Sports
Hanson looks to step up for West wrestling team
Scarlets looking for improvement in 2007-08 season
MANKATO — You’re not going to see his name on any preseason All-State lists, you won’t find a bunch of college recruiters knocking on his door, you won’t even see him threatening break any school records.
What Mankato West senior Kyle Hanson brings to the wrestling mat this winter is a great work ethic, a blue-collar attitude and a willingness to do whatever it takes to help the Scarlets succeed.
“We don’t have any real stars this year,” West coach Don Krusemark said last week. “We have a bunch of hard-nosed kids and Kyle is definitely one of them. He’s a three-year letterwinner and he’s determined to make his senior season his best.”
West is coming off an 11-21 season and will be without the services of standouts Kyle Gauker, Jack Ehrke and Mason Graff who have all graduated. Gauker is the winningest wrestler in school history (165-72) while Graff and Ehrke were both state entrants a year ago.
“We can’t replace them with one or two or three guys,” Krusemark said. “We’re going to have to be a more balanced team this year. We need guys like Kyle to step up be consistent winners.”
Hanson is 27-46 for his varsity career and figures to wrestle at around 140-145 pounds this year. He put in his work during the offseason and is hoping it will pay off this winter.
“I went to a couple of wrestling camps — one at MSU and the one here at West,” he said. “I did some lifting, too.
“I want to be improved this year. I want to do well in the conference and place high enough in the section to make it to state.”
Hanson dabbled in diving and cross country when he was younger but now concentrates solely on wrestling. He comes by his affection for the sport naturally as his father is a former wrestler at Bird Island High School.
“Kyle is a hard worker and now his time has come,” Krusemark said. “He does everything we ask him to do; he’s the kind of guy who leads by example and that’s what we need.”
Hanson is one of three team captains this year along with Zach Enz and Pablo Leitzmann.
Among the team’s top returnees in 2007-08 are Alex Dittrich, Brandon Ross and Dan Thompson. Dittrich (152-160) finished fourth in the Section 2AAA meet last year. Ross (215) was fifth and Thompson (125-130) was sixth.
Owatonna and Albert Lea will again be the heavy favorites to win the Big Nine Conference this season. Owatonna is ranked eighth and Albert Lea is rated ninth in Class AAA.
The section title will likely come down to fifth-ranked Bloomington Kennedy or seventh-rated Prior Lake. West opens the season Saturday, Dec. 1, when it hosts Bryon, Fairmont and Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton in the Scarlet Invitational.
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