The Solon Spartans wrestling team is ready to show their mettle despite roster turnover

As with every high school sport, the departure of seniors is always going to be tough to overcome. This is especially true for the Solon boy' wrestling team.

They lost 10 seniors from last year's team, including state qualifiers Gage Marty and Tyler Hancox. However, more important than their performances on the mat was the legacy they left behind.

“To me, they were people that I strived to be like,” said senior Braydon Hoffman. “They set a really high standard for what it takes to be a Solon wrestler.”

Responsible for helping the team to recoup their losses is coach Aaron Hadenfeldt, who remains optimistic about the program.

“We miss those seniors, but at the same time wrestling goes on,” Hadenfeldt said. “Every wrestling season there is going to be a new group of kids and new leaders who need to step up. So, while it hurts to see that group go, our job as coaches is to have that next batch ready to roll.”

However, it's not only coaches that will be responsible for providing the younger wrestlers with a guiding light.

Helping to get that group ready will be senior wrestler Braydon Hoffman, who is a young man who Hadenfeldt has admired over the years.

Last season, Hoffman qualified for the district tournament after finishing second among 195-pound wrestlers at regionals.

Not that it's time to step up as a leader, Hadenfeldt said that he hopes his work ethic can rub off on his younger teammates.

“He is a kid that has improved leaps and bounds over the years,” Hadenfeldt said. “From where he was in seventh grade to now, I do not even think that he would have expected all of the progress he has made. When he was playing football, he would go from football practice to wrestling practice. He would even go in on Sundays to get more practice in. He is the kind of kid who knows that his hard work may not pay off this year or this month, but he knows that at some point it is going to pay off.”

Taking his leadership role seriously, Hoffman said the most important thing for him to do is encourage his teammates.

“I have been trying my best to encourage everybody,” Hoffman said. “I think that this season is going to be much better than last season. We may not have as good individual wrestlers, but we have a stronger team.”

The team that Hoffman is referencing is one that is bringing back quite a bit of talent in its own right.

In addition to Hoffman, they will return 2021 state qualifier, Jordan Schmidt and district qualifiers Lawsin Sinnwell and David Karam.

As the team continues to blend the varying experience levels of its wrestlers, Hadenfeldt said the one thing he wants most is for his guys to go into every match with the right mindset.

“We are going to be young, but we are going to fight,” Hadenfeldt said. “We are consistently talking to our kids about how important mindset is in wrestling. Most of the time, a match is won before you step out on the mat as long as you have the right mindset. Whether we win, lose or draw, we are going to leave everything out on the mat.”

While the wins and losses may not hold much stock for Hadenfeldt, Hoffman has big plans for his senior year.

As the first wrestler in his family, Hoffman said that he wants to continue making history.

“I have always wanted to make it to the state tournament,” Hoffman. “I remember my brother, Colton, getting close to winning state as a member of the football team. So, I think that it would be cool to do it myself (as a wrestler).”

But even if Hoffman or his teammates don't make it to the state tournament, Hadenfeldt said that the most important thing is that his team stays together no matter what.

“I want to see our kids fight,” Hadenfeldt said. “It does not matter to me if we win or lose, but if the kids can come off the mat with their heads held high and are proud of that, then I am happy. Even bigger than the fight is being a team. Whether a kid wins or losses, when he comes off the mat, we are there for him and congratulate him. Then in the wrestling room, where no one sees the grind that wrestling is, they are always there for each other.”

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Despite roster turnover, the Spartans wrestling team is ready to shine