19 Finalists, 8 Champions, a State Medalist

reviewing the Wrestling season

by Dan Mowinkel

March 01, 2010

Four Logan View seniors finished what they started back in November and helped LV to a very successful season. They helped the team finish with a 4-5 dual season. It was a year that the team can look back on and see that they sent a wrestler to the finals 19 times and came home a champion 8 times. As a team we finished with a combined varsity record of 189 wins and 176 losses and finished 28^th at State with a State Medalist and 2 state qualifiers. A season which produced two school records and saw four wrestlers reach that coveted 20-win total. The seniors will be missed as they scored numerous points and provided strong leadership throughout the year.

171-pound Tyler Popken finished the season with a 27-12 record, medaling in six tournaments: 4^th at Districts, runner -up honors at East Husker Conference and Arlington invitational, 3^rd place at North Bend and Central City invites, and 4^th at the Blair invitational. Tyler led the team in escapes and decisions. He was 2^nd in wins, takedowns, letter points and major decisions. Popken was 4^th in 2-point near falls and 5^th in reversals. Tyler showed great improvement from last season and exhibited leadership qualities you expect from a senior. Popken finishes with a varsity career record of 71 wins and 46 defeats, one trip to the state tournament, and a conference runner-up medal.

135-pound Noah Blomendahl finished the season with a 20-15 record, medaling in four tournaments: runner-up honors at North Bend, 3^rd at Logan View and 4^th at the Blair and Arlington invitationals. Noah was 2^nd on the team in falls and escapes, 3^rd in letter points and 3-point near falls, he was 4^th in wins. Noah reached a milestone of 20 wins this season, only his second season of wrestling. He had the largest increase in wins from the previous year. Blomendahl finishes with a varsity career record of 25 wins to 34 losses.

215-pound Forest Self finished the season with a 8-19, medaling in 4 tournaments: conference runner-up, 3^rd at Logan View, 4^th at Arlington and 6^th at Plattsmouth. Self was a wrestler that persevered, a four-year wrestler that had to wait his turn to earn a varsity spot. He is a man who came to work every day, never complained and finally got to wrestle varsity full time. Forest finishes with a varsity career record of 12 wins to 30 defeats and one conference medal.

130-pound Zach Dunlop finished the season with a 14-20 record, medaling in three tournaments: receiving 4^th at Logan View and Arlington invitationals, 6^th at the Plattsmouth invitational. Dunlop finished 3^rd in decisions, 4^th in major decisions and 5^th in escapes. Zach came back to varsity wrestling after two unfinished seasons, shook off the rust and became a dependable wrestler for Logan View. Dunlop finishes with a career record of 44 wins and 54 losses and a third place medal at the conference tournament.

Other varsity wrestlers that completed their seasons:

189-pound junior Derek Mowinkel posted a 34-5 record and medaled in all 9 tournaments, including 3rd at state. Derek was crowned champion at 5 tournaments: Districts, Conference, Logan View, North Bend and Arlington. He received 2nd at the Blair and Central City invitationals, 3^rd at Plattsmouth. Mowinkel broke two school records: most takedowns in a season, a record previously held by Colt Johnson, recording 117, and most major decisions (9), a record previously held by B. Wilnerd. He led the team in wins, letter points, takedowns, and major decisions, 3-point and 2-point near falls, falls and tech falls. He was 3^rd on the team in reversals. Derek had an outstanding season, and I look forward to watching him the next season as he hopes to move up on several charts.

140-pound sophomore Jake Johnson posted a 23-14 record and medaled in six tournaments: 1^st at Logan View, 2^nd at Arlington, 3^rd at conference and Central City, 4^th at North Bend and Plattsmouth. Johnson really improved on his feet this season, which helped to increase his wins. Johnson completed a good sophomore year, finishing one win from qualifying for state. Hopefully, this motivation will drive him to greater accomplishments in the next two seasons. Jake was 1^st on the team in reversals, 2^nd in decisions, 3^rd in wins, takedowns, falls and 2-point near falls. Johnson finished 4^th in letter points and 5^th in 3-point near falls.

125-pound junior Daniel Moeller finished two wins shy of a state qualifying berth. Moeller has created a style that best fits his physical tools, long and lean, who was hard to score on. Moeller posted a 19-13 record, medaling in 4 tournaments: 2^nd at North Bend and Arlington, 3^rd at Logan View and 4^th at conference. Moeller was 4^thon the team in takedowns, decisions, and escapes. He was 5^th in letter points, wins, and falls.

152-pound junior Blake Wagner finished strong, just one win shy of qualifying for State. It took a while for Wagner to adjust to the size increase, as he jumped from 135 to 152 lbs. Blake posted a 16-19-varsity record placing in 2 tournaments: 3^rd at conference and 3^rd at Central City. He was 2^nd on the team in reversals, and 3-point near falls. He was 3^rd in major decisions and 5^th in 2-point near falls.

145-pound sophomore Nathan Kreikemeier also had some size adjustments to make, jumping three weight classes, but improved as the year went and finished one match from qualifying for State. Kriekemeier was wrestling his best at districts where he defeated an opponent who had beaten him twice this year and three times last season. Nathan finished with a 18-18 record and medaled in two tournaments: 2^nd at Arlington and 4^th at Blair. Kreikemeier was 2^nd in 2-point near falls, 3^rd in escapes, tied for 3^rd in falls and reversals and 4^th in 3-point near falls.

103-pound freshman Austin Gustafson earned valuable varsity experience; even though greatly undersized, he went out and battled and was a very coachable kid.