .  The gym was packed with around a thousand fans, and it was great to see so much excitement at a high school match.  After some much needed sleep, the team worked out again the following morning, and then drove to Lambeau Field where we took the tour of the renovated Packer stadium.  Lots of history there, plus a tour guide that bragged so much he jinxed the playoff game that Sunday, and Green Bay lost.
  Yuma competed in the Cheesehead Invitational that Friday and Saturday and saw some outstanding wrestlers from the Midwest.  Teams from Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin made for a super tough field.  The tournament was another example of a well run affair and well attended.  The hospitality was tremendous, and any other team that can make a trip back to that area should do it.   The young Crims didn't fare as well as we would have liked, but seeing and competing with the outstanding athletes that were there will only make us better.
  Nick Johnson (152) and Francisco Macias (140) were the only Criminals to win 3 matches overall.  Others winning matches were:  Raul Sanchez (130), Steven Macias (135), Hector Valenzuela (171), Manny Franco (189), John Herrera (215), and John Matos (Hwt.)
  The trip home wasn't as eventful.  After driving back to Chicago on Sunday, Yuma flew non-stop to Phoenix and then made the drive back home, arriving at 3:00 a.m.  An early wakeup to attend school Monday was a little rough, but at least there was no snow on the ground.