Months before the CHSAA wrestling season went underway, many Mead wrestlers set the bar at being the best in the state. When preseason rankings had reached the public, it was clear that this year’s team had a lot to live up to.
The Mavericks were ranked number one as a team in 4A just in front of their uptown rival: the Windsor Wizards. A number of wrestlers in the Maverick lineup were ranked in the top five of their respective weight classes, and a few sat at the top of that list.
After a tough loss to the Wizards in the first duel of the 2023-24 season, the Mavericks would be ranked second in 4A, until the night of February 17 – when the Mead Mavericks would be crowned 4A state champions.
The week before the regional tournament, coach Leister Bowling III had put up a shirt in the wrestling room that read “Mead Mavericks 4A State Champions,” as a reminder to the boys of what they had been working for all season.
Mead would go on to be regional champions, setting school records with 13 placers (six regional champions) and qualifying 11 wrestlers for the state tournament. All of whom contributed to a historic 257 team points (the most in school history).
Will Guerra (‘24), Bryce Melichar (‘25), Hunter Humphrey (‘25), and Breckan Palko (‘26) all qualified for the state tournament but came up short after a dog fight in the blood rounds.
Carter Woods (‘26) placed fourth in the 4A 144lb weight class in the 2024 state tournament after a sixth-place finish at the 2023 regional tournament last season.
William (Willie) Eillers (‘25) made his way to the finals in the 215lb weight class but would come just short of a state title in a hard-fought 14-10 loss. In the 2022-23 season, Eillers (‘25) did not place at the regional tournament and finished the season with a record of 20-12.
Otto Black (‘24) was the first Maverick of the night to be crowned a champion in 4A at 138lbs after a nail-biting 3-2 sudden victory win. Black (‘24) had not wrestled folkstyle since the 2021-22 CHSAA wrestling season. He was a 5A state runner-up at the 2021 state tournament and finished fourth at the 2022 state tournament, as he wrestled for Ponderosa High School during his freshman and sophomore years. Black (‘24) spends his off-seasons training Greco Roman wrestling where he is a two-time Fargo National champion, three-time U.S. Open all-American, U17 World Team member, and 2021 World Championships medalist.
The Maverick’s second champion was crowned in the 150lb weight class with back-to-back state champion, Jake Glade (‘24). He became the third two-time state champion in MHS history with a 10-8 overtime win against his childhood best friend, Kellen Engelhardt (‘24) of Thompson Valley. After finishing fifth at state his freshman year, and sixth his sophomore year, there was only one way Jake could go out his last two years of high school wrestling—with back-to-back state titles.
Accomplishing the goal he set since his freshman year, Leister Bowling IV (‘25) won his first state title in a clinical match defeating his opponent 8-0 for the major decision. Bowling eats, sleeps, and breathes all things wrestling; while a state title is a big feat, the three-time all-American and Iowa Hawkeye commit has bigger aspirations. After losing in the finals of the 2023 state tournament, the 2023-24 season was a revenge tour for Bowling (‘25). He finished the season with a record of 55-1 and managed to break the Mead wrestling career takedown record with 375 takedowns—217 alone this season, also breaking the Maverick single-season takedown record. Still, with one year left of high school eligibility, Bowling (‘25) will remain the most electric athlete to watch.
The Maverick coaching staff would remain on the mat for the rest of the night for finals matches in the 190, 215, and 285lb weight classes to follow. With three crowned champions at this point, the night at Ball Arena would only get better for the Mavericks.
Up next was returning state champion Dalton Berg (‘24). After taking out projected four time state champion Evan Perez (‘26) of Windsor in the semi finals, there was one thing left on Dalton’s mind—taking home the gold. Berg and his opponent Bronco Hartson (‘24) of Roosevelt have had a rivalry as old as time; meeting a few times during the season, Dalton had an 0-2 record against Hartson. While Hartson was the favorite in the matchup, no one doubted Berg for a second. Dalton would go on to win the match in a tremendous upset winning 4-0. This victory would mean more than just a state championship to Berg. With the win he became the fourth Maverick to win two state titles and would be named the 4A outstanding wrestler.
Last but certainly not least, the Mavericks heavyweight Grant Gordan (‘25) won his first state title with a pin in the second period of his match. Gordan finished the season with a 45-10 record and became the Mavericks seventh state champion. Gordan also sealed Mead’s team title run with a final score of 177.5 points; blowing runner-up Pueblo East out of the water (132.5).
“I had an idea before finals we were going to win it, but I am a person that waits because I don’t want to take my focus off the kids,” said head coach Ty Tatham.
He added, “It was really exciting and very gratifying but also very humbling to think about all the people that contributed to the state championship.”
It didn’t stop at a team championship for the Mavericks; along with taking home two placers, five champions, and 4A’s outstanding wrestler, head coach Ty Tatham was named 4A Coach of the Year.
“It’s pretty cool and everything, but if I had it my way I would cut that thing into 40 pieces…I look at it like a team award.” Tatham said.
All of the accomplishments achieved the night of February 17th was a picture perfect ending to this team’s historical season.
