Geoff Mott
Sports Scene
The threads of family and friends of Taylor Krupp are interwoven through the New Lothrop wrestling community.
Krupp comes from a family of brothers, uncles, and cousins that has produced 10 wrestlers for the perennial state powerhouse program. His uncle Tim Ebenhoeh served as head coach for four seasons and took the Hornets to the state semifinals all four seasons, including the program’s state-record 11th and 12th team state championships in 2003 and 2004.
His cousin Tim Ebenhoeh, Jr. was a three-time state champion, while older brother Justin Krupp was a senior when Taylor Krupp cracked the starting lineup as a freshman. Now Taylor Krupp is a senior and his youngest brother Connor Krupp is a freshman in the varsity’s starting lineup.
“It’s kind of fun for me to have played with both brothers, and I can help Connor because I’ve been in his shoes,” Taylor said. “Justin comes back for practices and weekend tournaments, and that shows how tight-knit our family is.
“And not just my family but everybody. There are lots of graduates who come back and help out every day. It’s pretty special.”
Taylor Krupp is among six talented seniors who give New Lothrop quite a powerful punch in the upper weights. The Hornets are ranked No. 2 in Division 4 by michigangrappler.com.
Aaron Baumann (152 pounds), Josh Wendling (160), Krupp (171), Cody Symons (189), Dakota Clark (189), and Owen Wilson (215) are all ranked in the state and most have been competing together since grade school.
“Those guys are definitely as talented as it comes,” coach Jeff Campbell said. “All are multi-sport athletes and either valedictorians or at the top of their class academically. There’s lots of effort in this program. Those deep family ties have helped a ton over the years.”
And it’s made Campbell’s job easier, as the senior classes over the years have motivated and taught the underclassmen. They end up as family members to the coach.
“I’m pretty fortunate, and any coach would love a group like I’ve got,” Campbell said. “They are self-motivated, and you know that by working several years with them since they were little. Whether it’s the wrestling mat, the baseball or football fields, jobs and church, these are the types of kids you want your kids to be.
“And it’s special for me to spend that time with them. I’ll miss them and will stay in contact long after they graduate.”
Taylor Krupp couldn’t imagine a part of his life where he didn’t stay in contact with his teammates. “We’ve gone through the entire wrestling program together, from club until now,” he said. “We’ve known each other since we were 7 or 8 years old, and we go to all these tournaments together and become real tight-knit. We have no plans of splitting up after this season.”
Taylor is looking to qualify for a fourth trip to the individual state finals. After qualifying as a freshman, the 171-pounder finished third as a sophomore and runner-up last season. He’s ranked No. 35 overall in his senior class and is the favorite to capture his first individual title.
“He’s the favorite, and sometimes that will make it harder,” Campbell said. “He’s already had an amazing season, beating a No. 1 contender from Wisconsin and a recent win over a top-15 wrestler in the state from Farwell.
“He’s a kid we’ve always depended on for bonus points. His freshman year in a conference match, he took on a kid from Lake Fenton who was ranked second in the state, and the match came down to him and he got the pin as time expired. He’s that exciting of a wrestler, where he always comes through in the clutch.”
Josh Wendling won the state title last year at 145 pounds and is up to 160 pounds this season. That weight is a far cry from when Wendling finished third in the state as a freshman at 103 pounds. He bulked up and finished fourth in the state at 125 pounds as a sophomore.
“It’s pretty unique to see someone go from 103 to 160 pounds by his senior year,” Campbell said. “To grow that much with continual success … you have to have control of your body, coordination, and strength. It’s not easy to do.”
Baumann is a three-time state qualifier who placed sixth as a sophomore and fourth last season. He’s ranked No. 4 at 152 pounds and ranked No. 83 overall among seniors. “Baumann is a kid I really root hard for, because he does everything that’s asked of him,” Campbell said. “He cuts weight, he adds weight. He developed through hard work to become a great wrestler. He didn’t have much success when he was younger, but every year he takes that next step.”
Symons is ranked fourth in Division 4 at 189 pounds after finishing sixth as a sophomore and third last season. A three-time state qualifier, Symons is ranked 93rd overall among seniors. “He’s a 4.0 student, a valedictorian, and a standout on the football field,” Campbell said of Symons. “He has a great family and a perfect example of why New Lothrop is what it is. He had some tough kids in his way last year, and he didn’t shy away from the competition.”
Owen Wilson is ranked No. 3 at 215 pounds in Division 4 and didn’t compete as long as the others in club wrestling in junior high. He was a backup heavyweight who placed at the state meet as a sophomore and was knocked out in the blood round at 215 pounds last season.
“He started wrestling late in junior high,” Campbell said. “He’s just a warrior and through effort has really transformed his body. Where Wendling went up in weight, Owen has gone down, converting that fat to muscle. That’s huge.”
Clark is different from the rest of his senior brethren. A two-time state qualifier, Clark was born in Alaska and lived in Germany with a father in the military. They returned to the family’s roots in New Lothrop, where he is ranked No. 10 at 189 pounds – six spots behind Symons in the rankings.
“He’s a real nice kid with a 3.8 grade-point average,” Campbell said. “On the mat he is physical and tough. He just needs to needs to piece it together, win some big matches, and make it happen. He would start for 90 percent of the teams in the state.”
The transition for Clark into the New Lothrop fraternity of wrestlers was a seamless one. “We’re a tight group, but we’re pretty easy to get along with,” Taylor Krupp said. “Dakota came in and was open and friendly. He fit right in.”
Senior Pat Carnahan is the gritty member of the group. A part-time starter at 119 pounds, Carnahan has missed a lot of time because of medical reasons. “He was one of the best wrestlers as a kid, but he never was fully able to get on the mat for us,” Campbell said. “He’s just a great kid. Not a great record but someone who gives us everything he’s got.”
The Hornets’ seniors have reached the Division 4 state semifinals all three years of high school, and each time they were turned away by five points or fewer. Hesperia beat New Lothrop 35-30 in 2011 and 29-26 last season, while Shelby beat the Hornets 29-28 on criteria in the 2012 state semifinal match.
“We just want to keep improving; keep pushing to do better,” Taylor Krupp said. “All I want to do is go out on top. An individual state title is a huge goal of mine, and this is the best year to win both [individual and team titles].
“This is one big family, and we’ve known each other all of our life, through thick and thin. And anyone on this team would give up an individual state title for that team state title. We’ve got the talent on this team to do it.”