The young Lewis Cass wrestling team is nearing the end of a winning season. The Team consists of freshmen Dominic Sebastian, Elliot Grist, Elijah Auten, Cameron Fowler Hall, Michael Mills, James Strong, Hunter Sellers, Kyland Magers, sophomores Colton Copeland and Levi Bell, Juniors Eli Bowyer, Kamaron Hall, exchange student Geronimo Peyrot, Nick Park, Braysen Highley and Seniors Eli Martin and Max Grist. Even though the team may lack experience, they have shown a lot of fight throughout the season.
For the 2023-24 athletic season, Lewis Cass joined the Three Rivers Conference. The wrestlers are getting ready for the end of their season which includes the conference tournament and then the state tournament. The new conference consists of Lewis Cass Kings, Maconaquah Braves, Manchester Squires, Northfield Norsemen, North Miami Warriors, Peru Bengal Tigers, Rochester Zebras, Southwood Knights, Wabash Apaches, and Whitko Wildcats. The Kings’ record against the new conference is five and three not yet facing the 1A state champs, Rochester. The sectional the Kings compete in is sectional 13 (Peru), which includes Lewis Cass, Huntington North, Maconaquah, Manchester, North Miami, Northfield, Peru, Southwood, Tippecanoe Valley, and Wabash. The Kings’ record against the sectional is four and four. The Kings have shown great competition wrestling against better and more experienced teams.
The Kings have gone eleven and four so far in the season having a rough start but having a quick turnaround for the team. For a team to be successful, it needs to have a leader but this team has many. As a senior, myself, I have stepped up to be the vocal leader. I push my teammates to reach their full potential and to pick up the pace during practice. Our other senior, Max Grist, has learned to lead by example. Max has had many close matches that come down to the last second. He shows grit by finding a way to achieve a win in a close match. Also with no surprise, Eli Boywer and Elliot Grist have led the team with wins both with tying records of 18-4. These leaders seem to boost the team’s morale while preparing for their duals.
Head coach, Nate Burrous, said, ”We lost the first four and the team has had a turn around winning 11 in a row, showing a lot of grit and determination, winning a lot of close duals. A large portion of the team is underclassmen so this success now shows that Lewis Cass wrestling has a bright future.”
When asked about the upcoming sectional 13 and the Cass team’s performance Coach Burrous responded, “I would like to finish top four in the section team-wise. I would like to get half the team to regionals. I would like to get at least one wrestler to semi-state.” Senior wrestler, Max Grist, also included, “My biggest goal is to move on to regionals. I have never moved on and would really like to.”
The Cass wrestling team’s next performance will be on Saturday, January 13, 2024, at the Lapel dual tournament. The Kings wrestle for the TRC Conference on January 20, 2024, and sectional 13 on January 27, 2024. Come out and support your wrestling Kings.
