Opinion: Dramatic date night: MHS wrestling match worth price of admission

Alumni yelled, writhed and twitched during matches.

Fans, at times, were rabid.

And the young daughter of an assistant coach quietly turned cartwheels off to the side as her mother looked on.

Just a typical night of wrestling at the high school gymnasium, where on Friday, the Kernels rallied from a deep deficit and a former sports editor caught himself writhing, yelling and hoping — just like the other few hundred in attendance.

Disclosure: Other than one youth tournament, I haven’t been to a wrestling match since I was paid by this company to be there. By my records, that means the 2005 state Class A wrestling tournament at Rapid City was the last time I saw a varsity match.

But I’ve got a couple of neighbor boys and a friend of my son on this year’s Mitchell High School team. I also wanted to watch sophomore Brent Havlik, whom I have met and consider the consummate good guy of local sports.

Plus, it was date night.

And it was a great night out, highlighted not just by the wrestling, but also by the presence of people I know have contributed greatly to the local program over the years. Brandon Vilhauer was there, holding down what looked like a good spot in the front row. I recognized a host of other past wrestlers, too, with last names local fans would still remember.

“It’s a good thing I’m young yet. I’d have a heart attack otherwise,” said Vilhauer, who watched the junior varsity and varsity teams Friday night, the local varsity tournament Saturday and a youth tournament Sunday. “I told my wife that I can’t do tournaments too often. I lose my voice.”

Although Friday’s match against Pierre drew a decentsized crowd, I asked around to see if it was typical. It’s hard to forget the packed houses of the mid-1990s, when MHS won three straight Class A titles.

“It wasn’t bad,” said Vilhauer, who won an individual title for the Kernels and was on Mitchell’s 1991 championship team. “It wasn’t like when I was in high school, when that place was filled up, but it’s definitely growing.”

The crowds aren’t the only thing growing. Turns out, participation numbers are on the rise, too.

Back in the early 1990s, youth wrestling took a hit, possibly due to the formation of a local hockey program. What had been a strong program quickly fell to around 40 kids a year.

In recent years, the local youth program has had around 55 or 60 kids participating, but the number has jumped recently. Bob Everson, who heads up Mitchell’s youth wrestling, told me Monday there are 87 kids out so far this year.

“I think we’re working our way up,” Everson said.

The middle school program fell to as low as 15 two years ago. Today, approximately 35 are on the roster.

Head varsity coach Travis Carpenter said it’s a “significant increase,” and one that may be related to an emphasis on the youth program.

“We’re trying to get more kids involved there. We always coach the youth program with our high school kids … but right now, the whole coaching staff is involved,” Carpenter said. “The middle school coaches are involved, too, and having them there really helps.”

I don’t think it’s a secret that fans of sports other than basketball have, at times, felt slighted here in Mitchell. The boys’ basketball team at Mitchell High certainly gets its share of attention and headlines.

But I’m here to tell you that my night watching the Kernels wrestle was a joy. Mitchell trailed Pierre early on, 27-6. After whittling away at that Pierre lead all night, the Kernels trailed 30-28 when the heavyweights marched out for the final match of the night.

When Mitchell’s Wes McPherson dramatically pinned Colton Johnson in the second period, the place went wild — including the Wenzels, who were just there on date night, wanting to see a few kids we knew.

Anyone who hasn’t been to a local wrestling match in awhile should offer their support, if only for a night or two each year.

The sport’s drama and sights — the familiar faces, the little girl turning cartwheels and the wrestling itself — are definitely worth the price of admission.

Tags: korrie wenzel, opinion