Trevor Kittleson’s inaugural season as the head wrestling coach at Perry proved to be quite the success. Kane Seeley won his second consecutive state championship and the Bluejays won the Raccoon River Conference title.
In the intervening years, Kittleson helped guide Jackson VanKirk to a state final and helped any number of other Bluejays end their season on the mats at the Wells Fargo Arena.
Now, in year five of his tenure, the head Jay may have his deepest squad, and certainly enters the season with his most experienced flock.
“We have over 50 guys out and 13 of them are seniors,” Kittleson said. “You rarely have that many seniors and I will be relying on them to give us some great leadership, both in the wrestling room and at duals and tournaments.
“Last year we started with something like 62 or 63 kids at the start of the year but ended up with just over 30,” he added. “We will lose some this year, too — it happens — but with so many older guys out I look for us to have in the high 30’s or low 40’s at the end of the year and that will be great.”
Sophomore Zach Thompson (46-12) finished sixth in Class 2A at 106 pounds last year and will move up to 113, with senior Kade VanKirk (45-13) moving up from 120 to 132 while fellow senior Gisaveri Niyibizi (34-11) will likely stay at 126. Each of the later two wrestled at state, with VanKirk appearing for the third consecutive season.
“Three trips, but no wins,” Kittleson said of VanKirk. “I know he is absolutely driven to make it four trips and to earn a podium spot. Kade is a great worker and has put on quite a bit of muscle mass and I can’t wait to see what he is going to do for us this year.”
Ivan Garcia could go at 120 or 126 after finishing third at districts last year, with Jacob Thompson either at 138 or 145 after also placing third at districts.
“Obviously with so many guys out some of the weights are up in the air, especially at the lower weight classes,” Kittleson said. “All I can do is say ‘this guy and this guy are probably here’ and then see how it all works out.”
Kaleb Olejniczak will step in at 106. Kittleson expects Olejniczak to have an impact, as the freshman has been a state place-winner in AAU wrestling each of the last three seasons.
The Jays might see if Niyibizi can go at 120, with Fernando Catalan and others also available at that spot, with Gage Welch hovering around 126/132/138.
Sophomore Zach Stewart, who Kittleson noted “has put in a lot of time” is a possible choice at 138 along with Jacob Thompson, with 145 a possibility for the later. Troy Jahnke is at 145/152, wtih Tanner Darr and Austin Hay potentially ready at 152/160.
At 170 the lead choice is Eli Saemisch, who suffered a concussion that limited his mat time last year, leaving the senior, in Kittleson’s words “one of the most motivated guys in the (wrestling) room.”
It becomes a somewhat stickier situation for Kittleson as the weights rise. The 182 and 195 spots could see competition between Alonzo Zarate, Kevin Lopez, Austin Claypool, Kevin Villa, Dalton Humpal and Gabe Condie.
“There is quite a range in talent and what these guys are going to end up weighing,” Kittleson remarked. “There is 220 pounds to think about, too, and that might be more difficult for us to fill.”
Senior Joe Olvera was third at districts as a sophomore, then suffered an injury that ended his junior campaign, but the heavyweight is back and could make some noise. Tyler Soll is also available to heavyweight for the Jays.
The coach said that he has been trying to make his squad focus on values.
“What do we value as a team? What do you value as an individual? Those are kinds of questions I have been asking them to consider,” Kittleson said. “Never mind my goals for the team — I want them to own their own goals and to have a clear understanding of what it is they value. I want to see them improve not only as wrestlers but as young men as well.”
The Bluejays will open their season at home when they entertain Gilbert and Roland-Story for a triangular Thursday. While it is the only home date prior to the Christmas break, the Jays will be a mainstay in their own gym in the second half, with the Perry Invite (Jan. 16), a triangular with Carlisle and Des Moines Lincoln (Jan. 21), the Raccoon River Conference Tournament (Jan. 30) and the sectional tournament (Feb. 6) allowing Perry to wrestle on their own mats in a three-of-four Saturday stretch.
“I like a lot of what I see when I look ahead to this season,” Kittleson said. “I like that we are going to wrestle some more of the local teams around us, including Greene County, who we have not seen since 2012.
“Ballard will be as solid as they always are and ADM will be real good in spots, but I am focused on us, not them, and I plan on Perry contending for the conference titles and have told the guys it is there for them to grab,” he continued. “Same thing for the tournament — we host sectionals and then go to Webster City for districts. It is a tough road, but not insurmountable. We have high goals but we can reach them — we just need to go out and make it happen.”
State tournament photos appear courtesy of Matt Gengler, Missouri Valley Times.
