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What a great year for the Rapids Wrestling program, and although expectations are always high, this past year’s team was very special. With eleven seniors that were great leaders, good dedicated athletes and above all good people, we were again the dominate team in Wisconsin. We were 29-2 in duals with only two close meets; they were Apple Valley, MN and Glenbard North, IL., both ranked in the Nation’s top ten along with ourselves, ranked No. 19. Our 29 wins were all lopsided, including five out-of-state teams and a Valley schedule that at times had five teams ranked in the State’s Top Ten. We won our 14th straight Wisconsin Valley Championship that includes a 112 meet win streak over the past 14 years, and also won our 14th straight WIAA Regional Title.
A victory over a very good Kaukauna team for the Team Sectional title and six individual state qualifiers left us representing the best Sectional in the state very well. At the Kohl Center our guys all won their first two rounds to go 12-0, and then capped it off by winning our last 8. Josh Chappa and Jared Jaminski both became two-time State Champions, while Mike Fuller and Vance Grube placed 3rd, and James Berdan and Carl DeLuca placed 5th.
We won our 5th straight State Team Championship and 12th in the past 13 years to keep that remarkable run in tact. We beat Arrowhead 41-13, Tomah 45-10 and Wausau West 38-12 in the finals, as we improved through the State Championships.
Since that time we have had Club practice twice a week, ran our grade school program, held our awards banquet, hosted the Rapids Open and 2 Style Tournament and held the State Freestyle Tournament. Every weekend from Thanksgiving until May we were wrestling somewhere. “There is No Easy Way”
Hosting tournaments takes a lot of work from many people, and we thank all of you who have helped. The tournaments give our kids experience and the revenue helps pay for buses, motels, mats, uniforms, etc. that are all necessary to run a class program. Our kids don’t have to sell pizza, candy or t-shirts to fund raise and we know they appreciate that. A special thanks to Joe & Kay Porter, The Mat Backers and all who helped from set-up to clean-up. “We Are Rapids”
Our Club had a great spring, actually winning the National Folkstyle Tournament in Waterloo, Iowa. We had many champions and place-winners in the State Freestyle and Greco Championships, along with many other weekend tourneys. Thanks to our Club coaches Kevin Peterson, Bill Campbell, Joel Burdick, the elementary coaches and Scott Tesch who coordinates the grade program.
At the risk of omitting some deserving folks we’d like to thank Bob Coley for the Website, Terry Stake and Mark Massagolia for the media, Scott Tesch with River Cities Access, Steve & Randy Livernash for the signs, Rick Henke with our medical needs, the Jr. High Coaches, our staff, Shane & Leslie Benitz for the highlight video, Jerry Klonowski for running the Open and our wives, Joyce & Kathy, for their never-ending work and support.
We’d also like to thank the Rotary Club and Mark Olinyk, along with the Kiwanis Club and Pat Murphy for inviting our team out for dinner.
We will hold our 29th Annual Wrestling Camp June 21 & 22 at East Junior High and host a 1st ever team duals on the 22nd.
Our annual Golf Outing will be at Homestead Golf Course on August 11, 2007. It’s a great time and a rare time when Rapids Wrestling is not expected to win.
Josh Chappa will be attending school and wrestling at Cumberland College in Tennessee, Jared Jaminski will wrestle for UW Oshkosh and James Berdan will wrestle at UW Stevens Point. Congratulations.
Tragedy struck our wrestling family this spring when Megan Fuller, our photographer and manager, was killed in a car accident. The strength and closeness of our program was never more evident than in this terrible time. Our wrestlers being the pall bearers and just the overall support from everyone in our wrestling family meant so much to the Fuller family. Also, Ed Tesch (Scott’s dad and Cody’s grandpa) passed away this spring. He was a loyal fan and will be missed. Our prayers are extended to both families and others in our large family that have had a loss.
Here is next year’s schedule. With the loss of 11 seniors, a thin junior class, and many very strong teams returning, it will be a very challenging year. We have been preparing and will continue to do so this summer to be the best we can be.
God bless and have a great summer!!
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Lewie's Goodbye Letter
I’ve put off writing this letter for a long time, and like our motto, “There Is No Easy Way”.
I’ve decided to step aside as co-head coach of our wrestling program. That being said, let me share some thoughts.
Forty-one years ago I accepted the position as teacher, head wrestling coach and assistant football coach at Lincoln High School. Joyce, our young son Scott and I moved here in a cattle truck, fresh off the farm and grad school. In a short period of time before moving here we were married, lost my parents in a car-train wreck, had a son and ran our home dairy farm.
After four different wrestling coaches in college and a year’s stint as wrestling coach at Menomonie High School while completing grad school, I kinda wanted to get this coaching bug out of my system because I didn’t want to raise my family on $6,000 a year. Well the passion for wrestling and Rapids grew, the fit was right and with the support of my family, we learned and promoted so others would come to love this sport as I did.
I had a dream, and although we were doing well in the Valley after a few years, we couldn’t compete at the State level, couldn’t even talk about it because it seemed so distant. Then in “74” we won the State Tournament, a 375 school, one class tournament. It was surreal. The years flew by; Denny, my nephew, took a teaching job here and is still on our staff along with many long-time friends. We raised our family and all of our kids were on state championship teams: Scott “82”, Vicki, a cheerleader, “85” and Shane in “89”. Now we have nine grandkids and I’m proud to say our kids are great parents and allow us to share their families and wrestling too.
Our success over the years has been the result of many things and many people. The wrestlers and coaches, of course, but the support of our parents, school, community, alumni and the Mat Backers has always been strong. A great work ethic, along with the pride and belief in our program has allowed us to win matches that others thought were impossible. Rapids Wrestling and team are the same, and we have had many great individuals; however, the focus has been on our team and that has helped many wrestlers be on great State Championship teams.
I have received many awards, maybe more than one person deserves, especially this last one. The induction into the National Federation of High School Hall of Fame is a great honor, the second Wisconsin coach ever, and is a great way to top it off. We will be going to Palm Springs, California over July 4th for the presentation along with some of our family, Gus and Barb Mancuso, who made this possible, the WIAA staff, and some west coast friends. Then it’s back to Green Bay July 6th for the National Kids Freestyle and Greco Championships to be with the grandsons and other club kids.
Several years ago I asked that Scott and I share the head coach position and that has worked very well. Since then I’ve taken my pension and although I teach during the season and have my office, I’m in the building less. Along with our staff getting older and Shane not teaching, Scott has been the man on a day-to-day basis. Although there is no easy time, this is the right time. There has always been one more class to stay with.
I will continue to be on the staff and teach part-time as long as I’m wanted and needed. Joyce will do the same. Keeping this program at the level expected is a huge job and has never been a one-man show, although to be effective there should be only one leader.
Rapids Wrestling has been a huge part of our lives and for Scott, his entire life. He wrestled through our program and even in college and also while teaching at Port Edwards he coached our club. He has been on our teaching staff the past 13 years and we’ve been in the State finals each year, winning 12 State Championships. Shane will play a bigger role and both their wives are very supportive, so along with the 3rd generation Benitz boys coming up we’ll be around for awhile.
We have had many great teams and this year’s was one of the best, but with eleven seniors graduating next year will be a challenge to keep the run going. I know you’ll give the same loyal support that has made us the envy of the state and always the home team. “We Are Rapids”!!
I can’t begin to thank all of you that have made all of this possible. The wins have gained much attention, but I’m just as proud of the class with which we’ve won the Championships. For the hundreds of wrestlers who have sweat in the room or folded up their warm-ups before a match, you know the meaning of dedication, discipline, work ethic and the pride you feel when someone calls you a Rapids Wrestler. That legacy we carry for a lifetime and pass it on to future Raiders.
God has blessed me with two wonderful families, ours and the Rapids Wrestling family. Also with a career that I’ve loved and the good health that has given me the longevity to enjoy it.
| Yours in Wrestling, |
| Lewie Benitz |
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