Last updated 11/24/2009

Jump to first entry of season: 2008-2009 | 2007-2008 | bottom

Friday, August 28, 2009

Huskie Wrestling Family,

The Huskie wrestlers had a great summer. Here is the recap:

• The Car Wash was a huge success. Thanks to all those who helped support our summer adventures. Special thanks to the Valentini’s who came, once again, and BBQ’ed for the team as they worked diligently to get cars almost clean.
   

• Seven Huskies attended the U of I camp in Champaign with Coach Messer. Cameron Harris, Michael Woulfe, Frankie Picchiotti, Chorino Watson, Nate Crain, Colin Rogers and Nick Ver Halen represented the Huskies well during the competition camp, and gained valuable experience.
   

• Huskies were instrumantal parts of 3 Team Illinois National Champion Dual meet teams. Sammy Brooks was a key member of the Cadet Greco and Freestyle teams that won the National Championship. Sammy had the key win in the Greco-Roman finals for team Illinois, throwing his opponent with just seconds left in a match for the ages. Nick Dardanes, Chris Dardanes, Ellis Coleman, Danny Martin, and Benny Brooks were all members of the Junior Greco-Roman team that dominated their way to the national title.
   

• At the individual nationals (Fargo), the Huskie were well represented as well. The Huskies, no surprise here, had the most participants of any school in the state. Fargo is the pinnacle of high school wrestling. It is where the best go to test their skills, and where those who want to be the best go to see their future. Cameron Harris, Chris Dardanes, Nick Dardanes, Ellis Coleman, Sammy Brooks, Benny Brooks, Danny Martin, and Eddie Guen-Murray all qualified for Team Illinois and made the trip to Fargo.
   

  • Cameron Harris did not win a match in Fargo, but earned a huge amount of experience as he trained with Illinois best through out the camp and got witness how the top guys do things. Cameron was our most dedicated freshman in the off-season. His will be a household name in Illinois wrestling in the years to come. We are very proud of Cameron!
     

  • Eddie Guen-Murray won his first national level match in Fargo! The Fargo experience will pay-off for Eddie in the future as well as we expect big things from Eddie in the years to come.
     

  • Danny Martin suffered an injury in his first match. Danny is a former Fargo Greco-Roman All-American and was definitely a contender as a repeat as an AA barring injury. While it is not the way Danny wanted to go out, we are proud of Dan and his hard work. For 4 years, Danny was the upitomy of the “Life” we ask our Huskie wrestlers to live. His legacy in the program is huge.
     

  • Benny Brooks also ran into some bad luck at the tournament. A favorite to All-American (top 8) in Greco-Roman, Benny did not pass through skin check due to a rash. In Freestyle, Benny just missed All-American honors. Benny had a great spring and summer and will be ranked at the top of his weight class preseason.
     

  • Ellis Coleman wrestled in just the Greco-Roman tournament. He made the finals for the 3rd year in a row. Ellis won his second National Title, dominating his competiton. In 9 matches, Ellis conceded only 2 points and outscored his opponents 121 – 2. The finals match was like man vs. boy as Ellis was on the mat for less than 2 minutes. Ellis graduates as the Huskie first 4 time All-American.
     

  • Chris Dardanes wrestled in just the Freestyle tournament, and had a great tournament. Chris beat several nationally ranked guys on his way to a All-American 4th place finish. Chris had a great spring and summer and is among the most highly sought after recruits in the country.
     

  • Nick Dardanes also wrestled in the Freestyle tournamet. Nick earned All-American honors, finishing 2nd. Nick, like his brother, worked tirelessly this spring and summer and was just ranked 2nd in the country at 135 lbs. by Flowrestling.
     

  • Sammy Brooks also had a great summer. Sammy became the first double Fargo All-American (he earned AA honors in both freestyle and Greco) in the history of our school! Sammy finished 2nd in both styles as just a first year Cadet. Sammy made weight 4 times and wrestled 18 matches in 6 days in Fargo, against the nations top wrestlers. Ridiculous.

We will be selling bake goods at the Farmers Market next Saturday, September 5th. Our goal is to make enough money to finance a trip to the preseaon nationals in Iowa over Holloween weekend. We are in need of Bakers! Anyone interested in helping out with the baking of cookies, brownies, etc. please contact Coach Powell (opwrestling@gmail.com). The Huskie grapplers will reap 100% of the profits from the sale of all baked goods.

Health Update:
First, I would like to thank Colleen Biggins, Lisa Evans, Bill Young, Amy Stanis, Linda Carlson, Margret Collins, and Brendan Lee for putting on such a wonderful and successful fundraiser in early June. Further, thank you to everyone who came out to the fundraiser. The healing power of that kind of love and support is immeasurable. The night of the fundraiser was perhaps the most humbling moment of my life. They raised over $12,000 for the Myositis Foundation and were able to help me with medicals bills as well. I count myself among the world’s luckiest men to have such wonderful and selfless people as colleagues and friends.

I am well on the road to remission. Blood test scores have been low and the doctors are allowing me to work out regularly. It is a delicate and timely process and a nice lesson in patience and persistence. I have gained considerable weight and strength back and have a list of lofty physical goals, including taking Sammy Brooks in a wrestling match by Jan. 30th! I water skied a couple of weeks ago and have been golfing regularly (goal here- shoot 40 at Columbus Country Club by end of fall). The fight is not over, but I’m winning for sure.

From the deepest parts of my shallow being, thank you to everyone who has called, emailed, wrote (Frank “Crazy Legs” Guenthner actually hand wrote a letter), created art work, made peace cranes, etc. in support of my battle. While I have not been very good about responding, I listened to every voicemail, and read all correspondence. It has provided me with great strength throughout.

We have big plans for the preseason and lofty goals for the 2009-10 campaign. Plan now to come out and see the defending State Champs in action!

In Relentless Pursuit,
Coach Mike Powell and The Huskie Coaching Staff

Friday, May 8, 2009

Huskie Wrestling Family,

Spring is here and our "off-season" is in full swing. The Huskies are having another productive Freestyle and Greco season. There are several fellas that have really stepped up and are showing "Peter Lovaas" like commitment.
Freshmen Cameron Harris, Michael Woulfe, Khali Harzog, Donald Hicks, Colin Rogers, Sammy Brooks, Zach Ludwig-Scott and Jacob Friesen all have wrestled 20+ matches in their inaugural high school spring campaigns.

Firsts
We have had some firsts for the Huskies this spring (yes, there are things Peter K. and Ellis did not accomplish on the national scene). Nick and Chris Dardanes competed in the 20 and under nationals in Las Vegas, where Nick earned Fila Junior National All-American Freestyle honors, placing 4th. Nick beat several Division 1 studs through the tournament. This is a first in program history!

Peter Kowalczuk, now famous alumni, won the tournament for the second time, Greco-Roman division. Two weeks later Pete dominated the University Nationals (25 and under) as well. Two national titles in two weeks, upping Pete's national championship count to four!

Two weeks ago, at the Fila Cadet National Championships (17 and under), there were more firsts. We have been attending the tournament for years without ever a winner, until this year. Sam and Ben Brooks each wrestled tremendous on their way to Greco-Roman titles. The Brooks' were dominant in their performances, smashing all competition. LaQuan "Fam" Hightower also had an All-American tournament, finishing 2nd. Quan won several "Huskie Style" matches on his way to the finals. Benny also earned All-American Honors in Freestyle, placing 3rd.

Greco State
The Huskies will host Greco State May 16 and 17th. We are looking for volunteers for Sat. or Sunday as the wrestlers (who usually work our tournaments) will be whipping other Grapplers. If you are interested/ willing, please let me know.

Winning in the game of life
As many of you know, I am sick. I have recently been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease called Polymyositis. My immune system is attacking my muscles and destroying them at an astonishing rate. I've lost 30 pounds of muscle. My energy level is probably 15% of a healthy person. Current strength is less than my five year old neighbor, who carried my groceries in for me the other day. Mine is a particularly aggressive case (Huskie style).

It's been an interesting couple of months. The week after we won the state championship, I declared my life to be the greatest in the world, as I could not image feeling better about things. Unknown to me, the extreme fatigue I was experiencing was not due to exhaustion from the long season. Instead, it was at this time that my symptoms began to surface. Weeks later, unable to bench press the weight I did in 8th grade, I dragged myself into the doctor’s office.

There was plenty of inner debated about whether or not to make this public. Certainly, I am not one for drama and pity parties. Nor do I wish to have people bringing pot roast over, as I am fiercely independent and have an over developed sense of pride. That said, I believe a public (within the wrestling community) fight against this disease can provide/reinforce many of the lessons our coaching staff preaches to the Wrestlers. It is important that the wrestlers see that courage in the face of adversity is not just something the coaches preach, but live. It is important that the wrestlers see me beat it. It is important that they realize the discipline and spirit that it will take to beat it was learned from our great sport.

Currently, my doctor (father of all-state and Big Ten wrestlers from Mt. Carmel) and I are in a race to get this current "flare" under control and into put things into remission (Polymyositis is a lifetime disease) and then keep it there. Then, I will start to train my body back and find my old energy. It is going to be a long and tedious process, but I am 100% committed to getting my mojo back.

I write this while sitting at a medical clinic receiving an IV drug called immunoglobon. I am also taking 80 mg of prednisone daily and a weekly dose of the chemotherapy drug methotrexate.

In short order I have read everything I can find on anti-inflammation diets. I have taken the best parts of each of these and developed a very strict diet that is going to further help me.

Positive attitude and disciplined living are going to be the final piece of the healing process.

Both of my families, blood and wrestling, have been outstanding. Thank you.

Pinky (my fireball of a fiancé) is officially confirmed as the best person I have ever met. Thank you Pink, my best friend and soul mate.

I will update, through email, my struggle as I really do want to model what we expect from the young men we love dearly. No excuses, no self pity. I am getting after it with relentless spirit, discipline and a belief in mind over matter. Huskie Style.

I often give the same talk to a wrestler who comes off the mat, win or lose, and has not given everything he had:

• There are only few things in this world that you truly have control over. Integrity, courage, and pride are things that we, the Huskie wrestlers hold dear. Win or lose, regardless of circumstances (bad calls, opponent’s strengths, injury, pressure from a big match), you always should expect the highest levels in regard to yourself. You’re not going to win every match, or every battle in life. But you can bring integrity, courage and pride, and that is something that can never be taken from you.

In relentless pursuit,
Coach Mike Powell and The Huskie Coaching Staff

Monday, March 16, 2009

Huskie Wrestling Family,

After the most fantastic season in school history, I have tried things down. It inevitably turns into gibberish. There are too many rich stories, too many people to thank, too many great kids to think about.

In a nutshell, I can say without a doubt, we have the greatest people in the country involved with our program. Our parents, families, boosters, and especially our wrestlers, have been extraordinary in every way.

High school sports is supposed to be about character growth. Wrestling is the best of all the sports for this, hands down. I am most proud, of all the accomplishments from this year, that this team and our coaching staff never waned from this. Our boys did it right. They loved each other, pushed each other, and lived disciplined.

Thank you to everyone who was a part of this tremendous season.

In relentless pursuit,
The Huskie Coaching Staff

Monday, February 2, 2009

Huskie Wrestling Family,

We will have our final parents night tonight at Molly Malone’s, 7 PM. All adults are invited. It is always a great time!

The Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior Varsity wrestlers are not often recognized (outside of the wrestling room). However, at this weekend’s conference tournaments, the lower level Huskies shined. An exclamation mark was placed at the end of what collectively is the best lower level season in school history! Take a minute to read the following:

FRESHMAN (Coached by Ryan VenHorst and Fred Arkin):
The freshman wrestling team has completed their season with a lot of growth and success as a culmination of hard work, focus, and dedication to reaching their potential. The freshman team finished in 3rd place on Saturday at the Conference Wrestling Tournament. We were only seven points behind the York and 21 points behind Downers Grove South. The Huskies finished with the most finalists (7) and the most individual champions (5). The huskies had 10 of their 16 wrestlers finish in the top 4 as well. The individual champs were Cameron Harris (90), Michael Woulfe (125), Khali Hartzog (135), Zak Ladwig-Scott (171) and Marq Brumant (285). Zak Ladwig-Scott was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler or OW. This is a phenomenal accomplishment for a first year wrestler, who managed to pin his way through the tournament. Second place finishers were Christian Minaghan (97) and Nick Reyes (103). Colin Rogers (112) placed third, losing a very close match to the eventual champ in the semifinals. Arlo Sheridan (130) and Jacob Friesen (215) took home fourth place as individuals. All of the Huskies wrestled with heart and desire, what has been deemed “Huskie Style Wrestling”. We are very proud of these boys and look forward to the future off-season growth and successes that will be ahead for these young men. Many of them had little or no experience coming into this season and can now look back at the tremendous amount of skills that they have learned and move forward to contribute to one of the most successful wrestling programs in the state. Please congratulate these wrestlers on their success.

SOPHOMORE (Coached by Paul “Unit P” Collins and Octavious Bellamy):
Sophomore Huskies capped off a courageous effort with an 8-3 final round at the conference tournament. Down two weights along with two freshmen filling in, second place overall as a team was a remarkable achievement. Four finalist; Nate Crain (112), Chirino Watson (119), Frankie Picchiotti (125), Eddie Guen-Murray (189) each wrestled tough in the finals with Watson, Picchiotti, and Guen-Murray all winning their weights. Crain lost a heartbreaking 14-10 championship match, while Picchiotti won with a :50 fall. Guen-Murray and Chirino won decisions; Guen-Murray winning with a takedown in OT. Freshman Donald Hicks (103), along with Sophomores, Conor Harmon (140), Chris Bergen (160), Isaac Chadri (215) each finished with one loss on the day. Hicks and Chadri both placed third, while Harmon and Bergen both placed fifth. Donald Hicks finished off a very impressive day with a pin the third place match; highest finish by a freshman in quite some time. Kris Ellis (HWT) won his quarterfinal match with a fall, but lost his next two matches finishing fourth place. Wrestling for seventh place were Graham Steele (130), Brian Toledo (145), and Patrick Alcock (160); Steele won a decision, conversely, Toldeo and Alcock lost hard fought decisions. Although he lost his only two matches Freshman Kobie Price showed toughness. These young men trained hard all season and took their training to higher levels the two weeks leading up to the conference tournament. Each wrestler should be proud of his efforts

JUNIOR VARSITY (Coached By James “Beardo” Messer and Joe Manzello):
1st - Jordan Patush, Charlie Johnson, Brendan Rogers, Pat Lavigne, Charvis Peoples
Patush dominated all opponents, pinning his finals opponent in the 1st period. Ditto for “Chuckles” Johnson who merely tech-falled in his final match. Brendan was sick all week and managed to pull out some very hard-fought victories for a courageous performance. Pat Lavigne looked like a killing machine. He inside-tripped his final opponent four times before getting the fall. Charvis “Wrinkles” Peoples was the surprise of the tournament. After a 2-month hiatus from wrestling, came in and crushed the spirit of his two opponents. He won his final match by blasting a double on his opponent hard enough so that he could not continue wrestling.

2nd – Chris Wilson
Chris continued to show the kind of leadership that will make him sorely missed next year.

3rd – Anthony Manetti, Andrew Davenport, Justin Jurczack
Manetti actually won 3rd place for an unprecedented 2 times on Saturday. Because of an error by the head table, his first 3rd place match was against an opponent who was 2 weight classes higher. Manetti, not one to quibble over details, dispatched him. Then later he beat the kid he was supposed to wrestle. Davenport continued to show that not only is he a man with 7 or eight nicknames, but he also has a lot of untapped potential. With a good off-season he could be scary-good. Jurczack, as a last-minute replacement for an ill Nick VerHalen, showed the kind of team-first mentality that we love. He showed up Saturday morning on the off-chance that he could be in the lineup at a higher weight class, then proceeded to wrestle his heart out and finish 3rd. That’s “Huskie Style”.

5th- Sean Jackson
Sean “Action” Jackson got a tough first round draw against the eventual champ. One mistake cost him a close match, bumping him to the 5th place bracket. Undeterred, Sean again showed the kind of desire that has made him the hardest-working JV wrestler of the year. Then in his 5th place match, he took Manetti’s mistaken 3rd place opponent, and beat him soundly. This kid (and his coaches) couldn’t believe he had to face another OP wrestler. Sean has made a ton of progress this year.

1st place as a team. Lyons Township, finishing 2nd, was 70 points behind us. We could not be prouder of the JV wrestlers. They battle everyday in the toughest practice room in Illinois against some of the nation’s best. They consistently have shown a level of commitment that a coach does not often see on the under levels.

The Varsity Regional tournament will be held at Morton East HS (south on Austin). Start time at 9AM. Be there! For more information check out our website: www.oprfwrestling.com

In Relentless Pursuit,
The Huskie Coaching Staff

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Huskie Wrestling Family,

We have this amazing website. Professional quality – www.oprfwrestling.com. Brian Tideman, our webmaster, updates the site weekly, sometimes twice a week. He is a far better writer than I. In lieu of our regular email updates, I ask that you visit our website. The emails are overkill.

A couple of things:

• The Huskies finished the regular season 20 – 0 and conference champions. We are currently ranked 1st in the state. 9 of the 14 starters are state ranked, 7 of them on the top 8, 6 in the top 4, 5 in the top 3, 1 is ranked 2nd, and 2 are ranked first.
   

• Our last Parents Night of the year will be next Monday at Molly Malone’s. 7 PM. All adults are invited. Entertainment will be provided by Coach Lou Giovannetti.
   

• FINALLY – As we embark on the off-season, the wrestlers are stressed and feeling tons of pressure. The coaches have come up with an idea for how to show support for the Huskies as we make the Title run (for the individuals and the team). We are asking all those capable of doing so, to join the coaching staff in growing out their facial hair in some fashion. Niall Collins is ahead of this push (35 years or so). King James Paul Hunter is in. VenHorst is going to give it his best.

In Relentless Pursuit,
The Huskie Wrestling Staff

Monday, January 5, 2009

Huskie Wrestling Family,

A synopsis and some reminders:

The #1 ranked Huskie wrestlers had a very productive break. Countless hours of practice and very tough competitions were had at all levels.

• The freshman wrestled tough throughout the break against older and more experienced teams. This week’s freshman wrestler of the week is Christian Minaghan, who won the Gordon Tech tournament! Practice wrestler of the week goes to Colin Rogers, who practiced hard the entire break and even attended some varsity practices.
   

• The JV wrestled in two very tough tournaments on consecutive days. The Brother Rice tournament is the toughest in the state, with many top teams represented. The Huskies finished 5th. We then wrestled at the Carmel invite, and for the first time in recent history, won a JV tournament! It was a true team effort. Charlie Johnson won both tournaments and is our JV wrestler of the week. Sean Jackson earns JV practice wrestler of the week for his steady hard work and improvements in the room.
   

• The varsity wrestled in two of the Midwest’s toughest tournaments. The Toshiba Business Solutions Midwest Classic is held in Kansas City and boasts many of the country’s top teams. We entered the tournament without two of our top wrestlers, and a couple other guys who were far less than 100%. Never the less, we wrestled hard and came away with 8th place. A healthy and full team would have competed for the team title. Individual champs were Nick Dardanes and Ellis Coleman. Nick dominated everyone in the tournament, easily beating a Missouri state finalist in the finals. Ellis won the most difficult weight in the tournament, which include 5 state champions (2 were multi-time champs). Ellis walked to the finals, beating a 2 x Missouri finalist, 1 time champ, and nationally ranked kid in the semi-finals. Ellis then won a dramatic come from behind finals match against Mac Bailey, who was a 3 x undefeated state champion. Ellis handed Mac his 1st high school loss. Other places include Chris Dardanes – 7th, Sammy Brooks – 7th, Benny Brooks – 6th, Matt Monson – 4th.
   

• The varsity then wrestled at the Granite City tournament, a bit healthier (Super star Benny Brooks did not make the trip) and wrestled outstanding. We won the tournament by 43.5 points over second place Libertyville and ousted Oak Park, Missouri . There were 7 finalists and 6 individual champs. Joey Brown made the finals and is looking good. We won 5 straight weights, starting with Chris Dardanes (who avenged a loss from KC) @ 125, Nick Dardanes @ 130, Ellis Coleman @ 140, Danny Martin @ 145, and Sammy Brooks @ 152. Matt Monson then won @ 215. Other placers were Aaron Minnis- 3rd @ 135, Jon Wilson- 6th @ 171, and LaQuan Hightower- 5th @ HWT. Our varsity wrestler of the week goes to Chris Dardanes who had a great showing this week, avenging a loss from KC. Practice wrestlers of the week goes to Joey Brown who has done a nice job of taking ownership of his training over break.
   

• The coaches could not be more proud of the team, on all levels. The dedication and hard work displayed by the wrestlers in our program is inspiring!

Reminders and upcoming events.

• Tonight, Jan. 5th is parents night at Molly Malone’s! All adults are invited.
   

• Friday, we wrestle powerhouse Grant in a big dual @ home.
   

• Saturday, the Varsity and JV are at home in a quad with Wheaton North, Libertyville and St. Rita. There should be some great matches. Wrestling starts at 10 AM.
   

• Our Little Huskies Tournament is Jan. 25th. All wrestlers are expected to work the tournament. Also, we are always looking for volunteers. We would love to put you to work. Please let us know if you can work for half a day!

In relentless pursuit,
The Huskie Wrestling Staff

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

• It seems Pete Kowalczuk is ready to take it to the next level. The final level. Pete has beaten some of the best 264 pounders in the world and is on the heels of the Olympic level guys. He  finished 2^nd in the New York Athletic Club International meet, one of top events held in North America. On route to the finals, Pete beat some outstanding heavies. He lost to an Olympian in the finals. He then, From NYC, flew to Paris where he finished 2^nd in another top international event. Again, Pete beat some top guys and lost to an Olympian in the finals. At 19, Pete has already been selected by the USA Greco staff as the future of Greco for the US at heavy weight. Imagine, this is the same Pete that had his image captured at Ridgeland pool 7 years ago (I doubt the camera man would recognizes that boy now)!
   
• Lillashawn “Greedy” Coleman has taken the NJCAA wrestling world by storm. Greedy recently defeated University of Illinois starter on his way to the title at the Missouri open. Greedy’s back up at Merrimac Junior College is currently ranked #1 in the country.
   
• Ethan Moes is wrestling for Elmhurst college under former national champion Steve Marianetti. Ethan recently secured his first college win at the Triton open. Coach Marianetti recently described Ethan as “unusually tough.” This is something those of us in Huskieland have known for a long time.

• The freshman had their first conference victory on Friday night versus Downers Grove North. The boys wrestled well again Saturday at the Conant invite, bringing home several medals including one Gold. Marc Brumant smashed everyone he wrestled on his way to first place. Marc is our freshman wrestler of the week. Practice wrestler of the week goes to Ivan Castro for his hardnosed work and Huskie Style wrestling during practice.
   
• This year’s JV team is our best in recent memory. This weekend we saw some good wrestling in all 5 duals meets. Chorino Watson. Who did not make it through his freshman season, has come back this year with a vengeance. Chorino is executing technique and showing some real promise for the future. He is our wrestler of the week. JV practice wrestler of the week goes to Eddie Guen-Murray who did a great job last week battling with our very tough upper weights. He does not back down form Brooks, Monson, or Hightower.
   
• The Varsity went 5 – 0 and erased any doubts about whether we are the team to beat in Illinois. The Huskies whipped Glenbard West and Downers North High school on Thursday and Friday .  On Saturday, we handily defeated 3 of the top teams in state. It was a great weekend of wrestling. Sammy Brooks is our wrestler of the week. Sammy has a gas tank that never empties. He pinned the #8 ranked wrestler from West Aurora this weekend. He then volunteered to move up a weight class (keep in mind he was already wrestling a weight class up) and had a huge win against a highly touted wrestler from Neuqua Valley. “The freshman” was 5 – 0 on the weekend. This kid is for real. Practice wrestler of the week goes to Chris Dardanes for his courage in pushing himself to get on the mat despite an ankle injury. Chris is “old school” tough.

• The varsity travels to Kansas City for a big time tournament. Sophomores are at Maine South tournament and the frosh are at Gordon Tech on Monday.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

We had another great weekend of wrestling, and saw some great performances on all levels. A breakdown:

• The #1 ranked Varsity has remained undefeated after posting a perfect 4 – 0 weekend. Without the help of superstars Chris Dardanes and Downtown Joey Brown, the Huskies defeated York to win our first Varsity dual of the year. Joey Brown was in the line-up on Saturday though, and looked tough, going 3 – 0 on the day. OPRF won 38 of 42 matches on Saturday against Notre Dame, Conant, and Addison Trail. The wrestler of the week award goes to Benny Brooks who beat 4 ranked opponents! Practice wrestler of the week goes to Matt Monson. After a tough start, Matt has really worked hard and emerged as a great leader in our room.
   
• The Junior Varsity teams had a good weekend as well. For the first time in recent memory, we defeated York’s lower levels! Saturday, the JV 1 team lost 4 studs (who were with the varsity) for Saturday’s competition, but still wrestled well. Junior Varsity wrestler of the week is Andrew Davenport, who showed great spirit on and off the mat this weekend. JV practice wrestler of the week goes to Graham Steele who continues to impress the coaches with his hard work in the room.
   
• The freshman lost a tough one to York Friday night, but came back Saturday and won the Glenbrook South Dual Team Tournament! The coaches report that the freshmen are getting better each week, a definite sign that they have been working hard. Wrestler of the week honors go to Khali Harzog for his dominate Huskie Style performances this weekend. Practice wrestler of the week goes to Cameron Harris, who has really stepped up his intensity in the practice room.

Coming up:

• The Huskies take on Glenbard West and Downers Grove North in conference competition. We wrestle Glenbard West Thursday night at home and DGN away on Friday. Saturday, the Varsity will wrestle in perhaps the toughest quad in the state. Glenbard North, West Aurora, and Nequa Valley, all ranked in the top 10, will be there. The freshman will be at the Conant Invite on Saturday. We hope everyone can come out this weekend to cheer on the Huskies.
   
• Brian Woulfe is putting on his annual Holiday Movie. Check out the attached flyer. It would be great to see everyone on Sunday.

In Relentless Pursuit,
The Huskie Coaching Staff

P.S. Do not forget to check out our website: www.oprfwrestling.com

Monday, December 1, 2008

Huskie Wrestling Family, 

An update on the weekends results and a reminder on future events: 

• The Wrestling Huskies dominated 3 levels against St. Pats; Varsity, JV 1, and JV 2. We dropped a heartbreaker on the freshman level. This marks the 5th year in a row we have defeated Pats on the varsity level. We did not get 1000 attendees (our goal) but the house was packed. Brian Woulfe kept an accurate count - 577! Thank you to everyone who attended. It is always great for our wrestlers to feel supported and to see all the alumni in the crowd. The Alumni event @ Molly Malone’s after the dual was great. Thank you to Matt McDermott for organizing.
   
• The JV wrestled well at the GBN tourney on Saturday, crowning 1 champ - Chris Wilson. The coaches saw a lot of progress from our guys. Chris is our JV wrestler of the week. For his toughness and willingness to challenge the best guys in the room, Frankie Picchiotti has earned JV practice wrestler of the week.
   
• The frosh also wrestled well on Saturday, earning 2nd place to a very tough Glenbard East team. The freshman wrestler of the week goes to Nick Reyes, who exemplifies Huskie Style wrestling. Freshman practice wrestler of the week goes to Mike Messina for his sharp focus and consistent work.
   
• The varsity won the Conant Tournament for the 1st time in history! The top 3 ranked teams were present. The Huskie should emerge as the new Number 1 ranked team in the state! It was a great team effort. Four champs were crowned - Nick Dardanes, Ellis Coleman, Danny Martin, and Sammy Brooks. Nick Dardanes was named Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament for his defeat of a defending state champion in the finals. Nick is also our Varsity wrestler of the week. Sammy Brooks was the first upper weight wrestler in the history of the tournament to win the championship. Varsity practice wrestler of the week goes to Jon Wilson, who trains in relentless fashion every day.
   
• This weekend, the Huskies are at home versus York on Friday night in our first conference action of the year. JV starts at 6 pm, Varsity and Frosh at 7.
   
• We also host a varsity quad on Saturday. Wrestling will start @ 10 am. Come out and see for yourself - the Huskies are for real!
   
• Tonight will be our 2nd parents night of the year at Molly Malone’s. 7 pm. Come join us for a burger and great conversation about....
   
• Do not forget to check out our website! www.oprfwrestling.com

Side note: The coaches could not be more proud of our guys. The athletes have really dedicated themselves; working hard, sacrificing, displaying courage daily. What a great group of young men! 

In Relentless Pursuit,

 The Huskie Coaching Staff

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Huskie Wrestling Family,

The Wrestling Huskies have wrapped up the preseason and are ready for the IHSA season to begin. The wrestlers have put in countless hours of training in preparation, from last March on through this week. The dedication of the wrestlers is both amazing and inspiring. After a great spring and summer, the boys have managed to once again to astound the coaches with their fall efforts. We say it year after year, but it is always true -- the Wrestling Huskies are without doubt the cream of the crop at OPRFHS.

Here is the latest news and some important announcements for fans and parents:

• Amateur Wrestling News has ranked the Huskies 38th in the country, preseason. Of course, we think we are better than 38th. We are honored never the less.

• Six wrestlers participated in the nation’s most prestigious preseason tournament. The Super 32 is attended by the nation’s best every year. There were 14 state champions at 135 (Ellis Coleman’s weight) pounds alone! Nick and Chris Dardanes, Ellis Coleman, Danny Martin, and Sammy and Benny Brooks all wrestled. The Dardanes brothers earned a 7th place (Chris lost a coin flip to Nick when they were bracketed to wrestle), Ellis earned third place, and Benny earned 7th. Danny Martin was one second from placing and Sammy Brooks proved to himself he is ready for the big time. The freshman lost narrowly to a state champ from Virginia and finished 2 - 2. It was a good experience for all involved. Kendall Hutchinson, who would have wrestled but just missed registration, was 11 – 0 in his first eleven matches as a coach.

• THE ST. PATS DUAL MEET, for the 32nd year in a row, will be held in the OPRF Field House
  @ 6 PM (Varsity @ 7:15 PM) on Wednesday, Nov. 26th. Our goal is to get 1000 fans out for the dual, so mark your calendars now and come out to watch the nationally ranked Huskies!

• Web master and stats guru, Brian Tideman continues to add to our new website. It really is top quality, check it out – www.oprfwrestling.com

PARENTS INFORMATION –

• Practice starts Monday, Nov. 10th. Your student/athlete will be given an updated calendar on Monday. Please review with your child.

• Our first PARENTS NIGHT will be Monday, Nov. 10th @ 7 PM, Molly Malone’s in Forest Park. Come out for dinner and some wrestling socialization.

• Our parents meeting will be Nov. 15th @ 11:45 in the NORTH CAFETERIA. All parents should attend.

• Your wrestler will be fundraising over the course of the next 2 weeks, please ask him about what he is doing. The Community Clean – up will take place on Sunday, Nov. 23rd @ 9 AM.

We are anticipating an adventurous year. Our schedule is tougher than ever before. We believe the challenges will provide great opportunities for wrestling and personal growth.

In relentless pursuit,

The Huskie Coaching Staff

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Huskie Wrestling Family,

We hope everyone has spent the past couple of days glued to their computer screens watching online wrestling. How about that 21 year old Henry Cejudo! We have much to report from this summer. We had yet another wonderful "Senior Trip" and 4 Huskies were key members of Illinois repeat national Greco-Roman champions. You probably read that in our last email and have been checking your computer daily to find out how our boys did in Fargo (the most prestigious HS tournament in the country - The Nationals). Well...

• Aaron Minnis competed for team Illinois at 140 lbs in the Junior Greco division. Aaron wrestled his heart out, as he always does, earning a hard fought 3 period win. Aaron had a great experience in Fargo and will certainly see then benefit from this experience in his upcoming senior year.
   

• Chris Dardanes competed for team Illinois at 125 lbs in the Junior Freestyle division. Chris had a great tournament, going 5 - 2 and just missing All-American status. Chris beat a couple of highly touted wrestlers. He is on the verge of some great things.
   

• Nick Dardanes competed for team Illinois at 130 lbs in the Junior Freestyle division. Nick also just missed All-American status and beat some high quality opponents. Nick is looking primed to do some damage this winter.
   

• Lillashawn Coleman competed for team Illinois at 125 lbs in the Junior Greco division. Greedy finished 6th, earning All-American honors. He was a hair away from being in the finals. Greedy accomplished this with very little training as he took the spring off of wrestling. His talent and renewed outlook will take him far in college. Greedy starts at Merrimac St. Louis Community College this week and will help Merrimac to improve on last year's 2nd place national finish.
   

• Benny Brooks competed for team Illinois at 189 lbs in both the Cadet Freestyle and Greco divisions. Benny, exhausted from competing at nationals events all summer and coming off a sprained ankle, just missed being Oak Park's first ever double Fargo All-American (earned by placing top eight in both freestyle and Greco). After placing 4th in Greco and earning All-American honors, Benny lost a nail bitter in the round to place in freestyle. We could not be more proud of Benny's gutsy effort. Benny had an unbelievable spring and has quickly ascended to the very top of Illinois wrestling.
   

• Ellis Coleman earned his 3rd All-American honor. Ellis competed for team Illinois at 130 lbs in the Junior Greco division. Ellis earned 2nd place, dropping his final match (which involved some very questionable refereeing) to a a young man from Florida who many consider to be the best all-around HS Greco wrestler in the country. Before the finals, Ellis had out-pointed his opponents 76 - 1. Let's hope Chicago gets the 2016 games so that we do not have to travel too far to watch Ellis compete! Ellis really has built himself into one of the premier wrestlers in the country, regardless of weight class or style. His dedication and work ethic are unparallel.

The rest of the crew have been working hard in other sports or becoming "swole" in the weight room. This summer has been with a doubt our best summer of lifting ever! The other day, there were 28 wrestlers there at 8:30 AM working hard! Kudos to Coach Messer for doing an outstanding job.

We are very much looking forward to having a great year. This team could easily be a top 15 program in the nation come February!

Coach Brian Tideman is putting the finishing touches on our new website! We will send the address out upon completion.

Coach Powell has a new email address (for wrestling only): opwrestling@gmail.com

In Relentless Pursuit,

The Huskie Coaching Staff

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Hello Huskie Wrestling Family,

We have had two and a half months of off-season training and successes this spring. There is much to report on, so I will try to keep it short….

• Pete Kowalczuk, former Huskie heavy weight, has collected some serious hardware this spring. Pete has been attending the United States Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan University. Along with doing well in school, Pete has clearly been training very hard. This spring Pete placed 3rd at the University Nationals, won the Fila Junior National Title, and placed 5th at the US Open. He has qualified for the Olympic Trials (where he will have a huge fan section) in June, and has been invited to represent the United States at the Pan American Games. What amazing accomplishments! Keep in mind that Pete is 18 years old and bested many wrestlers who had been training exclusively Greco for 10 years. He finished ahead of Cole Konrad (3 x NCAA finalist, 2 x champ at U of Minnesota) at the Open!
   
• Kendall Hutchinson, Chris Dardanes, Ellis Coleman, Dan Martin, Benny Brooks, and
  Matt Monson earned All- American status at the Fila Cadet Nationals Championships in Akron, OH. Kendall was a national finalist at 46 kg in the Greco-Roman portion of the tournament. Kendal had several outstanding matches on his way to the finals! Chris was second in Freestyle at 58 kg. Ellis was third at 63 kg in Greco. Dan Martin, 76 kg, placed 5th in Freestyle. Benny placed in both styles. He earned a second and a third to make himself a double All - American at 85 kg. Matt was also double All-American at 100 kg, placing 4th and 5th respectively. It was a great tournament where limits were tested. The boys wrestled with outstanding courage and focus.
   
• The Greco-Roman state tournament was held at OPRFHS again this spring. 450 wrestlers competed, 29 of which were OPRFHS guys. Our boys wrestled well, with outstanding performances coming from Aaron Minnis (3rd, Jr. 140 lbs), Lillashawn Coleman (1st, Jr. 130 lbs), and Laquan Hightower (3rd, Cadet 215).
   
• Several Huskies competed at the Northern Plains Regional's tournament this past weekend in Waterloo, IA. Competing in Freestyle, Chris Dardanes earned 1st at 125lbs, Nick Dardanes finished 2nd at 130lbs, and Ellis Coleman finished 1st at 135lbs.
   
• As of this week, the Huskies have qualified 6 wrestler for the Cadet and Junior Nationals in Fargo, ND. Over fifteen wrestlers have competed in 30+ matches.
   
• This weekend is the Freestyle state tournament in Danville Illinois. The Huskies, wrestling under the name Club Sensitivity, will be well represented with 20 + wrestlers attending.
   
• The tickets for our senior trip have been purchased and the logistics of the trip are being worked out. This June, we will be taking 12 to-be seniors backpacking in and around Zion National Park!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• We will be ramping up our summer camp and would like all huskies to attend. Were are bringing in wrestlers and clinicians from around the country. You can sign up through our website: www.oprfhs.org
   
• The annual Car Wash will be on June 7th from 9 AM to 2:30 PM in the auto bay of the high school. This fundraisers helps us subsidize our senior trip, camp attendees and national qualifiers. Bring everyone's car over for the worst car wash you'll ever receive!

In Relentless Pursuit,

The Huskie Wrestling Staff

Monday, September 24, 2007

Hello Wrestling Family,

The season approaches quickly. The coaches and wrestlers are gearing up. The fall always brings trepidation. The feelings of accomplishment and pride that the completion of last season gifted are 7 months old.

For most of our wrestlers, the season can't come soon enough. But there are those, and understandably so, that anticipate the work ahead with caution and even fear. Even the coaches would be remiss to pretend that there are not more pleasant things that could be done this winter. We have had a few conversations with wrestlers of late that are struggling to "justify" why they have chosen such a difficult path.

I will make the argument that it is these young men, those trying to "justify” that will benefit the most from this sport and the following season. The wrestlers, parents, and coaches, do this because we believe in lasting effects of what wrestling teaches. The self-confidence, the pride, the character development, the physical benefits, the mental toughness, and the knowledge that we have chosen to put ourselves in a situation so difficult that 99% of people shy away. Once a person has made it through 4 years high school wrestling they believe, for good reason, that they are unique.

Please view these pictures from the senior trip this year in the Sierra Nevada's. Our seniors; Matt H., Matt G., Ethan, Jack, Greedy, Gary, Colin W., Colin S., Krys, Nick, and Jordan will never forget their time in our program. We (the coaches) coach this sport for that exact reason. We have not forgotten what wrestling did for us. We believe, that in 10, 15, 20 years from now, our current seniors will have similar feelings as their coaches.

By the end of the 2007-08 season, we hope to have accomplished a lot. Our goals are as lofty as ever. In the end, though, state medals or conference championships will not measure success. We will gauge ourselves and our wrestlers on the intensity and integrity of our work, the pride we have developed, the brotherhood and camaraderie experienced, and the memories made.

Parents: The season starts Nov. 5th. Please remind your wrestler that they need to have physical and be registered with the athletic department well in advance.

In Relentless Pursuit,

The Huskie Coaching Staff

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Huskie Wrestling Family,

We have much to write about. Bear with, if the following doesn’t energize you……

Gone are wrestlers of last year’s class. Nikki, Peter, Blanco, Weldon, Big Pete, Woulfe, Max, Big Willy, Mikey, and Walwark have left HUGE shoes to fill. They will be fondly remembered and sorely missed. A serious challenge has been put forth for the senior class of 2008.

This year’s seniors have already started to rise toward meeting the “big shoes” challenge. Ethan Moes, once a kid who seemed to be on the team just to belong to something, is now amongst the most committed and hardest working kids we have ever coached. Gary Milton has shown signs of being the great leader we know he can. Krys Watkins, faced with challenges he has never before faced (and never will again face) at 13000 ft. in the Sierra Nevada’s, showed the heart of a Huskie in the final leg of the Iditarod – he was amazing. Greedy Coleman and Jack Dengel have emerged as real leaders, walking the walk while talking the talk, everyday. They are working hard to meet the many lofty goals they have set for the season. Nick Zager’s triumphant return to the team after a long and frustrating bout with injuries has brought fresh energy to everyone around him. His work ethic and intensity have been missed. Perhaps most impressive has been the other seniors. In particular, Colin Sharpe and Jordan Gillard have considerably stepped up their commitment to themselves and the program. We are proud of the effort in leadership our seniors are putting forth.

On to the summer. What a summer.

The Huskies have been busy training and competing hard. We have also had some great experiences and accomplishments. The young men of the Huskie wrestling program have once again experienced and achieved amazing things, pushing themselves every step of the way. A synopsis:

• 6 Huskies and Little Huskies attended the Ohio State Wrestling Camp, garnering compliments from world-class wrestlers on the way. They were impressed by the Huskie work ethic and relentless wrestling style.
   

• 11 Wrestlers participated in our most grueling senior trip yet. We headed for the Sierra Nevada’s John Muir Wilderness in central California. It was stunningly beautiful and physical torturous at once. 40 + miles over 4 days, 3 passes above 12000 ft (including a Col at 13000), and 2 days off trail over rough terrain (boulders the size of trucks). The seniors and coaches had an amazing time. A special thanks to Coach Knake who was a stud! It was as if coach Knake had been training with the Huskie Wrestling Family for years.
   

• We brought 14 athletes to San Diego to train and live with our Brother school, Vista High. Coaches Pitts and Davis and the Vista wrestlers were outstanding hosts. The wrestlers had a great time, developed strong bonds, and trained with the best wrestlers in California. It was a huge success.
   

• 4 Huskies participated on 3 National Championship teams as part of Team Illinois at the National Duals. Danny Martin and Ellis Coleman (Ellis was undefeated and named to the all tournament team) participated on the Cadet Greco National Championship team! Greedy Coleman and Pete Kowalczuk lead the Junior Greco team to the Championship as well. Ellis, Greedy and Pete all wrestled on the Freestyle Championship team. It is important to note that since the inception of the national duals no state has won 3 out of 4 National Dual Championships. To think that Huskies played a very important part (captained all 3 teams) in making history brings great pride to this program.
   

• 5 Huskies wrestled in the individual nationals. Known in the wrestling world simply as Fargo (the tourney takes place in Fargo, ND), it is the most grueling and toughest tournament high school age wrestlers can participate in, nation wide.
   

  • Kendall Hutchinson had two huge wins @ 98 lbs., including his first 5-point throw on the national scene! Kendall has been working very hard and his name will be known throughout the state before he is finished.
     

  • Weldon Rogers wrestled in perhaps the most competitive weight (145) in the freestyle tournament and won 2 matches against top competition.
     

  • Danny Martin, competing at 152 lbs, won several close matches to become a Cadet Greco All – American. Danny has been close to the top guys for a long time, always coming up just short. We are proud to say that his hard work has paid off, and Danny can now consider himself among the countries elite wrestlers. Danny has a tremendous work ethic and deserves every accolade he gets.
     

  • Ellis Coleman won the 119 lbs Cadet Greco National Championship. Everyday for the rest of Ellis’ life he gets to wake up and say, “I am a National Champion.” Ellis dominated his weight class, losing only one period in the entire tournament. He won a “Huskie Style” match in the finals, losing the first period against a stud from Pennsylvania. He came back and dominated the 2nd and 3rd periods, finishing the match with a spectacular reverse lift. Ellis owes a ton to his Greco coach for the last 2 years, Bryan Medlin, who has done wonderfully with Ellis.
     

  • Peter Kowalczuk also won the National Championship. Peter was the second champ for the Huskies and 3rd for team Illinois. In winning, Peter made the Huskies the only program in the country to have 2 national champs. Pete also dominated his field, the Junior Hwt. Division, and the weight was stacked with the best from around the country. Peter defeated a guy who had previously beaten him 3 times in the final bout. Peter’s success at the nationals has changed the course of his post- high school life. He has accepted a full scholarship to the Northern Michigan University, where he will train exclusively Greco Roman at the United States Olympic Education Training Center!

In Relentless Pursuit,

The Huskie Wrestling Coaching Staff

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Huskie Wrestling Family,
 
Year after year, we are always amazed at the quality of character of the Huskie wrestlers. Un Club Muy Especial de Lucha Libre was represented well in all facets this spring, culminating in outstanding performances (On and off the Mat) at the Greco-Roman and Freestyle State Tournaments.

Each spring when the outgoing seniors stop wrestling, a void is left. "How are we ever going to fill the shoes of out departing heroes?", the coaches wonder. Each spring we struggle with doubt concerning the following year's team. "Are they mature enough?, When are the leaders going to emerge?, It is just not the same without so and so."   After graduating an amazingly hard working, dedicated, and mature senior class, the coaches (stated in the plural so to not give away the insecurities of one particular coach) were especially worried.

The state Freestyle tournament was this weekend. After weigh-ins we ate, all 30+ of us, ate at an Italian restaurant. After dinner, Charlie Brooks and the coaches were talking about very deep, important things, when the owner approached us. She stated that in all her years as a restaurateur, she had never encountered such a well behaved, respectful group. "And they are wrestlers?", she said.

Perspective is rare this time of year. Everyone, coaches and wrestlers alike, are worn thin. Thank you to the restaurant owner. The following 2 days of wrestler were considerably more fun then they might have otherwise had been.

It has been a great spring. Full of character, hard work, dedication, and maturation. We are very proud of our guys.

Thanks to Brooks family for the exceptionally helpful organization of this weekend.

In Relentless Pursuit,

The Huskie Wrestling Coaching Staff

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Wrestling Family,

The Huskies are having another terrific off-season. Participation is fantastic and the wrestlers are working hard. Charlie Johnson, Sammy Brooks, and Greedy Coleman are battling it out in the "Most off-season matches" categories (each is nearing 40 already!). We had 9 wrestlers participate in the Fila Cadets Nationals in Akron, Ohio. Three of these young men earned "All-American" status. Gary Milton (6th), Greedy Coleman (4th), and Ellis Coleman (2nd) each wrestled very well and placed in the Greco-Roman portion of the tourney. Danny Martin finished one win shy of earning All-American status. Overall, it was a great learning experience for all who participated.

Reminder: The Huskie Wrestling Banquet is this Sunday at 2 PM in the south cafeteria. Make sure to come celebrate all the hard work our young folk put forth this season!

In Relentless Pursuit,

The Huskie Coaching Staff

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Huskie Wrestling Family,

The wrestling coaches often ask our wrestlers to do things that parents, friends, teachers, and even the wrestlers themselves have difficulty understanding. 

We ask our athletes to wrestle with the following questions:

If you work the hardest and the smartest, do you get the most? Is it OK to be fanatical about something, giving up the “balance” in life so many people believe is important?

The answer from five Huskie wrestlers would be yes.

Ellis Coleman, Lillashawn “Greedy” Coleman, Weldon Rogers, Peter Lovaas, and Peter Kowalczuk all made it to the second day of the Individual State wrestling tournament in Champaign this weekend. Under grueling conditions, each of theses young men wrestled with the passion and heart that only a person who has really sacrificed could.

Preparations for the 2007 State Tournament were exhausting. To truly document all of the work these young men have done would take thousands of pages. They have given up so much. They have endured pain and anguish beyond what most people reading this could comprehend. They have trained 365 days in each of the last several years. Forgoing many typical teenage experiences and choose to mentally and physically suffer, to reach goals “promised” by coaches, takes unbelievable character and faith.

As big win after big win rolled in this weekend, the answers to the above questions became clear. A quick synopsis:

Peter Lovaas, the only wrestler in this group to start wrestling as a freshman (a relative newcomer), won two awesome matches to put himself in the quarterfinals. After four years, Peter has made himself into an amazing wrestler. If not for his teammate and good friend, he would go down in school history as the most prolific takedown wrestler of all time. Was it worth it? Absolutely!

Ellis Coleman wrestled 123 off-season matches last year. Ellis and his brother live for wrestling. He is now the first sophomore All-State wrestler in the history of the school. Was it worth traveling all over the country, all the 6 AM workouts? Ask him.

Weldon Rogers will graduate the school as the most entertaining, most dynamic wrestler ever. It is at times hard to tell weather one is watching a wrestling match or a dance performance. With speed, grace and agility, all developed through relentless work, Weldon has crushed the previous takedown record at the school on his way to the All-State stand this past weekend. Weldon defeated two nationally ranked opponents this weekend. He has already told me his answer - it was worth it.

Lillashawn Coleman is the world’s most emotional wrestler. It has crippled him in big matches throughout high school. But this weekend, as he won three 1-point matches in a row, you could not tell. The emotions that have hampered him from winning the big matches in the past were turned inward, heightening his focus to a level above his opponents. Lillashawn, ranked 11^th going into the tournament, earned a 2^nd place in the best wrestling state in the country! His dedication and hard work have paid off!

Peter Kowalczuk has grown 5 inches in high school, but only a couple of pounds. He has transformed himself from a butterball, into an athlete of unmatched power. After his semi-final win over an undefeated opponent during which he threw the 6’8” man around like a rag doll, it became apparent how far he has come. And after finishing 2^nd in the state tournament, losing a close bout to the #1 heavyweight in the country, Peter will testify to importance of sacrifice and work.

The team placed 6^th in the standings this weekend. This is the best finish in School History! These five wrestlers all contributed. With different physical assets and five completely different styles, each of these young men have the most important things in common. They have worked the hardest and the smartest. They have sacrificed the most to discover potential that they did not previously no they had!

We are very proud of these young men and their teammates who everyday live a lifestyle unfathomable by most.

In Relentless Pursuit,

The Huskie Coaching Staff

Jump to top