RRC/WWG's

Jeff Cooley '02

Wrestler of Year

By BOB VARMETTE

Journal Sports Writer

Work hard. Work harder.

There's no secret to Jeff Cooley's success, just hard work. There's no grand plan to repeat, just work even harder.

Cooley, The Journal 2002 Wrestler of the Year, capped a 39-2 season with a Class 2A state championship at 130 pounds. The 2002 trip was the fourth as an individual for the Red Rock Central/Westbrook-Walnut Grove junior; he was the runner up at 103 pounds as an eighth-grader.

He's had two weeks to become accustomed to being a state champion.

"It's pretty much the same old stuff," Cooley said. "Right away, there were a lot of congratulations, but it's got back to being the same. I guess, after thinking, 'Wow, I did it, I'm a state champion,' you get used to it. It gets back to normal."

The transition to state champion has been an easy one for Cooley. Getting there, that's another story.

"There's no secret, it's just work," Cooley said. "You've just got to do it. All the hours of running, all the hours of lifting weights, what they say, it's all true. You don't get to be a state champion by sloughing off and doing nothing."

Of course, many wrestlers work hard. But very few earn state championships.

Being a great athlete helps. So does being intelligent.

"Jeff is a smart wrestler," RRC/WWG coach Paul Olson said. "And he's very good physically."

Cooley has a 3.6 GPA in the classroom and is involved with Life Smarts -- a team academic competition centering on environmental issues and current events. Cooley also takes part in a youth entrepreneurship program in a business applications class. Called Bolt, the program makes and markets barbeque sauce.

On the athletic side, Cooley plays football and participates in track in addition to wrestling.

But it's wrestling where Cooley excels. After finishing second as an eighth-grader at 103 pounds, Cooley qualified for state trips the next two years, but failed to place at 112 and 125 pounds, respectively.

Olson said that may have helped Cooley drop off the radar screen of some of his opponents. They knew he was good enough to get to the state tournament, but there were perhaps doubts about Cooley's ability to win a state title.

Cooley's journey to that title was anything but easy. He won his four matches at the state tournament by a combined seven points.

Cooley edged Joe Buschette of Litchfield 10-7 in the first round before blanking Matt Finlayson of Aitkin 2-0 in the quarterfinals. A 5-4 double overtime victory over Milaca/Faith Christian's Mark Anson followed in the semifinals.

Cooley then edged Jason Foley of Waseca 3-2 in the final.

Cooley had some insight in how to become a state champion -- more than insight actually. Every day at practice, Cooley matched up with 135-pounder Austin Scarset. The Falcons senior made his fourth trip to the state tournament this year and won the consolation championship. Scarsett was a state champion at 125 pounds two years ago.

"Of course, wrestling Austin, it certainly can't make you a worse wrestler," Cooley said. "Wrestling the toughest kid every day, it really helps out when you're out there on the mat."

Cooley's list of accomplishments are, naturally, long. Just this season, Cooley won titles at the Wells Invitational, the Plum Creek tournament and qualified for the state individual tournament by capturing the Section 3-2A title; Cooley also finished as the runner up at the Jackson County Central tournament.

Cooley will take a 146-36 record into his senior season. Nothing less than a second state title will do. Cooley is aiming to be the first two-time state champion in the history of the Falcons' program.

"Jeff will definitely be a marked target next year," Olson said. "They'll definitely be looking for him. I just think that'll make him work even harder, so he can repeat. I know he wants to be the first two-time state champion for our program."

Added Cooley: "I definitely want to be state champion, again. So I'll work even harder."

The balance of the 2002 All-Journal Wrestling Team:

Brandon Schunk, Wabasso

Just a freshman, the Rabbits' 103-pounder finished 2001-02 with a 43-2 record, and with a state runner-up finish to defending champion Gabriel Mooney of Badger/Greenbush-Middle River at the Class 1A individual tournament. Schunk was the Section 4-1A champion and recorded 17 pins in 2001-02.

Michal Barrie, Red Rock Central/ Westbrook-Walnut Grove

A sophomore, Barrie earned an appearance at the Class 2A individual tournament at 112 pounds. Barrie finished the season at 35-5 and now has a career mark of 70-15. Barrie won both the Wells Invitational and the Plum Creek tournament this season. He also finished second at the Jackson County Central tournament to four-time state champion Derek Sanders, losing a 7-3 decision.

Todd Sievert, Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop/McLeod West

The Thunderbirds' senior 112-pounder was a state tournament entrant in 2002, advancing by finishing as the Section 2-2A runner-up. Sievert recorded 16 pins and 58 takedowns during the season and went 34-5. Sievert ended his varsity career with 114 wins.

Nathan Rohlik, Wabasso

The senior 125-pounder finished fourth at the Class 1A state tournament in his third appearance. Rohlik was 39-5 in 2001-02 and ended his varsity career with 122 victories. The Wabasso co-captain was also the Section 4-1A titlist.

Nate Gieseke, New Ulm High

The senior 125-pounder went 31-5 in 2001-02 and qualified for his second state tournament. Gieseke finished his career with 102 varsity wins, was All-South Central Conference for three straight years and was a two-time SCC champion. Gieseke, who carries a 3.4 GPA, is a five-time letterwinner for the Eagles.

Austin Scarset, RRC/WWG

Scarset is a four-time state tournament entrant and the Falcon senior finished with the consolation title at 135 pounds at the 2002 Class 2A tournament. Scarset won a state title as a sophomore, was second as a junior and took fifth as a freshman. Scarset was 28-2 in 2001-02 and ends his career at 178-30. Scarset was one of just 28 seniors asked to represent the state of Minnesota in the Minnesota vs. Wisconsin Duals March 8-9. "The hardest working wrestler I've ever known," RRC/WWG coach Paul Olson said. "The college he decides to attend will be very lucky. Our team will miss him dearly."

Cole Altermatt, Wabasso

The Wabasso junior went 42-4 in 2001-02 and won the consolation title at 135 pounds at the Class 1A tournament. The Rabbits' co-captain has now made four state tournament appearances and will enter his senior season with 157 career wins. Altermatt was also the Section 4-1A champion in 2002.

Adam Leiferman, Madelia/Truman

The Jayhawks' senior 140-pounder qualified for his second state tournament in 2002. Leiferman finished the season at 36-7 and ended his varsity career with a mark of 120-56. Leiferman was a two-time Valley Conference champion and was twice named All-Valley Conference. Leiferman won four tournaments during the 2001-02 season and finished as runner up in two others.

Brandon Irlbeck, Wabasso

Irlbeck, a senior 145-pounder for the Rabbits, went 42-6 in 2001-02 and capped the season with a consolation title at the Class 1A individual tournament. Irlbeck was also the runner up in Section 4-1A to earn his third state tournament appearance. The Rabbits' co-captain recorded 13 pins during 2001-02 and ended his career with 123 varsity wins.

Erik Wallace, Sibley East

The Wolverines' junior 145-pounder went 30-7 in 2001-02 and has a 104-69 career record. Wallace qualified for the 2002 Class 1A state individual tournament by winning the Section 3-1A title. Wallace also qualified for the state tournament in 2001 by winning the Section 5-1A individual title. Wallace is a two-time All-Minnesota River Conference selection.

Matt Johnson, Redwood Valley

Johnson was 34-4 in 2001-02 and finished second at 145 pounds in the Class 2A state tournament. Johnson, who has a school-record 165 career victories, advanced to the state tournament as the Section 2-2A runner up. Johnson finished fifth at the 2001 state tournament.

Jamie Wagner, Nicollet

The Raiders junior went 36-5 in 2001-02 and finished as the Class 1A runner up at 160 pounds in his first state tournament. Wagner has a career mark of 107-46. Wagner was the Section 3-1A champion in 2002 and won the Pardeeville (Wis.) tournament. Wagner also earned runner-up finishes at the Lakeville, Mankato Loyola and Valley Conference tournaments.

Andrew Streich, Sibley East

Streich, a senior 171-pounder for the Wolverines, qualified for his first state tournament in 2002 with a runner-up finish at the Section 3-1A tournament. The Wolverines' captain went 28-11 in 2001-02 and finishes his career with a 63-43 mark. Streich is a three-year letterwinner and a two-time All-Minnesota River Conference selection.

Kyle Asleson, Nicollet

The senior went 34-5 with 25 pins in 2001-02 and earned a fifth-place finish at 189 pounds at the Class 1A state tournament. Asleson ended his varsity career with a 113-68 record with 61 pins. Asleson won at the Pardeeville (Wis.) tournament, the Valley Conference tournament and was the Section 3-1A runner up.

Andy Bernard, New Ulm High

Bernard, a senior 189-pounder for the Eagles, went 37-3 and finished fifth at the Class 3A state tournament. Bernard won three Section 2-3A championships, was a four-time All-South Central Conference selection and a three-time SCC champion. The five-time letterwinner for the Eagles set school records for pins in a season (28) in 2001-02 and career pins (76). Bernard, who has a 3.4 GPA, was also an All-SCC pick in football in 2001.

Tim Johnson, RRC/WWG

The junior heavyweight for RRC/WWG came out of nowhere to finish fourth at the 2002 Class 2A individual tournament. Unranked all season, Johnson finished 34-7 and now has a 65-42 career mark. "Tim has come a long way in his career," RRC/WWG coach Paul Olson said. "He works extremely hard and is a true leader. ... Tim never quits coming at you."

HONORABLE MENTION

Sibley East, Sam Britt; Madelia/ Truman, Jason Forstner, Brandon Greiner, Mark Eytcheson, Geoff Gronewald, Brad Arkell, Eric Cooling; River Valley, Pat Leopold, Matt Hillesheim; Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop/ McLeod West, Tom Messerli, Brian Messerli, Adam Buboltz; Red Rock Central/Westbrook-Walnut Grove, Justin Schroepfer; New Ulm High, Jeff Gieseke, Dan Mielke, Matt Wenninger, Travis Aufderheide; Nicollet, Matt Allerson.