Bormann and Kulper reflect on state wrestling experience
Central junior Braxton Bormann made it to the quarterfinals in Class 1A at 144 pounds, after pinning Ryder Cline of AC/GC. (Photo by Audrey Posten)
In the quarterfinal, Bormann met the undefeated and eventual state champion Blake Fox of Osage. (Photo by John Jensen, The Outlook)
Preston Kulper tries to escape from Starmont’s Jase Tommasin in his 150-pound opening match at the state wrestling tournament. (Photo by Audrey Posten)
Kulper faced Preston Hunter of Beckman Catholic in his second state match. (Photo by Audrey Posten)
By Willis Patenaude | Times-Register
They walked confidently, smiling down the Central hallway to the cheers and clapping of fellow students and teachers, reading homemade signs with inspirational messages, accepting and returning high fives and even signing a T-shirt for elementary associate Casey Millage.
It was another in a season of special moments for Braxton Bormann and Preston Kulper, who were taking in the sendoff before heading to Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines for the IHSAA state wrestling championships.
It was the culmination of a season that witnessed Bormann reach 100 wins and win the 45th Central Invitational. At the state qualifying meet in Denver, he punched his ticket to state for the third time, all while dealing with an injury.
For Kulper, it was a coming of age season where he won his first tournament—the 45th Central Invitational—and rode four straight pins to a second-place finish in Denver to qualify for state for the first time.
Both wrestlers were looking to carry that momentum to “The Well,” where just taking a lap around the arena was a memorable experience for Kulper. He realized that “hard work does pay off.”
He’d earned his way to Des Moines, and with his parents sitting in the crowd, he stepped onto the mat for championship round one at 150 pounds, looking across at Starmont’s Jase Tommasin.
Kulper fell behind early, and though he fought for three escapes, the four takedowns by Tommasin were enough to hand Kulper a 12-3 major decision loss. Kulper received a bye into consolation round two against Preston Hunter of Beckman Catholic, and that’s where his run at state ended after being pinned.
“Definitely wasn’t the way we wanted it to go, but you have to roll with the punches and grow from it. He knows what the plan is for next year. We are going to stick to that plan, and you will see him down there again next year,” said coach Joe Koehn.
Kulper admitted he expected to do better than the end result, but you “can’t change the past or rewrite history.”
“Some smart fella I know would always remind us that the front windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason. Put it in the past and keep moving forward. If a shark stops swimming, it dies. Be like a shark; never stop swimming,” he said.
Kulper was proud of the season for the team, which combined with Ed-Co this year. He thanked them all and his coach for helping him “throughout the entire season.”
“Without them, I would not be down here,” he added.
Kulper knows what it takes now and how hard it is to get to that podium. No matter what, everyone inside The Well “breathes the same air and bleeds the same, [and] it all comes down to who wants it more in the end,” he said. He’s going to go back into the gym and keep swimming.
On the other side of the coin was Bormann, who returned to The Well with experience but still looking for a state podium finish that had eluded him the last two years. With his heavily wrapped shoulder, which makes the appearance at state all the more impressive, Bormann was of a singular focus. After receiving a bye into championship round two at 144 pounds, Bormann set his sights on Ryder Cline of AC/GC. Bormann dominated the opening period, going ahead 7-0 before putting an end to the match with a pin in period two.
In the quarterfinal, Bormann met the undefeated and eventual state champion Blake Fox of Osage. Although Bormann put up a valiant effort, he was pinned in the first period. However, he had secured a spot in day three, which he’d never done before, and still had a chance to make the podium in the top eight.
Standing in his way was Tully Wood from Wayne, Corydon. Bormann got out to an early lead with a takedown, and was still up 3-1 heading into the third period. Thirty seconds into the period, Wood scored a takedown, and while Bormann appeared to earn an escape late in the period, no points were awarded and he suffered a 4-3 loss, bringing his third state trip to an end.
“It hurts being so close and coming up short, but we know the areas that we need to improve and that’s on bottom, and mentally we need to be tougher. First on the checklist is getting the shoulder healthy and getting stronger for next year,” Koehn said.
Bormann had higher expectations, but despite missing the podium, he made it to the quarterfinals, made it to day three and learned a lot about himself.
“I learned the mental side of things and proved to myself that I can hang in with the best kids in the state,” he said.
In a season that saw triumphs and trials, there was a determination to be proud of, and while Bormann acknowledged he “could’ve called the season quits” because of the injury, he didn’t do that. Instead, he pushed through, showing physical and mental toughness as well as the power of support. Support from his coaches who “pushed him to get better” and his teammates for “helping him in the room and making it a fun, memorable season.”
“This was an exciting season for the team as a whole, being combined with Ed-Co, and everybody got better as wrestlers and grew stronger as teammates. I look forward to this co-op sharing again next year. There were a few records broken and I am excited to see this team grow,” Koehn said.
