Former wrestlers honored Saturday

Four of the most accomplished figures in the history of Creston wrestling will be among the third class of inductees in the Creston Wrestling Hall of Fame Saturday night.

The inductees include the late Mike Howard, a two-time state champion who was the school’s first individual champion; Jake Marlin, Creston’s and southwest Iowa’s first four-time champion; Jeff Abel, Creston’s first winner of 100 matches and a four-time state placewinner; and John Walters, a state runner-up wrestler and southwest Iowa wrestling historian who has written a book on on the subject. Walters also broadcasts the state tournament each year for KSIB Radio and is a longtime official.

The annual banquet will be held Saturday at the Eagles Club, 300 E. Montgomery Street in Creston. Tickets are $20 each for the event that includes happy hour (cash bar) at 4:30 p.m., steak or chicken breast dinner at 6 p.m. and Hall of Fame inductions at 6:45 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased at Hulett & Son’s Auto Salvage and Carter Agency or by contacting Dannie Stephens, telephone 641-202-3385; John Walters 641-247-1984; Chuck Hulett 641-202-2262; Tami Hulett 641-202-2452; or Emmy Key 641-202-3136 or email crestonwrestlinghof@gmail.com.

First state champ

Howard was Creston’s first state champ in 1973 and became a two-time champion in 1974. He was on the 1972 Creston Wrestling Hall of Fame team that placed second in the state. Howard was a national tournament qualifier for Southwestern Community College and an NJCAA regional champion for the Spartans at St. Louis, Missouri.

Howard worked as a track laborer for Burlington Northern Railroad and worked many years for Kawa Construction. He battled cancer and died on July 10, 2013, at the age of 56.

Abel was Creston’s and southwest Iowa’s first four-time state placewinner in wrestling, taking fifth, third, third and fourth at the state tourney. He was the school’s first winner of 100 career matches and a member of both the 1972 and 1975 Hall of Fame teams. Four times he was a district champion and he was the Corning Tournament champion three times. Wrestling for Iowa Central Community College, Abel was a two-time NJCAA national qualifier.

Abel has worked in the maintenance field most of his career, and is currently working for Wilson Combat of Berryville, Arkansas. He is married to wife Chrissy. Abel and his previous wife Laurie have a daughter and son, and three grandchildren.

4-time champ

Marlin compiled a 204-6 high school record while becoming Creston’s and southwest Iowa’s first four-time state champion in 2013. At the time he set a state record with 148 career pins. Marlin, who was an NJCAA national runner-up for North Iowa Area Community College after transferring from the University of Iowa, was Creston’s first four-time conference champion.

Marlin also excelled on the national stage as an independent wrestler in the summers. He was a Cadet two-time All-American and junior freestyle All-American at Fargo, North Dakota.

Jake is marred to Molly (Schimp), who was a three-sport athlete at Southwestern Community College. The couple lives in Mason City, where Jake is an electrician and Molly is a school teacher.

Walters also had his own career of high achievements as a wrestler before becoming a local coach, official and historian for the sport. Walters was a sectional and district champion in 1974 and 1975 and state runner-up in 1975. He wrestled on scholarship at Morningside College in Sioux City.

Walters is a former assistant coach and head coach in Creston, still active as an official and was the inventor of a tournament scoreboard that was widely used throughout southwest Iowa before internet live scoring systems were developed. In recent years, Walters authored a book, “Creston Wrestling History, 57 years” with an updated version planned. He also continues to work part-time as a wrestling broadcaster for KSIB in Creston.

John and wife Shari, who recently retired as elementary art teacher for 36 years, live in Creston. They are the parents of a daughter, Taylor, of Los Angeles, California, and a son Maxx, now of Chicago. For the past 16 years Walters has worked for Bennett Drive-away, primarily delivering recreational vehicles to dealerships across the country.

The event on Saturday includes the sale of raffle tickets for a pair of Kansas City Royals tickets along with a night’s stay at the KC Marriott and $50 gas card, donated in memory of the late Mike King, a member of the 1972 Hall of Fame team.