The 57th year of hosting the Tournament of Champions (TOC) wrestling tournament was held on Friday Jan.17 and Saturday Jan.18. Both senior Grant Treaster and freshman Nick Treaster wrestled in the tournament and made it to the championship. The Treasters were the only two wrestlers from Newton to wrestle in the championship round of TOC. This is unique because they are now teammates, brothers and 2020 TOC champions.
While being the only freshman wrestling in the championships Nick looks to his older brother Grant for advice and strategies for his matches.
“I made sure to give him some advice I just told him, ‘Don’t let any of the nerves get to you mentally or physically and go out there and just wrestle your own match, make sure you’re confident and attack,’” Grant said.
The Treaster brothers wrestling together is not a new occurrence, Grant wrestled with older brother Logan Treaster his freshman year and now Nick is wrestling his freshman year with Grant. Both Nick and Grant have expressed sadness about this being the only TOC in which they both wrestled.
“I wrestled with my older brother and that was a different feel than it is now wrestling my younger brother. It’s a good way to end my years here at high school. I’m glad I’m able to do it with him,” Grant said
Along with Nick, Grant was the only senior which made it into the final round. With Logan wrestling at the Naval Academy, Grant and Nick think of him as a huge inspiration in the wrestling world, along with their father.
“I want to be better than both of my brothers so I use them both as huge inspirations to better myself,” Nick said. “It will be sad to see Grant go because he’s been a good captain this year, and has led our team really well.”
Grant has wrestled all four years of high school, and placed first in his weight class his sophomore year and again his senior year. Even though this was not his first experience wrestling in front of a crowd, it still excites him to win.
“I feel really good as a sigh of relief to be able to come out and win in front of the home crowd. It’s always good to win and especially good to win in front of your own school,” Grant said.
With Nick still being a freshman he is left with time to prepare for the future. Grant has committed to wrestle for the Naval Academy next school year, joining his older brother.
“Next year I’m gonna go wrestle at the Naval Academy, Division I and then after that, just wrestle four years in college,” Grant said.