Grain Valley wrestling boosts numbers, welcomes new coach for 22-23 season

by Michael Smith

     The Grain Valley wrestling team has a new coach and the numbers are better than ever for the program.
     Former head coach Jeff Bowman stepped down and Donald Horner takes over a program that lost just one senior from last season’s team.
     Horner was an assistant coach for the Blue Springs South wrestling team last year and gets his first crack at leading a team that has a whopping 77 students trying out for the final roster. On the girls’ side, the Eagles will go from having two wrestlers to 11, so they will now be able to field a full team for girls and boys.
     “We’re still missing a lot of kids because the football team is still playing,” said Grain Valley assistant coach Chad Benshoof. “We still have experience in the varsity lineup and they are getting better every day. That is out motto.”
     Senior Brock Smith said he was excited to have so many people try out for the team.
     “It’s a good problem to have,” Smith said. “You want to have a lot of kids out. It builds the team and gets everyone better every single day. It’s unfortunate for us, but we have a good football team here at Grain Valley. We got 20 kids who don’t plan on coming in this Friday. They plan to keep winning.”
     The increased numbers will especially be a benefit to defending state champion Sevreign Aumua and the girls team.
     “I feel really good about it,” Aumua said. “Me and Ava (Kusick) are glad to not be the only girls in the room. “It is great to see that not only is the girls (team) getting bigger but Grain Valley is in general. I am glad to be someone they can look up to.”
      The Eagles return their lineup from last year on the boys side except for OT Frederick, who graduated. Of those returning Dru Azcona (132) and Tanner Barker (165) come into the 2022-23 season as state medalists from last season.
     Azcona finished fourth at state last season with a 42-6 record. He will being a good amount of experience and success to the team as he’s a two-time state medalist and three-time state qualifier.
      “The goal every year is to win the state championship,” Azcona said. “I also want to help the team win a state trophy before I leave and I want to leave a legacy for the program.”
     Barker has had similar success to Azcona as he’s a two-time stat qualifier and a 2022 state medalist. He said he’s been working on his ties and go behind moves in practice and the offseason as he’s looking for bigger and better results in 2022-23.
     “I want to win to win state this year,” Barker said. “I am looking to score more points this year because that’s what separates the good kids from the really, really good kids.”
     Smith (126) and Justin Deweese (150) were also state qualifiers last season that will provide a boost to the Eagles.
      Deweese began last season on the junior varsity team but worked his way up to varsity and ended up taking third at the Class 4 District 4 Tournament to qualify for state for the first time in his young career.
     “I am excited because last year I was giving up some weight,” Deweese said. “This year, I should be more competitive. “I have been working on my single (leg takedowns), my high crotches and some outside shots and a little bit of double leg (takedowns).
     “I am hoping to place at state this year and get into the top three.”
     With so many wrestlers returning for Grain Valley, the team has set some high goals.
     “We want to win (the Suburban White Conference) as a team and we want to bring home the state trophy,” Smith said. “We have the squad to do it so be on the lookout.”
     For the girls, Aumua said she is excited to work with all of the incoming newcomers and freshmen.
     The junior admitted she hasn’t had a lot of time to work on wrestling in the offseason as she also plays soccer and rugby in the spring and summer.
     But she has been working hard the last two weeks on her wrestling and has been looking to improve on her sweeps and increasing her stamina.
     “I am hoping to go back to state and hopefully place first,” Aumua said. “I am also hoping to help the other girls and work with them to also maybe qualify for state with me.”
     Horner declined to comment on the upcoming season.

Grain Valley senior Brock Smith prepares to do a squat during wrestling practice Thursday. Photo credit: Michael Smith

Grain Valley assistant coach Chad Benshoof looks on as a group of Grain Valley wrestlers do sit-ups. Photo credit: Michael Smith