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Wrestling season is fast approaching, so that means many things to different people. Our wrestlers and coaching staffs have been busy since the end of last season preparing for the upcoming season. We have been busy planning for the youth season, designing programs and schedules, designing t-shirts and shorts for the team, and many other details that lead to a successful season. I’d like to share some thoughts, information, and dates with you.
Our coaching staff has once again made some minor changes. Lewie, Shane, Denny, Pete and I will remain together for another year. Dave Gliniecki has retired and we wish him well. We will once again be fortunate to have Justin Tritz and Shawn Brehm on staff. Larry Redepenning leads the West Junior High staff of Mark Lubeck, Randy Duxbury, Matt Redepenning, and Josh Hansen. Ben Jahnke will once again be the head coach at East Junior High and lead the staff of Terry Bores, Bill Campbell, and John Henneman.
Last season was as close to a storybook season as a high school team could expect. We were extremely young and very much the underdog when the season began. Our wrestlers and coaches were very likely the only people in Wisconsin that thought we could win another state title last season. We worked hard, improved every week, stayed mostly healthy and never wavered in our belief that we could win the state title. Our team set some very high goals and never wavered in our belief that we could win the state title. Our wrestlers set very high goals for this season and established what they needed to do in the off-season to achieve those goals. We return four wrestlers with state tournament experience. We also have three wrestlers with state tournament experience that moved into our school district. We return four other sectional qualifiers and three other part-time starters. In addition, we welcome in a great group of sophomores and freshmen, as well as some very good junior varsity wrestlers. We will have very good depth in our room this year, which will make everyone in the room better. We have the potential to be very good team, but only hard work and an eye on our goals will allow us to achieve our potential. We will once again be the favorite to win the state title, but that is something that we will embrace. Our coaching staff and wrestlers are anxious to get the season started with our sights set firmly on wrestling Saturday, March 6th at 6:00 pm.
As we look ahead to the challenges of this season, it is important to realize the commitment our athletes have to our school and our program. Many of our wrestlers are multi-sport athletes, who participate football, cross-country, track, and baseball teams. We had many wrestlers in the weight room and the wrestling room over the past eight months. Our wrestlers competed in numerous local tournaments, as will as the state Freestyle and state Greco-Roman tournaments. We had wrestlers represent Wisconsin at the Cadet National Duals in Rochester, MN. We had wrestlers compete on the Cadet Greco-Roman National Championship team in Fargo, ND and at the USA Folkstyle Nationals in Cedar Falls, IA. In addition, many of our athletes are involved in numerous other school activities, summer and after school jobs, and continue to do well in their most important activity-school. Our wrestlers live the motto – “There Is No Easy Way!”
Our schedule this year has changed a great deal. We open with Rhinelander and then make our yearly trip “down south” to Oconomowoc. An early season showdown with nationally ranked Apple Valley, MN and stiff test from highly ranked Muskego will be a good early season test at Oconomowoc. We dual DC Everest and then travel to Bayport for the “Battle on the Bay”, which is a 16 team scramble. The tournament includes Luxemburg-Casco, Ashwaubenon, Franklin, Pewaukee, Mukwanago, and East Troy. We have a WVC bye and then the Rapids Duals, which includes Milton. We will then host Luxemburg-Casco for a dual meet. The meet will be Alumni Night, as well as a celebration of our 55th year supporting a wrestling team. We will return to the Bi-State Classic in LaCrosse, which features 57 teams. Many of our fans will be excited to once again attend this great event. The CLASH should be a very exciting event, as our goals are very high. We then dual Wausau East, before hosting the Rapids Quad, which includes Glenbard North, IL, defending division II state champion Ellsworth, and Totino Grace, MN. We will host Marshfield and then prepare for the dual meet with Wausau West. We wrap up our regular season with a home dual against Stevens Point. Then it is on to the post-season, which will hopefully end in Madison the first weekend of March.
The Mat Backers elected officers for the year, Joe and Kay Porter are once again Co-Presidents. They will continue to serve in this capacity and run the concessions as long as they receive as much help and support as they received last year. If you are interested in helping or becoming involved in concessions, you many contact them. Leslie Benitz is the Vice-President and Joyce Benitz was once again elected the Secretary/Treasurer.
The annual Mat Backers get together will be held at Danny K’s on November 19th at 7:00 pm. We would like to thank you for your support and encourage you to attend this event, as well as our wrestling events. The Mat Backers are what make our program unique. The money generated by the Mat Backers pays for hotel rooms, transportation, mats, unpaid coaches, and the many expenses that make Rapids Wrestling special.
We would like to thank the following people in advance for our excellent media coverage: Terry Stake with WFHR, Mark Massoglia with the Daily Tribune, Bob Coley and his website, and Scott Tesch with River Cities Community Access.
Any parents interested in being a sponsor in our wrestling program should contact Lewie or Joyce Benitz at 423-9226.
Our grade school wrestling program will begin on December 1st. The Rapids District Tournament will be held on January16th and the Rapids Open will be held on January 17th. Scott Tesch will oversee the grade school program. If you or anyone you know is interested in working with our youth program, please contact Lewie or myself. Kevin Peterson and others will coach the Rapids Wrestling Club, which will begin on January 18th.
Important Dates:
November 16th Practice Begins
November 19th Parent Meeting
November 19th Mat Backer Get Together
January 16th Rapids District Tournament
January 17th Rapids Open
March 18th Banquet
April 24th – 25th WWF State Freestyle/Greco
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