First things first

Posted: Feb. 3, 2010

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Russ Pulvermacher/Photographer

Tyler Yost works a head bar against Apple Valley's Brent Louis at the Cooney invite on Dec. 5.

Russ Pulvermacher/Photographer

Tyler Yost works a head bar against Apple Valley's Brent Louis at the Cooney invite on Dec. 5.

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Every coach in America has used that phrase to encourage their athletes. "If you put in a lot of hard work, in the end it will pay off."

After four years, Oconomowoc High School senior Tyler Yost is a living example that hard work does indeed reap dividends. In Yost's case, it just took a little longer than usual.

As a freshman in November of 2006, Yost showed up for the team's first wrestling practice without an ounce of experience. No youth programs. No grade school programs. He just wanted to wrestle.

Varsity coach Steve Olson welcomed Yost to the program and admitted he was a work in progress. But he liked Yost's work ethic and attitude and figured he had a shot to be successful in the sport.

"He was totally raw to the sport," Olson said. "He was brand new, starting from scratch. The one thing I did know was that he was a scrapper, had no quit in him and went full throttle in every match. I knew he had potential. I just didn't know where he'd end up."

It took Yost almost three years to find some success.

As a freshman, he wrestled with the junior varsity team all year. In his sophomore year, he was promoted to the varsity in the middle of the season and wrestled in the 135-pound division. He had limited success to say the least.

Last year, Yost was the regular at 135 and finished with 20 wins, hovering around the .500 mark most of the season.

This year is a different story. Yost mans the 152-pound weight class for the Raccoons and two weeks ago captured his first individual tournament championship. He won his weight class title at the Highlander Invite at Homestead, defeating Kyle Allen of Beloit Turner in the finals, 9-3.

"I don't know how to explain it, it felt so good," Yost said about winning his first crown. "It was a big relief for me. I finally knew that all of the hard work I had put in had finally paid off. It was something that I had been working toward for four years. It felt great to finally get that first win."

Yost followed that up by finishing second last Saturday at the Pirate Invitational in Pewaukee. This time, instead of winning in the finals, he took second when he dropped an 8-4 decision to Vince Cardarelle (34-4) of Ozaukee. Yost is now 23-12 on the year.

"Tyler has the potential to be a state-qualifying wrestler," Olson said. "When he puts everything together, he's very tough to beat, and he doesn't back down from any challenge. He's into every match. It doesn't matter who is wrestling."

Next up for Yost and his Cooney teammates is the Wisconsin Little Ten Conference meet this Saturday at West Bend. He hopes he can avenge his two conference losses and win the league title.

"I lost to the Watertown kid in our first match of the season because I just wasn't ready to go for some reason that night," Yost said. "Then I lost to Steve Brand of Wisconsin Lutheran in a close match last week. I gave up 5 points early in that match and just couldn't catch up. My goal is to turn both of those matches around this week. I'm wrestling my best right now."

After the conference tournament, Yost will set his sights on a bigger prize at the WIAA regional at Watertown on Feb. 13.

"Hopefully I can go to the regional and win there and then do well at the sectional and make it to the state tournament," Yost said. "This is my senior season and I'd love to get to state. That would be a great way to finish my high school career."

Knowing what a little hard work can mean, nothing seems out of the question for Yost.

Names to know

The Wisconsin Little Ten wrestling tournament will take place Saturday in West Bend. According to Wisconsin Wrestling Online, the following WLT wrestlers enter the meet with a state ranking:

103 - Bobby Nachreiner, Fr., Hartford (No. 4), Mitchel Gundrum, Jr., West Bend East (honorable mention)

119 - Nate Hennes, So., Hartford (HM)

125 - Zach Mommaerts, Sr., OHS (5), Trevor Pruett, Jr., West Bend East (HM)

130 - Nick Becker, So., Hartford (8), Mason McMullen, Sr., Wisconsin Lutheran (HM)

135 - Jarid Baumgartner, Sr., Hartford (6), Taylor Mommaerts, So., OHS (HM)

140 - Jake Morrison, Sr., OHS (11), Casey Kenealy, Jr., Hartford (HM)

152 - Weston Klink, Jr., Hartford (HM)

160 - Justin McFarland, Sr., Watertown (4)

171 - Darvel Winfrey, Sr., Wisconsin Lutheran (HM)

215 - Steven Sizer, Jr., West Bend West (7)

285 - Jake Schall, Sr., Slinger (11)