All eyes are on me this time
Grewe readies for the biggest stage of career
Carter Grewe has never been shy about stating his goals. He’s not the kind of athlete that indulges in superstitions, or wastes time thinking about matches that haven’t already happened.
So when the incoming senior talks about his goals for his final year at Colby High, his answers are direct and to the point, just like his wrestling.
“I kinda expect myself to win a state title this year,” Grewe says.
For some athletes, that statement might come across as mere bragging. That’s not the case for Carter, a fearsome wrestler who’s ambitions are matched only by his tremendous work ethic.
Carter can be found training anywhere from five to six days a week, and those days and years of work have shaped him into a six foot, one inch pillar of muscle.
He weighs close to two hundred pounds now, but he carries more weight than meets the eye, and it comes in the form of a massive chip on his shoulder.
“I want to physically and mentally dominate everybody I wrestle, just because I’m doing a lot more than anyone else is doing right now,” Grewe says. “The big jumps that I’ve taken in the past two months, I think I’m setting myself up for success this year.”
Dominating through the years
Carter has been one of the most exciting wrestlers to walk through Colby High’s halls in recent years. His rise to the top almost seems preordained, and even in middle school, he dominated any competition he entered.
Those results carried through into his high school years, and the ribbons, medals, trophies are piled high from his victories all over the country - from Colorado, to Iowa and the Dakotas.
He’s been to state before, and for years he’s wrestled top competition across the nation in folk style and freestyle on the club circuit. In spite of his skills, he knows every time he sets foot on the mat he’s saddled with stereotypes - a proverbial big fish in a small pond.
And while others laugh when someone from a small town dares to dream big, Grewe knows Colby has his back.
“I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody in Colby that didn’t want me to succeed,” Carter says. “Everybody here seems to back me up and always cheers me on.”
That support fuels Grewe’s inner fire, and with every rep, every match and every victory he only gets better.
When it’s all said and done, he’s planning on being the last one laughing.
Carter is driven by the urgency of his senior year. He knows he’s an excellent wrestler, but so far, a state title continues to elude him. To get him to that next level, he’s working with Jordan Crass, an elite coach who has helped nearly 30 wrestlers win state championships.
“When I started working with Crass, he really helped me fall in love with the sport. When I started to work with him it started to become my passion because I could see that I was getting better. Once you find a passion for something . . . you just want to keep coming back.”
It hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows for Grewe. There have been some doubts and struggles along the way.
“I think last year I laid a pretty bad egg. This year, I have something to prove. I have to bounce back. I refuse to go out like I did last year, so winning state is pretty much a must for me.”
The journey to the top has been an uphill battle for Carter, especially after COVID-19 limited what should have been an excellent year for him. Between the restrictive guidelines and stop and start nature of this year’s WIAA wrestling season, Grewe had hardly any platform to show what he could do.
“I only had six matches all year long, and it just got old,” Grewe says with a tired sigh. “You’d be putting in five, six hours a week of practice and you’re only going to get two or three matches.”
Those matches were hardly helpful, with Grewe often pinning his outmatched opponents in under a minute. Things got better in February, with vaccines increasing and COVID-19 cases decreasing. Grewe was finally able to take advantage of wrestling against top competition at several USA Wrestling tournaments in Iowa, and within weeks, his skills were razor sharp.
Grewe knocked off state champions and nationally ranked wrestlers at those tournaments. In May, he placed second at the WWF Freestyle State Championships. This was followed by a spot on Team Wisconsin, with the opportunity compete in Tulsa in the USAW Junior National Freestyle Juniors. Carter and his teammates finished fifth overall, the state’s best result in ten years.
Grewe’s national profile has taken a giant leap forward thanks to these results, going from a three star ranking to four and half at trackwrestling.com. He says that ranking lit a fire under him.
“The three star rating, it made me upset, and it gave me that extra motivation and an underdog mentality to go out and beat up on state champs, higher ranked wrestlers. I just felt like I had nothing to lose at that point. I was kinda on a mission to prove everyone wrong.”
The climb continues
Grewe has now successfully captured the attention of colleges and recruiters, forcing them to pay attention. He’s got more confidence, and is looking forward to the spotlight and future challenges.
“After USA Wrestling, that boosted my confidence even more,” he says. “That showed me I could compete with the best guys in the country.
“I wasn’t nervous or scared at all. I loved it, and said let’s go out and wrestle and scrap, and see who comes out on top.”
Grewe finished 5-3 in Tulsa, with every victory coming by either pinfall or technical fall. His confidence is at a peak, and that’s a good thing because his next tournament is arguably on the biggest stage of his career thus far.
After his results with Team Wisconsin, and on the USA Wrestling circuit and the in the WWF state championships, Carter is headed to Fargo for the USA Wrestling Junior & 16U Nationals.
“I think, based on our finish, that Wisconsin is really tough,” Grewe says. “We have a lot of toughness, and we’re sending a helluva team to Fargo. I think we’re going to do very well.”
If you know anything about prep wrestling, you know the tournament in Fargo is as big as it gets for junior wrestlers.
“It’s the Super Bowl of high school wrestling” Carter says with anticipation.
For over fifty years, Fargo has been a proving ground for the best wrestlers in the country. It’s a place where reputations can be made or broken depending on how one competes.
“I am pumped for Fargo,” Carter says excitedly. “Last year I really made a run at it, and didn’t qualify for the team. That bummed me out, but I just used that as more motivation.
“This year I made the team, and it’s been a goal of mine for years. You represent the best guys from your state against the best guys in the country. Everybody there is a state champ and a stud, and I believe that I’m going to do well.”
There’s more at stake than simply getting wins, tough matches or medals. There’s the chance to gain even more notice from college recruiters. For unlike some who are content to leave sports behind when they graduate, Carter wants to enjoy the ride for a little while longer. He has plans to go to the NCAA once his time in the WIAA is finished.
“My ultimate dream and goal after high school is to wrestle D-I, and keeping going against the best. You don’t see a whole lot of D-I wrestlers coming out of here, so I want to be the first.”
Throughout his ride, Grewe has embraced the role of champion. Now he’s also embracing the title of role model.
“It crosses my mind. I remember when I was a little kid, and I looked up to everyone, and tried to watch them and learn from them. But I just try to be the best I can be, and set an example.”
Carter knows he’s in uncharted waters as he gets ready for his last year, but it’s a path of his own making. It’s one he’s spent years searching for, and one he’s more than comfortable walking.
RACKING UP THE ACCOLADES -Carter Grewe took second in the state at the WWF Freestyle State Championships in May. He defeated five state champions in back to back weeks during a pair of national tournaments.
GRAPPLING WITH THE BEST -Carter Grewe battles with Drew Ries during the WIAA D-2 individual state tournament in 2020. Grewe wants to do more than return to state in his senior year - he wants to win it all. TP FILE PHOTO
