Youthful Kernels wrestling program looks to continue growth in new season
Nov. 30—MITCHELL — Entering the 2023-24 season, the Mitchell High School wrestling program is both experienced and youthful.
MHS has three seniors and six juniors for the upcoming campaign between the boys and girls rosters, but the wrestling room is far from empty. From last year's team, the Kernels return a dozen varsity letterwinners and four state tournament qualifiers, giving the program a solid base to build upon.
"We have a lot of kids returning who have wrestled varsity, so we should have that experience carrying us into and through the season," said first-year head coach Baker Haar, who was named to the position on Nov. 1. "Even though we're experienced, we're still young, so we might still make some mistakes. But I think we need to learn where we're at and then build off of it."
On the boys' side, Connor Degen, a state tournament qualifier last season at 195 pounds, and Seth Foote return as seniors, while the likes of Van Johnson, Van Long, Kellan Odell and Dax Gukeisen will be looked to as juniors with experience. Haar identified Johnson and Long as individuals he's looking for to step into a more full-time position in the varsity lineup and make an impact.
Of the underclassmen, freshman Penn Long is coming off a state tournament appearance at 126 pounds last season and Haar hopes Long can help bring along several of the younger athletes. Haar also pointed to freshman Rocky Clark and eighth-graders Tayven Red Day and Noah Bennett as younger individuals whom he hopes to see plenty of in the varsity lineup this season.
Entering Year 2 of girls wrestling within the MHS program, the Kernels return a pair of state place-winners in sophomore Danny Borja, who was fifth at 120 pounds, and Frankie Kranz, who was seventh at 106.
Though a similar number of girls expressed interest to start this season, the Kernels have retained a larger number compared to last season and expect to start this season with six girls on the roster.
Haar stressed that the experience the Kernels bring back goes far beyond the talent they show on the mat in competition.
"Obviously, the biggest benefit is the kids come into the year knowing the level they need to be at to wrestle varsity, and they know how to practice with each other," Haar said. "Knowing how to practice is as important, if not more important, than knowing how to wrestle, and gaining that experience with this group has been very valuable."
With the sudden resignation of former head coach Andy Everson, who left a month before the start of this season after more than four years leading the program, Haar acknowledged there's been "a bit of a learning curve" in adjusting to behind-the-scenes coaching responsibilities that he hadn't had to worry about as an assistant. But what could have been a significant distraction for the Kernels in the lead-up to the new season has been minimized by the athletes' familiarity with their new head coach.
"I think the kids handled it well. The change was obviously something that several kids addressed, and we talked about it," Haar said. "But they know me, so that level of trust has already been built and I think that has done a lot for where we are so far. They've been able to trust that I've seen and coached enough wrestling over the years to know what I'm talking about and I'm not just making it up as we go."
MHS wrestling opens up the 2023-24 season on Friday, Dec. 1, in a dual at Chamberlain and heads west for the Rapid City Invite on Dec. 8-9. The Kernels host Huron in their first home action of the season in a Dec. 14 dual and also host a quadrangular against Rapid City Central, Sioux Falls Jefferson and West Central on Dec. 18. The annual Jerry Opbroek Mitchell Invitational tournament is set for Jan. 13.
