After finishing 9th in 4A Boys, the Kelly Walsh Trojan wrestling team is looking to bounce back for the upcoming 2024-2025 season. With only 12 teams competing in 4A, a 9th place finish was without a doubt not where the wrestlers or the coaches expected or wanted to be.
The Trojans scored only 99 points, compared to the 260 points that Thunder Basin put up to get them the win in 4A. This really puts an emphasis on the work that needs to be done in this new season in order to reach the end goal, a state championship. The good news for the Kelly Walsh wrestling team is that the season starts on the 24th.
Travis Peak, head coach of the Kelly Walsh wrestling team since 2014, expects a lot from his wrestlers, not just this year but in previous years as well. He coached the team to the schools first state championship in 2019. And a year later he and his team did it again going back to back, beating out Green River by a slim 2.5 points. In fact, a crucial error was made in the 2019-20 state tournament, and Green River was awarded first place. However when the error was fixed, and the scores were counted up, the Trojans had themselves their second consecutive state championship, with 4 individual state champions.
Peak takes wrestling very seriously, as a coach and as a wrestler himself. He attended Chadron State College for wrestling, and by the end of his collegiate career he had an overall record of 80-44. During his four years he earned the Eagles’ Most Improved Wrestler Award, and also qualified for the National Tournament by finishing 4th in the West Regional Tournament. His senior year he was again given the Most Improved Wrestler Award, and was also voted the Most Valuable team member. He went on to compete and also place at Nationals, finishing 6th. He was also inducted into the Chadron State College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019.
“I probably pushed that group of kids harder than I’ve pushed any other group of kids, and they responded super great … they always wanted more and we all have super super high goals and expectations,” said Peak when talking about last year’s group.
By the end of the season Peak and other coaches were more concerned about just getting better rather then seeing where the team finished, being that it was a young group.
“The kids were so excited at the end of last year, that many of them just kept on wrestling … they’ve packed like two more seasons into a summer and spring and fall. They’ve all realized their potential. They’ve all accumulated a lot more confidence. They’ve been through an entire varsity season … the experience the confidence the excitement is times two of what it was last year. They want to win a state title, we’re not talking about doing good,” Peak said.
William Alt, now a junior who finished 3rd last year in the 2024 state tournament, also has high hopes for the upcoming season. Alt made it to the state semi finals before losing a tough match to Liam Fox of Cheyenne East, who would go on to win state for the third time in three years. He bounced back however, getting himself to the third place match, ultimately winning and earning himself the third place spot.
“The team is looking really strong this season. We’ve been putting in a lot of hard work and dedication, and it’s definitely showing. With a mix of experienced wrestlers and promising new talent, we are confident that we have a great shot at the title,” said Alt when talking about the upcoming wrestling season.
Mandatory practice and the start of the 2024-25 season began on Monday November 24th. The wrestlers are itching to start the new season and clearly excited for what it may bring them.
Coach Peak, while also excited to see what the new season brings is more importantly prepared and ready to coach his team. The 2023-24 wrestling season is in the past, and come the first day of March, the Kelly Walsh Wrestling Team is hoping to finish with much different results.
