The state wrestling tournament is something all wrestlers look forward to. Getting to experience the distinctive atmosphere and higher competition is a memory no wrestler will forget. Four Yutan boys were able to experience the astonishing atmosphere this season.

“It was a really good environment. It was nothing like I’ve ever experienced before, and it was super cool to be around all those top tier wrestlers that I haven’t seen a lot,” freshman Otto Henkel said.

For first time qualifiers, like Henkel, this loud and big environment was brand new to them. Henkel wrestled in the 138 weight class and went 2-2 at state. Losing in the heartbreak round, Henkel was just short of the podium. 

“I wanted to be a state placer,” Henkel said. “I won two matches at state, which was a big accomplishment because it’s actually really hard to win matches at state, but I didn’t get exactly what I wanted.”

Wrestling in the weight class just above Henkel, 144, was junior Max Egr. Egr ended up going 1-2 but did achieve his personal goal. 

“I wanted to win at least one match at state and I did, so I was pretty happy,”  Egr said.

Returning state qualifier senior Jesse Kult had his sights set a little higher and was aiming for a medal. Kult had to prepare and work hard to reach his goal at his last state tournament.

“I wanted to place, that was the goal. So I practiced with Otto and Max, and I also watched film on the guys I was gonna wrestle so I knew what to expect,” Kult said. 

In the 150 weight class, Kult ended up going 1-2. He was just short of his goal due to a small injury at the beginning of the tournament.

“I tweaked my knee in my first match, so that made it hard for me to wrestle,” Kult said. “I really liked state wrestling and the tournament, but I didn’t do what I wanted to do.”

Making it to the podium this year was freshman Eli Kult, Jesse’s younger brother. Eli wrestled in the 106 weight class and went 3-2, earning a fifth place medal. The two brothers helped each other throughout the season and during the state tournament.

“Jesse pushed me to be better throughout the season and helped me at state too,” Eli said. 

With his brother there to push him, Eli really knew what to expect in the state tournament, and that helped him earn a medal.  

“Even though I didn’t get what I wanted, which was winning it, getting fifth place was still rewarding,” Eli Kult said. 

Although not all the goals were achieved, the wrestling coaches felt that everyone wrestled to their fullest in the tournament, and that’s what marks a season as successful.

“I wanted everyone to wrestle up to their potential. It’s a tough place to win matches,”  head coach Dan Krajicek said. “There’s some things you can’t control like injuries, but I think everybody that wrestled there wrestled really well.”