Comet wrestlers honored at end-of-season banquet

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Kevin Wedeking was about to tell us something that most already know.

“Nate Lasher is the nicest wrestler I know,” the Charles City coach said about his three-time state qualifier who recently was honored with the Northeast Iowa Conference’s Arlo Flege Award for outstanding sportsmanship.

“How do I know this?” Wedeking continued. “Every once in awhile I get down on the mat with my wrestlers, and Nate tries to get his arms around my waist.

“Instead of saying, ‘Coach, you sure are fat’ like he probably should have said, he says, ‘Coach, you sure are thick’.”

If there was any time for high school wrestlers to get “thick,” it’s now during this brief window in the year. Thus, the Comets held their end-of-season awards banquet on Monday where they were allowed to eat all the pasta denied to them during the past campaign.

Whether they eat pasta or not, chances are many of Charles City’s returning wrestlers are going to get “thicker” or bigger in the years to come.

“It’s part of growing up,” Wedeking told those in attendance at the high school cafeteria where the event was held. “You’re going to get bigger. But you need to get stronger.”

Wedeking suggested the best way to do that is through intense weight training … the type of which where a spotter is required.

“You’ve got to do it to a point where you feel the burn,” Wedeking said. “Parents, if your kid says he’s going out to lift at the Y or some place else, come up to him afterwards and give him a little poke in the pec. If he responds like he’s sore there, that means he’s really weight training.”

Several wrestlers were singled out for their achievements — like senior Alex Koehler, who recorded the most takedowns for the Comets; and for their commitment to the sport and to team — like senior Dakota Hewitt, who had to sit most of the season out due to concussion protocols but still showed up to practice everyday and to every meet to support his teammates.

Though the State Wrestling Tournament ended little less than three weeks ago, there is still some unfinished business to attend to.

This Friday at Crestwood High School, Charles City’s 220-pound state qualifier AJ Maloy with represent Iowa at the annual Border Battle against Minnesota wrestlers.

Then on March 25, Charles City will continue as longtime hosts to the annual Iowa North/South All-Star Wrestling Meet which will more than likely feature several if not all of the Comet state qualifiers.