Members of the Decorah boys’ wrestling team back with a letter are (front, l-r) Kelton Casterton, Michael Clement, Will Larson, Mason Avila; (back) Steven Munoz, Gavin Knutson, Bradan Darling, Tommy Sexton and Bill Fullhart. (Photo courtesy of Tami Bohr)
There’s a strong core of athletes to build a team around for the Decorah boys’ wrestling program.
With five returning state qualifiers and four additional letter winners, the Vikes will utilize their experience to put together a winning line-up.
Leading the team for his second year is Jordan Thompson. He will be assisted by Lee Meirick.
A good year
For the 2023-2024 season, Coach Thompson had two state qualifiers back and a host of athletes.
Things really started coming together in the postseason that began with a runner-up finish at the Northeast Iowa Conference tournament. The Vikes finished second to Waverly-Shell Rock with five of six grapplers winning titles in the finals.
Two weeks later, Decorah had seven wrestlers earn state bids at the district meet. Mason Avila (132) and Tommy Sexton (190) were crowned district champions, while Gavin Knutson (106), Will Larson (138), Bill Fullhart (144), Kolin Henry (150) and Brody Hanson (157) finished runner-up.
At Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines for state, Knutson, Avila, Fullhart, Hanson and Sexton all survived the first day. In the end Sexton finished the season with a 39-9 record in fourth place, while Avila went 34-4 on the season and made the podium in fifth place. Knutson also climbed the podium with a sixth place finish and capped of the season 37-9.
Loaded with talent
At the conclusion of the season, the Vikings graduated four seniors including Brody Hanson, Kollin Henry, Danny See and Kaiden Youngblood.
However, coach Thompson has a loaded roster to turn this season including two-time state qualifiers Avila and Larson, along with last year’s inaugural state matmen Knutson, Sexton and Fullhart. Joining the five will be returning letter winners Kelton Casterton (106), Steven Munoz (157) and Bradan Darling (165).
Other grapplers ready to take the mat include senior Justin Fortman (132); sophomores Michael Clement (126), Adrian Smith (175), Cash Turner (138); and freshmen Andrew Bjork, Gavin Carolan, Logan Fortman, Hunter Jirak-Selden, Ethan Kuennen, Jacob Kulish, Owen Larson, Kellen O’Gara, Isaac Quamdahl, Meison Teollefson, Kasen Tyler, Aiden Whalen and Lucas Wymer.
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