Returning letter winners on the South Winn boys’ wrestling team this season are (front, l-r) Eric Greve, John Donovan, Lukas Weiss, Gavin Thuente; (back) Kolton Brummond, Ray Lienau, Landen Schnuelle and Kyle Kuboushek. (Photo by Becky Walz)
The South Winn boys’ wrestling team members are either blessed with years of experience or are new to the program with few athletes in between as the Warriors take the mats for the 2024-25 season.
Leading the Warriors in his 14th season is head coach Jacob Elsbernd.
Headed to state
With over 20 grapplers showing up in the wrestling room last year, coach Elsbernd had a strong core of athletes to look to. The team went 24-6 in dual meets.
It was an exciting night in Calmar in January for the Upper Iowa Conference meet with the Warriors claiming the title with 227 points with four athletes winning their respective weight divisions. Senior Aiden Feickert put an exclamation point on his season with his third UIC crown at 113 pounds, while Collin Holm (144) and Parker Timp (215) won their second conference titles. At 165 pounds, Kyle Kuboushek claimed the top spot.
Two weeks later, South Winn finished fourth at the District 1 meet in Denver, advancing five to the state meet. Feickert, Holm, Landen Schnuelle earned bids on a wrestle back opportunities, while Kuboushek and Timp took second outright.
Taking the mats at Wells Fargo Arena, Feickert won his first match, but ultimately fell to the consolation bracket and out of medal contention in the second round of consolations, ending his senior campaign with a 43-9 record. Holm, the 2023 state runner-up, rolled through the first couple rounds before he fell to Denver foe Boden White in the semifinals, eventually earning bronze at 144 pounds with a 46-3 record for the season. At 150 pounds, Schnuelle got a taste of the big stage, dropping his first two matches. Kuboushek finished the season 44-10 at 165 pounds as he went 3-2 at state, while Timp was 2-2 at 215 pounds with a 39-9 record overall.
Graduating last year were A. Feickert, Bo Wangsness, Holm, Cody Meyer, Brady Ohrt, Quinn Huinker and Timp.
Big names back
Coach Elsbernd has several athletes back with experience to lead the Warriors into the new season.
Leading the way are the state-qualifying junior duo of Schnuelle (175 lbs.) and Kuboushek (175 lbs.).
Also back with experience are Eric Greve (157 lbs., 8-12 last season), John Donovan (157, injured last season), Lukas Weiss (157 lbs., 25-12), Gavin Thuente (126 lbs., 32-18), Kolton Brummond (285 lbs., 15-32) and Ray Lienau (285 lbs., 15-21).
Those rounding out the team are juniors Matthew Horstman (215) and Aydan Shultz (285); sophomores Cooper Huinker (138), Parker Dahl (157), Gavin Feickert; and freshmen Clayton Kuboushek (120), Steven Andera (132), Paxton Brincks (132), Matthew Donovan (144) and Earl Lienau (190).
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