Millard South wrestling keeps tradition of dominance going strong
OMAHA, Neb. (BVM) 鈥� Doug Denson laid the foundation and built Millard South into the most dominant Class A wrestling program in the state over his 23 seasons as the head coach. He qualified 251 athletes for state, 151 of which became medalists, and led the Patriots to seven team state titles 鈥� four straight from 2005-2008 and three straight from 2015-2017 鈥� before retiring and handing the reins over to assistant coach Nate Olson.
It became Olson鈥檚 job to carry on that tradition of success, and considering Millard South is coming off back-to-back team state titles and is ranked as the No. 1 team in Class A this season, it鈥檚 fair to say Olson has done his duty. But the Patriots had to find patience through one season of growth and learning before they could return to their place of prominence.
鈥淲hen [Coach Denson] left and it was my first year, we only had two kids returning from that varsity team,鈥� Olson said. 鈥淭he rest either graduated or transferred. We were bringing up JV guys that first year and showing them the big time and getting them ready to wrestle. That first year we knew we were young.鈥澛�
And knowing his athletes had a lot to learn, Olson integrated his own learning system, instructing his athletes to bring a notepad to their matches.
鈥淭here were so many things that we had to work on because they were so new to the varsity scene,鈥� Olson said. 鈥淪o we would take notes and that鈥檚 what we would work on for the week.鈥�
The learning method paid off. By the end of that first transitional season in 2018, Olson鈥檚 inexperienced group managed to place fifth at the state tournament. With every athlete coming back for the following season, higher expectations also returned and rightfully so as the Patriots returned to the top of Class A in 2019. Now with another run of consecutive state titles going, the tradition continues. And tradition is something that the Patriots take pride in.聽
鈥淲e hang banners in the wrestling room, state championship banners, conference banners, and we have themes from previous years and wrestlers get to sign the banners if they win wrestler of the week,鈥� Olson said. 鈥淎nd we keep all of those up in the wrestling room and that kind of keeps our tradition going and it kind of trickles down each year to the next group of kids and I feel like we do a great job of honoring that past tradition and keep moving forward.鈥�
While Millard South鈥檚 tradition of success has remained the same as it was when it was established with the team鈥檚 state championship four-peat 13 years ago, Olson said the kind of wrestlers that the program wins with has changed in recent years.
鈥淭here鈥檚 kind of been a shift from kids who were tough, hard-nosed workers, [with] not great technique, but they would take your arms off and beat you with it just to win a match,鈥� Olson said. 鈥淣ow we have a bunch of kids who have been wrestling year round and they鈥檙e on the freestyle Greco circuit and they come into our program and now they’re just super technique and all we have to do is sharpen their skills and set back and watch them. That鈥檚 kind of a great shift and not a lot of other programs get to do that and that鈥檚 kind of been the reason we鈥檝e got kids moving up to the DI level.鈥�
Three Division I commits are wrestling for the Patriots this season. Senior Caleb Coyle is committed to Oregon State, while fellow senior Conor Knopick is headed to Iowa State and junior Antrell Taylor will be staying close to home with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Coyle (120 pounds), Knopick (126), Taylor (160) and junior Tyler Antoniak (145) are all defending state champions and ranked No. 1 in their respective weight classes. Freshman Miles Anderson (106) and sophomore Joel Adams (138) are also ranked No. 1 by .
鈥淭he guys who are returning, not just champions but qualifiers, they’ve set up a really good foundation for the new kids that are new to the varsity scene and it鈥檚 really amazing at practice,鈥� Olson said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e basically wrestling state champions in practice every single day. That makes every day special because those guys are sharpening their skills and getting to battle with the best kids in the state.鈥�
With many accomplished, experienced athletes and several younger wrestlers who have the potential to compete for gold, Millard South is in a good position to keep the tradition going strong and make a run at its third three-peat when the NSAA Wrestling State Championship takes place next week in Omaha.
