Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Iowa State wrestling coach Kevin Dresser, a former Humboldt state champion, reacts to a win during the Cyclones’ match on Sunday against Purdue in Humboldt. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

HUMBOLDT — Many career achievements will link Kevin Dresser and Tony Ersland together for years to come.

On Sunday night, though, the two shared one special moment that they will never forget.

Dresser and Ersland led their respective NCAA Div. I wrestling programs back to their old stomping grounds, as a sold out Humboldt High School gym welcomed Iowa State and Purdue.

The Cyclones earned a 23-13 victory, giving Dresser his 200th career dual win in the process.

But the end result was just one piece of everything that went into the special attraction.

“To be here with my team and have this experience was something special,” Ersland said. “Growing up in Humboldt, you understand what sports mean to this community. There is just so much support for what we did and the community is so involved, how could you not want to do it one more time.”

Planning for the event began many months ago, with COVID-19 delaying it by a year.

“It’s been a busy week for our whole program,” said Humboldt head wrestling coach Chad Beaman. “But the support we have received from everybody has just been incredible, and there is no way we could have done this without them.

“I’m just so appreciative of that community support.”

Beaman noted that extra guidelines and “obstacles” that came with hosting two NCAA programs while also leading his Wildcats themselves into a match with Creston earlier in the day.

“I definitely have a whole new level of respect for those who do this kind of thing for a living,” Beaman said. “It’s exciting to see how many people, even from outside our community, are here and appreciate the event going on.

“Wrestling fans like a loud, tight environment, and that’s what we are giving them.”

Dresser, in his fifth season as Iowa State’s head coach, won two state championships and 112 matches while competing for Humboldt. He would go on to wrestle at Iowa for the legendary Dan Gable, as the Hawkeyes earned five national titles while he was on the roster.

In 2019, Dresser was named the National Wrestling Coaches’ Association Coach of the Year. He is 40-23 with the Cyclones, and 200-74 overall.

“This is a special place,” Dresser said. “Getting my hand raised here again felt great. I really appreciate everyone coming out and supporting wrestling.”

Ersland claimed state titles while competing for the Wildcats in 1991 and ’92. He also would wrestle for Gable and the Hawkeyes, winning three NCAA team titles and earning academic all-Big Ten status four times.

He is in his seventh season at Purdue, where he has gone 66-51 overall.

“When Coach Dresser took the Iowa State job, it seemed like a natural fit (to have this dual),” Ersland said. “There was a push by people from Humboldt to do it in Humboldt, and it was an idea we both bought into. There were obstacles to it, but it was great to be here.

“It worked out the way we thought it all would with the town being full supportive.”