SIOUX FALLS — Navarro Schunke stamped his historic South Dakota high school wrestling career on Saturday.

The Brandon Valley High School senior became the first Class A wrestler to win five state championships at the Denny Sanford Premier Center. He joins six other wrestlers to accomplish the feat regardless of class, but being the first Class A wrestler to achieve it wasn’t lost on him. 

“That’s crazy,” Schunke said. “To be the first one in As is just insane to me.”

Schunke, a towering 6-foot-5 heavyweight, won the 220-pound title as an eighth-grader. He added four straight Class A heavyweight titles to his résumé. 

After accomplishing the feat, Schunke didn’t feel relieved. But instead was feeling pure joy in his final high school wrestling match.

“It just feels amazing to be out here and winning it again,” Schunke said. “I wouldn’t really describe it as relief, but it’s just joy.”

In the title match, Schunke defeated Watertown’s Micah Hach by a 6-2 decision. Schunke recorded two takedowns en route to the title. 

“It was really just a little plan from the start,” Schunke summed up the match. “It was be heavy on the head, get out when I can and don’t sit under for very long periods of time and just control the match.”

Once it was over, South Dakota wrestling fans showered Schunke with a chorus of cheers to serenade the historic moment. 

“I looked up at everyone in the crowd and to see everyone pointing at you like they always do — there isn't really anything better than that,” Schunke said.  

Brandon Valley's Navarro Schunke left his shoes on the mat after winning the state title on Saturday in Sioux Falls. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

He also commemorated the moment by untying his shoes and left them sitting on the center of the mat. 

“That’s my way of saying I am never going to compete again in wrestling,” Schunke said. 

What has wrestling meant to Schunke?

“Wrestling has really meant everything to me,” Schunke said. “It’s brought me family. It’s brought me to these places where I can be great and amazing. It’s brought me to college next year. It’s really done everything in my life so far.” 

Next season, Schunke will play college football at Kansas State University, where he will be a preferred walk-on player. 

But he will forever be grateful for his wrestling days. 

“I am going to miss it,” he said. “It’s going to be tough for a little while. I know that. I know I chose football for a reason and I am excited for it.”