Perfect recipe

Manson NW has been untouchable on the mat

By CHRIS JOHNSON, Assistant Sports Editor
MANSON — It didn’t take Stacey Rice long to get his philosophy across to the Manson Northwest Webster wrestling team.

In fact, when it comes to this year, Rice’s plans are working to perfection.

In his third year at the helm, the three-time high school state champion from Storm Lake has witnessed a meteoric rise in the performance of his Cougar squad. MNW has compiled a perfect team resume, winning all five of its tournaments and going undefeated in all 25 dual-meet performances.

‘‘Honestly, being 25-0 and winning all of our tournaments — I wouldn’t have believed it,’’ said Rice, a former coach in Sioux Rapids. ‘‘Everything that had to go right to this point has. We stayed away from injuries and haven’t had any incidents off the mat.

‘‘We’ve been blessed.’’

This is a special time for Rice and his wrestlers. While word of their success has yet to truly hit the state scene — the Cougars are still not ranked by The Predicament, and they’re only ninth in the Iowa Wrestling Coaches Association Class 1A Top-10 — the Cougars are only concerned with standing by each other and proving themselves on the mat when it matters most.

‘‘I’m blessed to be in Manson,’’ Rice said. ‘‘I’ve been here three years and we have a new wrestling room, weight room and warm-ups.

“It’s been a great situation — very supportive.’’

MNW did go 24-5 in duals a year ago, and it had plenty of veterans to build around this winter. The Cougars claimed the school’s first Twin Lakes Conference crown last season, and took their first sectional crown as well.

That success set the table for a 2007-08 campaign worth remembering so far.

‘‘Last year we knew we had the ability,’’ Rice said. ‘‘The kids were still adapting to me and what I wanted and expected, though. After Christmas Break (last season), I saw a difference. They started to gel and things began to click.

‘‘I think that carried over into this season.’’

It also helped that Rice and three of his wrestlers were on an Iowa AAU national team that competed in Orlando, Fla. this past summer. Rice, who was a coach on the AAU squad, brought seniors Jordan Troshynski and Dalton Rasch and junior Brad Cabrera along to compete.

‘‘I believe that national exposure helped speed up the growth as a team, without question,’’ Rice said. ‘‘The three kids who went have a lot more confidence now, and that spreads throughout the room.

‘‘(Freshman) Skyler (Rice) was on the AAU middle school team, and this year, two elementary wrestlers were selected. The whole program has been really growing from top to bottom.’’

Troshynski — ranked fifth at 145 pounds — is the school’s career win leader with 144 victories. A fifth-place finisher at state last year, Troshynski is 30-1 this winter. His only loss is to Emmetsburg’s second-ranked Matt Stillman, a runner-up a season ago.

Skyler Rice, one of three freshmen in the Cougar lineup, is rated fifth at 125 pounds. He has compiled a 34-1 mark to date. Stacey’s younger brother has only lost to Sioux Central/Sioux Rapids’ Antonio Bandomo.

‘‘I used to coach in Sioux Rapids, and when I got the job here, Skyler wanted to wrestle for me,’’ Stacey said of his younger sibling, who open-enrolled at MNW. ‘‘He wanted to be on my team, so we made those arrangements work.’’

Rounding out the trio of ranked Cougars is senior Keegan Barkley (33-3). The 119-pounder, who is rated seventh, is one victory from the century mark.

Jordan Howell (22-8), Brad Cabrera (29-4), Ronnie Allbee (25-12), Alex Weiss (27-8), Dalton Rasch (29-6), Landon Rasch (28-7), Nick Myers (21-14), Andy Tews (25-12) and Nathan Waller (24-11) have also topped 20 victories already this season. Caleb Alne and Kelly Moritz round Manson NW’s roster.

Rice isn’t overly-concerned with the lack of respect in the rankings, but it’s also served as a motivating factor and a reminder of how far the Cougars still have to go.

‘‘I’d be lying if I said we don’t look at that (The Predicament rankings) and notice we’re not in there (as a team),’’ Rice said. ‘‘Twin River Valley (who the Cougars have defeated) is ranked, but at the same time, they’ve been well-known and deserve to be in the rankings because they’re an established program. Akron-Westfield is rated, and we beat them too.

‘‘We’re right there. I just use that as an incentive for the team and the program as a whole. Attention comes by proving yourself over the duration of a season and beyond.’’

Assistants Mitch Krueger — a former Ogden grappler — and Shane Huck — from Don Bosco — join Rice on the staff. Former Fort Dodge Senior High wrestler Ron Ewing, a member of a Dodgers’ state championship team, is also an assistant.



Contact Chris Johnson at (515) 573-2141, or by e-mail at s'>sports@messengernews.net'>s'>s'>sports@messengernews.net'>sp'>ports@messengernews.net'>ports@messengernews.net