Lucas Punkari
Grand Rapids will host some of the top young wrestlers in Minnesota as the annual state championship is held there this Saturday.
However, there will be a Canadian flavor to the tournament again this year as a handful of wrestlers will be taking on their American counterparts under the banner of the International Falls-based Mighty Mustang Wrestling program.
Cameron Lidkea, a Grade 6 student who weighs in at 93 pounds, will be returning to the state championship for the second-straight time after placing fourth at last year’s competition.
“Last year I learned to just give it your best shot out there, and that hard work really pays off if you just pay attention in practice and in training,” he explained.
“The goal this time is to get in first place this time, and to become a state champion as a Canadian would really say something, hopefully,” Lidkea added.
Another Grade 6 competitor is Andrew Johnson, who weighs in at 85 pounds. He’s preparing for his first trip to the state championship in just his second year with the Mustangs.
“I wanted to start wrestling because it helps you to get stronger, build character, and my friend, Cameron, was doing it, as well,” Johnson explained.
“I’m feeling very confident going into the state [championship], and I’m also really excited as this will be my first time there, as well,” he reasoned.
Third-grader Logan Morris, who tips the scales at 65 pounds, also will be making his first-ever appearance at the state championship—an impressive feat in only his first year with the sport.
“I didn’t think it would be as hard as it was at first,” Morris admitted.
“But I’m really excited about going to [state] in my first year, and it feels pretty good to be representing Canada there, as well,” he remarked.
The Canadian wrestlers are allowed to take part in the state tournament, despite being from another country, due to the fact they are affiliated with an American-based program.
“A lot of these kids, especially the Canadians, have improved dramatically from day one,” said Mustangs’ head coach Pete Benedix, who will be sending 30 of his program’s 42 wrestlers to the state championship.
“They wrestle hard, they practice hard,” he lauded.
“And the more time that you spend on a wrestler out on the mat gives you a better feel of where you’re at and what plan you choose to go with when you battle the other man,” he reasoned.
“Wrestling is a thinking athlete’s game, and if you go into the match angry, you’ll end up losing,” Benedix stressed.
While this year’s season is coming to an end, Benedix encourages those on the Canadian side of the border to come and try out the program when it resumes in the fall.
“The door is wide open for anyone on the Canadian side who wants to come over and give it a shot,” he noted.
“It’s a lot of fun, and as you can see by the amount of kids that are headed to [state], it’s highly successful, as well,” he added.
