The Lodi wrestling season is making tremendous strides this year, and they are eager to keep up the progress. From state qualifiers and conference champs to welcoming a brand new girls’ team, this year’s season is making history. To get more insight into details about the team’s achievements, we reached out to senior wrestler Henry Koeppen and head coach Cody Endres.
Progress is an important part of any sport, and our local wrestlers should be recognized. Henry Koeppen said that he feels the team has been doing well so far and has been on an upward trend of getting better all season.
Coach Endres shared the accomplishments of the Lodi wrestling team, including starting the season by placing 1st out of 25 teams at the Waunakee Warrior Invite. After 15 years of competing at the Fond du Lac Invite, the team won 1st out of 24 teams and won the Northern Capitol Conference Dual Tournament. Other exciting achievements include the marking of 100 career wins for Brady Dorshorst (junior) and Mason Lane (senior). Henry Koeppen said another exciting moment for the team was beating Beaver Dam at Rock the Gym.
Lodi wrestling is not just a team, but a family. After many years of dedication to a sport, it is easy to form tremendous bonds with fellow teammates. Because Henry Koeppen is a senior, we asked him what he will miss most about wrestling.
“I will miss the brotherhood and the hard work when I am done with wrestling,” said Henry.
The strong bond the wrestling team has has added to their strength and proven to have an impact on their results.
There is now a girls team for the first time in Lodi wrestling history. These wrestlers include Marah Lane (sophomore), Katie Frey (freshman), and Zoe Licht (freshman). The girls wrestled at the Bi-State Classic, with Zoe Licht going 3-2 and taking 4th place. Marah Lane went 1-2 and fought some tough battles. They also competed at the Fond du Lac Invitation, with all three placing on the podium. Zoe 1st, Marah 2nd, and Katie 3rd. The girls’ team has made significant strides this season, and the community is eager to see the program continue to grow.
Concluding our interview with Coach Endres, he commented, “We have an awesome senior class. We’re proud of those guys for all that they have given to Lodi Wrestlers, and we look forward to watching them achieve their goals and dreams in the months to come.”
Friends and family have seen the team grow while sitting in the cheering crowd just as much as teammates have been able to see it in each other. The standards are set high, but our Lodi wrestlers have proven to be a strong team that can make history together. The 2023–24 season so far has proven triumphant, and we wish our wrestlers a strong finish.
