Spencer’s Elijah McNickels named an All-Bi-City Wrestler of the Year

Spencer’s Elijah McNickels’ victory in the state finals of the 138-pound weight division finished off the seniors pursuit of a championship. While the season featured many of the twists and turns that led to that last win, McNickels’ dead-set focus on going out a champion started with his junior year’s end.

McNickels, who has been selected as one of the All-Bi-City Wrestlers of the Year alongside Central’s Tony Morales, saw his dream of a junior season end one match before he planned thanks to a state semifinals loss to Calhoun’s Jacob Callahan.

“It just destroyed me,” McNickels said. “But I knew I needed to come back harder this year. The entire summer, I went to camps. Right after (last) season ended, I went to freestyle and greco. I just did everything that could improve me so I could possibly win state. In the end, it turned out pretty well.”

McNickels had impressed in his time at Spencer, but he faced an uphill battle for the 2016-2017 season. Spencer saw several wrestlers move on after McNickels’ junior year. As a result, the team lost 11 starters.

McNickels was no slacker before on the wrestling mat. But with so many inexperienced teammates now stepping up, McNickels decided that he, too, needed to push himself up a notch.

“I had to make up for the lack of experience they had by getting a for-sure six points instead of maybe three points or four,” McNickels said. “I had to get six every time. It applied good pressure, pressure that would help me just keep pushing forward to win.”

McNickels showed few signs of weakness through the season, which included coming out on top of his weight class at the City Wrestling Championships. However, his apparent track to the title was derailed in the team area duals, when Dodge County’s Christian Grauberger defeated him.

In hindsight, McNickels admits the loss was more valuable than he could ever imagine.

“I took a crushing defeat, which kind of knocked me out of my little world. Reality hit me,” McNickels said. “It really woke me up. I was like, ‘Oh crap, I lost. Now I have to go even harder than I did before.’ It was just a reality check.”

Come state tournament time, McNickels said he knew he really only had one competitor to worry about: Grauberger. As the two worked their way through the bracket, it became apparent they would face off yet again.

Before the match, McNickels’ coaches stressed how important it was for McNickels to control the match. If McNickels could stay on his feet, he could likely gain the upperhand; If, on the other hand, Grauberger got him down and forced McNickels to react instead of dictate, McNickels would be in real trouble.

“It’s that make or break factor,” McNickels said. “If I would have wrestled his match, I’m telling you, I most definitely would have lost.”

McNickels fought off Grauber’s best efforts over the course of the match, ultimately winning in a 16-11 decision.

He celebrated the victory with his coaches, family and mentor after his hand was raised in victory, but McNickels said the win didn’t hit him until days later. His return to Spencer brought congratulations and compliments from several students and teachers, making the moment all the more real for him.

As he looks at his different options for wrestling at the collegiate level, McNickels reflected on the season that was. The moment of becoming the champion was a special one and one he realizes will remain bigger than himself.

He sees the achievement as a challenge to the current and soon-to-be Spencer Greenwaves, something that will beckon them to match.

“I just want to leave something that the kids who came after me can try and achieve,” McNickels said. “The previous state champ (at Spencer), that was my goal. I just wanted to leave something they can look up to. I was in their position. I was on JV for a little bit, and they just threw me out there (on varsity), just trial by fire. I knew what it felt like.”

This story was originally published April 24, 2017 at 2:15 PM with the headline "Spencer’s Elijah McNickels named an All-Bi-City Wrestler of the Year."