Five Star Performer: Grand Island Islander Wrestling team

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by News 5 Sports

Story Created: Jan 17, 2013 at 12:10 AM CDT

Story Updated: Jan 17, 2013 at 12:10 AM CDT

This week's Aurora Cooperative Five Star performers are members of a squad that's a true dynasty.

News 5 caught up with a team that has been outstanding for a long time, The four time defending state champion Grand Island Islander Wrestling team will be looking for a fifth very shortly.

In a day and age when hyperbole is frequently thrown around it's easy to lose track of the true definition of elite.

However that may be the perfect way to describe the Grand Island Senior high wrestling team.

"We like to win. We know how to win and we're just going to keep doing it. We come up here, we work hard and it pays off," said Matt Bolan, Grand Island Islander 126lb Wrestler.

"It's awesome, we like everybody knowing those guys are good," said Billy Tompson, Grand Island Islander 152lb Wrestler.

They aren't just good, they're dominant. See the four straight state titles under Mike Schadwinkel.

"It's just a good culture. We've tried to instill a system that involves a lot of hard work. A lot of time, a lot of tough competition, you know a rigorous schedule," said Mike Schadwinkel, Grand Islander Wrestling Coach.

Rigorous to say the least. The Islanders constantly searching to measure themselves against the best competition stepping out of the state recently for tournaments in Iowa and Kansas with the colossal Top of the Rockies tournament in Colorado just a few weeks away.

"It's cool going against someone that you've never face, know nothing about and you these guys look pretty good, and winning gives you more confidence and once you get back to your stare its on another level," said Thompson.

"It's huge for us to go out of state and beat some of these tough schools and tough competition makes you better and its definitely making us better and we'll be ready once we start wrestling back at state," said Bolan.

And in their pursuit of the fifth state title in as many years coach Schadwinkel says the key is consistency.

"I think we've got to continue to build and continue to push ourselves and challenge ourselves and continue to mentally prepare for what's ahead and then really the last couple of weeks we need a little luck. We've got to stay healthy and we've got to go to compete when it counts at our highest level and that's what we're doing right now. All these other tournaments are practicing for the district and state tournaments that are coming down the road," said Schadwinkel.

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