Waukon boys wrestling team returns 14 varsity letterwinners for 2023-2024 to lead one of largest teams in recent memory
2023-2024 Waukon boys wrestling team ... Left to right - Front row: Ethan Whalen, Jacob Baxter, Landon Burington, Michael Cushing, Mason McKee, Owen Regan, Adam Wheeler, McKyan Egan, Tyrone McCarthy, Luca Althoff, manager Braden Hilleshiem, Trevor Block; Middle row: Justin Murphy, Lucas Byrnes, Max Jones, Jayden Mara, Tristyn Crawford, Gabe McCormick, Drake Hankes, Draemon Berger, Jacob Grangaard, Ryan Mathis, Aaron Burke, Rylan Mulholland, Garner Lange, Christopher Kidd, Trent Murphy; Back row: Kaedyn Anderson, Bralin Regan, Holten Palmer, Kale Berinobis, Jared Snitker, Ethan Gibbs, Jaxon Regan, Dalton Howe, Cayden Kruger, Ryley Burington, Memphis MIller, John Marti, manager Keagan Palmer, Tryston Johnson. Not pictured: Isaac Ericson, Garrison Byrnes, Ryland Egan, Owen Grimstad, Trent Schullo.
The Waukon boys wrestling team will field one of its largest squads in recent years, as 44 young men have reported for early-season work-outs as the 2023-2024 season gets underway. Within that larger squad lies another considerable number of returning matmen who bring back enough varsity letterwinning experience to nearly fill an entire line-up, as 14 varsity veterans come back from last winter to provide leadership for a mix of wrestling experience and skill levels making up this season’s squad.
“We have 44 boys out this season,” Waukon wrestling head coach Mason Berns said. “An excellent number with many fun dynamics. It’s exciting to see young men discover the positives wrestling has to offer to a growing young person. I have wrestlers that this is their first-ever season and wrestlers that have wrestled since they were able to crawl. Watching them take care of each other, simply put, is awesome.”
This year’s mix of returning varsity experience includes an equal number of the two most veteran upperclassman grade levels. Seniors Ryley Burington, Lucas Byrnes, Isaac Ericson, Justin Murphy and Bralin Regan are joined by juniors Ryland Egan, Ethan Gibbs, Max Jones, Jayden Mara and Holten Palmer in that equal representation of most veteran experience, with the sophomore trio of Landon Burington, John Marti and Jared Snitker rounding out this year’s returning letterwinning crew.
The wrestling Tribe is scheduled to get its competition schedule underway this Saturday, December 2 at the Wapsie Valley Tournament. The Indians will then jump right into a very busy week with a pair of home competitions, hosting both South Winneshiek and Fillmore Central out of Minnesota Tuesday, December 5 and then Waverly-Shell Rock Thursday, December 7 before competing in the Maquoketa Tournament Saturday, December 9.
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