Des Moines, IA- The Mt. Pleasant Youth Wrestling Club has been making a name for itself the last couple of years and with the hard work success was found in Des Moines last weekend at the USA Wrestling Preseason National Tournament.
The club sent six wrestlers to one of the most competitive tournaments in the country and by the end of the weekend two All-Americans were crowned. The wrestlers to make the trip were Levi Evans (10th grade), Regan Hamilton (6th grade), Kenai Mason (4th grade), Karter Ettinger (4th grade), Kamden Ettinger (2nd grade), and Cooper Mason (2nd grade).
Kenai Mason’s marquee match of the weekend was his last of the tournament as he defeated the #3 nationally ranked wrestler in the 7th place match to finish with the All-American honor and with a 4-2 record. Head coach Nick Ettinger had this to say about Mason,
“Kenai is a work horse and a very talented young man, he has a high level of discipline and tenacity that make him an excellent athlete and leader on our team, his ability to overcome challenges has highlighted his commitment and accomplishments. I’m very grateful to have Kenai on our team!”
The other All-American was Kamden Ettinger as he battled through adversity on a first-round loss to secure four straight pins, including wins over the #2 and #5 nationally ranked wrestlers. Unfortunately, Ettinger fell in the 3rd place match to finish in 4th place.
“Kamden is a generational talent on the mat, he has received the hardest worker award in our club two consecutive years and it’s a big reason for his success” said coach Ettinger. “Kamden wants to outwork everyone he comes into contact with. At 8 yrs old he is already an incredible leader in wrestling and in the classroom. As he figures out how to mix hard work and talent for the best results, I couldn’t be more proud of him.”
(Picture Courtesy of Nick Ettinger)
As an appetizer for the rest of the season, coach Ettinger is excited about the direction the program is heading,
“I’m very grateful to everyone involved in our program! Putting Mt. Pleasant wrestling on the map as a powerful wrestling team has always been the ultimate goal. Now that it is happening, I’m very optimistic of our future and humbled by the amount of support we are receiving from community members, parents, and friends! Lastly it wouldn’t be possible without the help of the coaching staff at MPYWC. Program director Anthony Blint, and coaches Karla Maher, Corey Hamilton, Jordan Norton, and Mick Manning are pivotal resources for our athletes and the success of this team! I’m looking forward to this season.”