The Arrowhead Wrestling Program has been known to produce state champion and national level athletes and this year did not disappoint. On Saturday, February 13th, the Warhakws added two new names to their state champions list. Junior Mitchell Mesenbrink and Senior Jack Ganos both took home the gold in their weight classes. 

In a year of Covid, lots of changes had to be made in order to even have a well wanted season. Teams and athletes were forced to practice and compete wearing masks, cleaning mats twice as much and every using separate water bottles. While Covid changed lots, goals for the team and individual athletes remained the same; make team state.

Mitchell (14-0), competing in the 152lb weight class, won by pinfall. Jack, with a season record of 18-1 won the 160lb weight class in the form of a 3-1 decision. 

For Ganos, the goal has always been to win an Individual Title. After finally achieving his goal he says, “Winning a state title was the ultimate feeling of relief and satisfaction for me. After being a Two -Time runner-up, it felt very good to finally win.”

Mesenbrink’s goals were quite simple: “getting better every single day in practice and having fun.” After he won his state title he says, “I just took a moment to relish and be grateful for the people that surround me like my parents, siblings, friends, girlfriend, and partners.” 

Head Coach, Jeremy Miller, says “Both athletes have very different wrestling and personality styles and both of them winning state just shows that different ways of doing things can still help you reach the same goals.”

Next year, Ganos will be attending the United States Air Force Academy where he will be wrestling Division 1 in the Big 12 conference. 

While Mesenbrink is only a junior he definitely has goals already set for next year. He says, “My plans are to keep getting better and taking out more nationally ranked guys.I love wrestling big match-ups because the more on the line, the better the feeling of victory.”

He finishes by saying, “I am just going to keep training hard and being grateful and the victories will fall into place.”