The Warrenton boys wrestling team has had an exceptional season, capped by a strong performance at the Class 3 State Championships. From clinching the GAC North Conference title to securing the district champions title, the Warriors closed out their season with three state medalists: Manny McCauley, Nathan Donovan and Zayden Teson.

The Warriors sent seven wrestlers to the Class 3 State Championships on Feb. 28 and March 1. 

“Losing in a bubble match or losing in the semis, those things are fresh in our mind and it’s easy to focus on that,” Coach Clayton Olsson said. “When you look at the grand scheme of things, you realize it was a great season.” 

McCauley ended his prep career with a third-place medal in the 126-class. While this marks his highest state placement, the senior’s ultimate goal was to claim a state championship. After the tournament, McCauley reflected on his journey with a sense of mixed emotions. 

“My biggest motivation coming into this tournament was the sacrifices I made and just dedicating my life to this sport,” he said. “You can put everything into it, but you can’t always get everything out of it.” 

Despite the disappointment in falling short of the title, McCauley noted he can’t be too upset.

“The trip was fun and I enjoyed my teammates. I got to see other kids medal and I’m super proud of (Nathan) Donovan for placing. He really pulled through and he’s come a long way,” McCauley said. “For me, I placed higher than last year, but I just wanted to take it all home.” 

Coach Clayton Olsson acknowledged the challenge McCauley faced in overcoming the sting of a semifinal loss, but praised his resilience in bouncing back to secure third place. 

“It’s hard to come back and to keep wrestling with the same passion and energy you had, but he adjusted, came back and dominated,” Olsson said. “I remember coaching him in the seventh grade and now he’s graduating. Over that time, he had growth and development of not only his abilities, but who he became as a person. He became a better leader and teammate. We’re very proud of him.” 

McCauley added this will probably not be the last time he will step on the mat, but he hopes to leave a lasting legacy within the program. 

“No matter where you come from, you can always accomplish what you want. It just depends on what you want to do. You really have to take charge of your own life, regardless of where God puts you, whether that’s a good or bad situation, you have to make do with what you have,” McCauley said. 

Donovan, a junior, made an incredible leap from wrestling junior varsity last year to medaling sixth in the 106-pound class.  

“I always knew I was going to be here, but I didn’t think I was going to medal at all,” Donovan said. “It’s great to be here and it’s a blessing.” 

Donovan’s work to reach new heights started the minute the season ended last year. Immediately, he was signing up for offseason camps and tournaments and putting in numerous reps. 

“To be the first in my family to be at state and get a medal pushed me,” he said. 

Donovan is only a junior and next year, he will be aiming for a top three spot at the state tournament. 

“He works his butt off in practice. He does what we ask, wrestles hard, drills hard,” Olsson said. “Over the last half of the season, he’s really started to build on that and get some key wins and gain some confidence. I think that confidence allowed him to wrestle free and leave it all out there.” 

Teson, a sophomore, medaled fifth in the 113-pound class, improving on his sixth-place finish from the previous year. 

“I’m chasing after a state title. I’ve wanted it for probably four or five years as soon as I started wrestling. It kind of sucks losing in the semis but wrestling back is all I can do,” Teson said. 

After talking to his friend AJ, before his fifth-place match, Teson was able to remain focused. 

“He really helped me, especially with my last match. It was a big motivation to get my head right and get ready to wrestle again,” Teson said. 

“In the fifth-place match, you can tell he’s determined to improve. That’s what we tell these guys all the time, you either win or you learn. You have to keep improving and keep building and that’s what he did,” Olsson said. “He went out there and dominated that kid and came away with a better place than he had last year.” 

Noah Lohrmann, Max Teson, Korben Johnson and Lucas Burroughs were also state-qualifiers for the Warriors. Despite not placing, Olsson was proud of his team’s efforts. 

“With Nate, Zayden, Max and Korben coming back to help lead these guys as juniors and seniors, I’m hoping we can build and continue to bring big teams and get multiple state medals every year,” Olsson said.