After six years of cramped auxiliary gym practices, struggling to make weight, and, above all, small teams, senior Nick Tourville was rewarded with a wrestling state championship on March 5. Here’s what the three-year captain and state champion wrestler had to say about his season, his road to the state championship, and his reflections on BSM wrestling.

KE: How would you say your season went overall?

NT: Overall the season went pretty well. As a team, we had some rough patches, but we fared much better than last year. This season was the first in which I have actually felt a part of a team. We had many more kids come out than in past years and the wrestling room was renovated; it was exciting to finally have an area specifically called the wrestling room and new warmups and gear as well. Individually, I had an awesome season. I took 3rd up in Fargo at the Rumble on the Red tournament where I beat many good wrestlers. Actually throughout the season I defeated 20 ranked wrestlers. So really it couldn’t have gone much better.

KE: What was your hardest match at State?

NT: I would say my hardest match at state was my finals match. I won that match 3-2. I wrestled conservatively, but the kid was very tough, even more so than my previous match where I faced the defending state champion.

KE: How does it feel to be state champion?

NT: Oh my God, its the best feeling I have ever had. Nothing gets better than this. It was simply amazing. I still feel like I’m on top of the world. There were so many setbacks and obstacles that I have faced over the past years in wrestling and now it was all worth it. It was a surreal feeling, at that point after I had won that championship nothing in the world mattered. It was almost like a dream. Finally I had accomplished my dream, my goal, that I had strived to reach over the past few years. I really am becoming greedy. I want that feeling over and over now. There is so much desire to succeed in this sport. Most people will never feel like this, and I feel bad for them, because it is awesome!

KE: Are you looking to wrestle in college?

NT: Yes I will be wrestling in college. Right now, I am undecided where it will be at though.

KE: What will you remember most about wrestling for BSM?

NT: I will remember how we completely rejuvenated the program We had four kids in 9th grade. Me and Alex Peck stuck it out throughout these years, though, and now the program has been revived. Our coach Larry Allar’s goal 10 years out is to be state champions as a team, and it all started with us.