Dennis Semrau covers prep sports for ESPN Madison 100.5 FM.
Matthew Wedig, Beloit Memorial High School
Year: Senior.
Sports: Football, track and field, basketball.
Sports highlights: Matthew is a three-time letterwinner and in his fourth year as a starter in football, competing as a tight end, wide receiver, punter, outside linebacker and inside linebacker. He is an All-Big Eight Conference three-time first-team selection as a punter and earned all-league first-team honors at wide receiver and linebacker as a junior. He earned Associated Press All-State second-team and Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-State honorable mention honors as a punter his junior year. He averaged 39.3 yard on 41 punts, had a team-best 20 catches for 289 yards and five touchdowns and 52 tackles, including two quarterback sacks last season.
He is a three-time letterwinner in track and field, competing in the shot put and discus 100-meter dash and 400-meter relay. He competed in basketball as a forward his freshman year.
Pre-game ritual or superstition: Listen to Golden Oldies Pandora station to calm down and send a prayer up.
Cumulative GPA: 3.0.
Favorite subject/class: History.
Favorite teacher: Mr. Andre Dekok.
Quick quote: “Competing in sports has taught me that you have to trust who you’re playing with.
Three words to describe me are: Laid-back, sarcastic, outgoing.
I got my start in sports: Basically straight out the womb.
I wish I could play: Hockey.
My most memorable moment in sports: My first career play of high school football my freshman year was a sack.
I like about high school sports: Playing with all of my friends.
I enjoy playing football because: It requires a certain intensity that isn’t found in other sports. Also, it requires physical and mental preparation.
Advice: “Live in the weight room and stay on top of your grades.”
My role model is: My dad, Rodney, because he has taught me how to work hard purely through his actions.
Most inspirational teammate: Steven Makinen.
My family also includes: My mom, Tammy, brother, Gus, and triplets, brother, Jake, and sisters, Kayleigh and Kelsey.
Nickname: Big Baby.
Words to live by: My grandfather always said “I don’t care what you do, just be the best at it.”
Favorite athlete: LeBron James, Sean Taylor and Ray Lewis.
Favorite team: Green Bay Packers.
Favorite facility/site to compete in: Breese Stevens Field.
Favorite movie: ‘Friday Night Lights’ and ‘Remember the Titans’.
Favorite TV show: ‘ESPN SportsCenter or ‘That 70’s Show’.
Favorite food: Chicken and brownies.
Favorite fast food place and/or restaurant: Culver’s.
Favorite sport on TV: College football.
Favorite place to visit: Both of my grandmas’ houses because you never ever leave hungry.
I want to visit: Jamaica.
Top three favorite songs: ‘Grab the Wheel’ -- Lil Uzi; ‘Rich and Blind’ -- Juice WRLD; ‘Stay Woke’ -- Meek Mill.
Primary news source: ESPN.
Favorite website: ESPN.com.
Radio preset: the aux.
I drive: A Ford Edge (a soccer mom car).
Dream car: A Ford F-350 Super duty diesel truck.
I can’t live without: Food or my bed.
I like Beloit Memorial High School because: You never know what’s going to happen every day. It’s also diverse.
If I could change anything: Dogs being immortal
I wish we could play: Any NFL team ever.
I wish I could meet: Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr
Dream date: Taking Jess to Texas Roadhouse.
Dream gift: A brand new car.
Preferred brand of shoe: Nike.
My perfect day: Playing football, eating ice cream and calzones.
I like to read: Click clack moo.
This and that: Played AAU basketball for Wisconsin Academy … volunteer work included youth football camps and reading to students at local elementary school … works at a youth sports complex in Beloit … member of the Honor Roll.
Hobbies: Playing golf.
Post-high school plans: Attend college to study education and play football. Considering the Naval Academy, Eastern Michigan and North Dakota.
Did you know? I have an innate ability to make anyone laugh regardless of how awful of a person they are.
Career goal: To play in the NFL and become a teacher and coach and follow in my dad’s footsteps.