Wrestlers celebrate successful campaign

Nodaway Valley/OM’s wrestling squad recently celebrated its outstanding season by honoring team members at an end-of-year banquet.

Examples of how outstanding the a team’s season was can be found from an individual and team perspective. Individually, the Wolverines had six state tournament qualifiers and two individual champions, while as a team, the Wolverines were 21-2 in 23 duals, including a third straight trip to the regional duals tournament. The Wolverines graduate only four seniors from their roster this season, making them poised to be one of the more experienced teams returning to the Pride of Iowa Conference next year.

Senior Trent Warner and junior Ashton Honnold each won state titles in the 285 and 215 weight classes. Both were ranked No. 1 at their weights this season and between them had a combined record of 100 wins and 1 loss, Warner finishing 48-1 and Honnold 52-0. Honnold won his second-straight state title. Warner ended the year with the most pins on the team with 32 to go with 90 takedowns and Honnold led in takedowns with 175 and racked up 30 pins.

Other state qualifiers were Ty Strode at 120, Keyin Steeve at 126, Josh Nelson at 106 and Caleb Christensen at 190. Strode led the team in most tech falls with 12 to go with 99 takedowns, 26 near falls and 19 pins. Steeve had 76 takedowns, 25 pins, and 22 near falls. Nelson had 43 takedowns, 23 pins and 20 near falls. Christensen had 69 takedowns, 25 pins and 34 near falls to lead the team. Senior Eli Harris also had over 20 pins on the year with 24. Matthew Nelson, Jett Christensen, and Kasen Hansen all had double-digit pin totals.

“We started this season with big goals as a team and with several kids that had big goals,” NV/OM head coach Brad Honnold said. “We are excited as a program for Ashton and Trent winning state titles and we are also happy with our qualifiers at state. We had a team effort in getting a top-10 finish at state as a team and we did that too and I couldn’t be more prouder of a coach for what we did.”

The Wolverines also had wrestlers who were honored for academic excellence. Strode was a scholar wrestler with a GPA of 3.93 and an IWCOA Academic All-State pick. Warner and Honnold were IWCOA academic honorable mention. Five Wolverines were Pride of Iowa Conference academic all-conference picks, including Caleb Christensen, Honnold, Warner, Strode and Matthew Nelson.

“We have some really smart kids. Their accomplishments on the mat are great and we get excited for those, but success in the classroom is equally something to celebrate as much as or even more than what is done on the mat,” Honnold said.

NV/OM graduates seniors Kasen Hansen, Harris, Couper Mitchell and Warner from this year’s team. Hansen was 28-22 this season and ended his career with 72 wins and 68 losses. He ends as a four-time letter winner. Harris was 34-17 this season and finished his career with 90 wins and 66 losses. He ends as a four-time letter winner. Mitchell was out for wrestling for the first time this season and wrestled in 15 matches, finishing 9-6 and earning a letter. Warner ends his career as a state champion and is the school’s all-time win leader. Warner was 48-1 this year and finished his career with a record of 176 wins and 30 losses. He ends as a four-time letter winner.

“Our seniors were part of something special and accomplished so much in their four years here. Each guy has a story and I hope down the road, they will remember their time as Wolverines and realize how special their high school careers were,” said Honold.

The Wolverines will have a potential senior class of six next year with Strode, Steeve, Matthew Nelson, Ashton Honnold, Ayden Goetz and Matthew Rudolf back. There will be five potential juniors in Jett Christiansen, Bram Dahl, Derek Raasch, Caleb Christensen and Lawson Jackson. Potential sophomores will be Josh Nelson and Trevyn Colton.

The Wolverines won the Pride of Iowa Conference title this year. Strode, Steeve, Ashton Honnold and Warner all were POI individual champions in helping the Wolverines win that meet with 223.5 team points.