Congrats to 2026 high school welding invitational winners

Black Hawk College recently hosted the 8th Annual Welding Invitational at the college’s Welding and Skilled Trades Center in downtown Kewanee.

The goal is to provide a competitive welding contest in a state-of-the-art welding facility that gives high school students an opportunity to test their skills. A total of 49 students from seven high schools participated in the competition.

For the fifth consecutive year, a team from Sherrard High School won the competition.

First-place winner Maxx Starcevich received a $1,000 scholarship from the Black Hawk College East Foundation that he can use to attend Black Hawk College full-time as a freshman in the welding program.

Top 3 teams

1. Sherrard High School, Team 1
2. Kewanee High School, Black Team
3. Mercer County High School, Team 1

 Top 10 individuals

1. Maxx Starcevich – Sherrard, Team 1
2. Adam Biesemeyer – Kewanee, Black Team
3. Jonathan Weakley – Sherrard, Team 3
4. Luke Werner – Sherrard, Team 1
5. Harrison Curry – Sherrard, Team 1
6. Mason Vogt – Sherrard, Team 1
7. Caleb Quam – Mercer County, Team 1
8. Dalton Bender – Kewanee, Orange Team
9. Avio Gomez – Kewanee, Black Team
10. Dillan Vermost – Sherrard, Team 2

Also participating were students from Galva, Farmington, Stark County and Williamsfield high schools.

View photos from the contest, including the winning teams and individuals.

Thanks to Martin Engineering in Neponset for sponsoring the contest for the eighth year!