It’s now official.Warrenton graduate J.J. Filipek has distinguished himself as one of the nation’s elite wrestlers.He achieved All-American status by finishing among the Top 8 during the Fargo Nationals in Fargo, N.D., last week.Filipek had to forgo his final match with an injury, going 6-2 during the nation’s most coveted tournament.“It’s an amazing accomplishment, and I’m very happy to be a part of that group,” said Filipek, who persevered through a field of over 50 competitors.After hurting his shoulder earlier in the round, he defaulted during the eighth-place match at 182 pounds.“This is the premier event in high school wrestling,” asserted Warrenton Coach Kevin Fowler. “It doesn’t get any better than this. He was one match away last year, so we knew he was very capable.”Filipek had made a name for himself during last year’s tournament, but past achievements don’t provide an advantage at this event.“It’s important to do well your junior year to put your name on the map because that’s when most of the recruiting happens,” said Fowler. “But it’s a blind draw up there. You could have the four best wrestlers on one side. They don’t separate or seed like they normally would.”Filipek, who became Warrenton’s first state champion last February, also attended a national tournament in Cedar Falls, Iowa.“State championships don’t really matter out there,” acknowledged Fowler. “You have to earn it.”Filipek’s accomplishment is amplified by the fact he only began wrestling as a freshman and progressed so quickly.“It just shows how much work I’ve put in these last couple years,” said Filipek. “It feels great when I win against someone who’s been doing it for 10 or 11 years when I’ve only been wrestling for four.”Teammate Ryan Sherry joined him in Fargo, failing to earn All-American accolades after an unfortunate draw.“Ryan had to wrestle the national champion and a returning All-American right out of the gate,” said Fowler. “It was just a tough circumstance.”Sherry was a three-time medalist who finished fifth at 120 pounds.Both will be attending Neosho County Community College in Kansas this fall, in an effort to eventually transition to the Division I level.“It’s probably the best start for them right now,” said Fowler. “I’m happy for both of them, and I think it’s the right spot. It’ll give J.J. a chance to get rerecruited.”“Hopefully both of us can excel up there,” added Filipek.

Warrenton graduate J.J. Filipek earned All-American honors by finishing among the Top 8 at Fargo Nationals last week.

Derrick Forsythe Photo.