North Tama wrestler Kolt Knaack, center, pictured with his teammates after securing his 100th career win at BGM High School on Tuesday, Dec. 12 in Brooklyn. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW KNAACK

BROOKLYN –The night of Dec. 12, 2023, is a night Redhawk wrestler Kolt Knaack is sure to remember for a long time as he notched the 100th win of his high school wrestling career that evening on the mats at BGM High School.

“It feels good to have 100 wins. It’s a big confidence booster,” Knaack, a junior and state placeholder, told the Telegraph in a text message exchange following the BGM quadrangular which featured the Bears, BCLUW-South Hardin, and Belle Plaine.

Knaack’s pinfall win at 144 pounds over the Plainsmen’s William Sankot officially pushed his victories into the triple digits.

“I was trying not to think about [the 100th milestone] while I was wrestling [Sankot] but it was definitely in the back of my mind the whole time.”

In the BGM stands that evening was a boisterous contingent of Redhawk fans – many of whom held signs emblazoned with the number ‘100’ – including his maternal aunts Andrea Behrens and Lindsey Upah who helped organize the celebratory 100th win response as his mother, Nicole Knaack was unable to attend due to illness.

Redhawk wrestling fans stand and cheer while holding up posters featuring the number ‘100’ following Kolt Knaack’s 100th career win in the BGM High School gym on Tuesday, Dec. 12. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW KNAACK

Heading into the quad, Knaack – a two-time state qualifier – was ranked fifth at 144 by IA Wrestle, but he told the Telegraph being ranked has little bearing on how he approaches his matches.

“The rankings don’t really matter. It’s cool to see them – and see yourself … [but] I wrestle everyone with the same mindset no matter if they are a winless freshman or an undefeated senior, I try to keep my mindset the same every time. I just go out there and trust my training and trust my skills and have confidence.”

Much of that training has come from his head coach, his dad and North Tama alum Andrew Knaack who himself reached 100 wins once upon a time when he was wrestling for GR-North Tama over two decades ago.

“Yes, I did reach 100 wins,” Coach Knaack told the Telegraph earlier this week. “It is still a big accomplishment to reach 100 wins. You are starting to see kids do it earlier in their career now. … Kolt took a minute to celebrate [at BGM] but then he was focused and ready to get to his next goal.”

As the season races toward the state tournament in February, the younger Knaack says he’s still got one big goal on his mind – earning a third trip to state and wrestling on the final night. For someone who loves wrestling as much as he does – and makes it look much easier than it is by appearing almost weightless while maneuvering against his opponents – the goal seems entirely attainable.

In addition to his match with Sankot during the BGM quad, Knaack also won his dual with BCLUW-SH – pinning Chance Cordes in 59 seconds – and received one forfeit.

While the Redhawks came up short in each of their three duals that evening, the team notched a string of individual wins. North Tama was 5-2 in head-to-head matches with the Storm but surrendered six forfeits. Kane Kucera (138 pounds), Drake Podhajsky (157), Maxon Monat (106), Drayke Dvorak (113) and Knaack were the winners for the Redhawks, all by pinfall.

Knaack and Monat both won by fall in a 58-12 dual loss to Belle Plaine.

And in a 54-18 dual with BGM, Podhajsky and Dvorak won their matches by fall while Knaack received a forfeit.

Ahead of the holiday break, the Redhawks were scheduled to compete this Thursday in the NICL Quad with hosts Dike-New Hartford, Oelwein, and North Fayette Valley.