The Western Big 6 Conference is filled with talented wrestlers, but no team may have two better than Moline.
Senior Kole Brower and junior Noah Tapia are off to blazing starts after winning Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association (IWCOA) state titles.
Brower, a University of Illinois commit, earned his 100th career win over the weekend and improved to 10-0 on the season. Tapia sits at 9-0 on the year.
Brower went 23-0 his junior year and defeated Edwardsville’s Dylan Gvillo in the 132-pound state championship in June and then Tapia followed suit by taking down Lockport Township’s Keegan Roberson in overtime to claim the 138-pound crown.
“We have been wrestling together for a long time,” Brower said. “It’s funny because we were always way different in size. He was way smaller than I was and now he got really big. We wrestle every day and have fun. We show kids how to work hard. We try to be leaders so the teams behind us can have can have great leaders.”
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Both have trained with Young Guns, a wrestling camp system, for years. It’s helped both become aggressive wrestlers.
When watching Brower and Tapia compared to their competition, the confidence in their movements is what stands out.
“They have some of the best positioning I have ever seen,” Moline coach Jacob Ruettiger said. “They always have a plan when they go out on the mat which is a lot different than some of the younger individuals, who don’t have a plan or know what they are going to do.
"Both (Brower and Tapia) know what they will do in every situation. They have it mapped in their head which makes the match a little bit easier.”
That is easier explained with Brower, who attacks his opponent as soon as the match begins.
Facing stiff competition in Rock Island’s Aoci Bernard last Thursday, who placed sixth at state last season, Brower continually lunged and wrapped his arms around Bernard’s legs, forcing him out of the circle and onto the ground. The Illini commit won 19-3 in the second period by technical fall. It was a combination of skill, natural talent and confidence that led to the result.
“I think I’m the best wrestler in the state at 138,” Brower said. “I don’t think there’s anybody that can stop me from what I want to do. That’s how I’ve always been taught, to be confident.”
And when you are 33-0 in matches since the start of your junior season, you can afford to be. That’s been a big help to a Moline squad that is actually fairly young this season and dealing with quite a few injuries despite its hot 8-2 start. It has forced a couple freshman to step up and wrestle at the varsity level, but they have held their own.
“I’m most impressed with the freshman class as a whole,” Ruettiger said. “They are fighting and the passion they have brought is something you can’t teach. I mean, we have Bennett Gorgal wrestling at 220 right now who hasn’t wrestled since fifth grade and came into this season only wanting to practice.”
Gorgal performed valiantly against Rocky’s Eli Gustafson in his varsity debut, losing by a 3-0 decision and only gifting Rock Island three points instead of four, five or even six. Every point counts when Moline knows that each opponent will offer a different challenge at each weight class.
“It’s hard to even tell what teams will be our hardest competition because some are better at certain weights than others,” Brower said. “It’s all about matchups. We matched up really well against Rocky and that worked out perfect.
"Geneseo definitely has some kids, but I still think we line up well. There is no set winner right now, but once we hit the conference tournament I think you’ll see who the clear winner is.”
Ruettiger mentioned Alleman’s Charlie Jagusah and Dalton Nimrick as potential problems for the Maroons. Alleman coach Norman Jacks believes both can compete for a medal at the state tournament.
And then there is Geneseo, which is returning six wrestlers who qualified for state last season. The Maple Leafs won their sectional meet and placed eighth as a team in June’s IWCOA state tournament.
But Moline won't be afraid. Led by Brower, you can believe it will be the most confident team at every meet.
"I think everyone in our starting lineup can compete for a state title," Brower said. "The postseason is so much different. It's anybody's match. No one has a state title in the bag for sure. We have to go out there and prove it every time and I think we can."