Winlock's Raupp signs intent letter to attend Chadron State

Toledo/Winlock Wrestling Coach Ryan Arnold (left) joins Winlock High School Senior Tony Raupp (right), in his Chadron College tee for a, photo. Raupp has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at the Nebraska State College.

Some small town kids want adventure. Many choose the exciting life of a big college campus in a large urban area. Winlock High School Senior Tony Raupp has his own ideas about what a college should be.

"They are a small town like us," explained Raupp. "I have been there once. I remember the campus when we drove through there."

The campus he is referring to is Chadron College (pronounced Shadron) in Chadron, Nebraska. Raupp signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Chadron next school year. The community of Chadron has just over 5,000 residents, which is a little larger than Winlock.

“Tony is a very passionate wrestler," said Ryan Arnold, the Head Wrestling Coach for the Toledo/Winlock wrestling program. "It is a sport that he invests all of his time and energy into. I am really glad to see that is paying off for him."

"Tony was a leader," described Arnold. "He took that natural role because of all the time he committed to the program. He was in the program longer than anyone out there. He wrestled with that intensity that people admired and wanted to model themselves after him."

Raupp was not sure what to expect after what he considered a mediocre year in wrestling.

"This year didn't go as expected," explained Raupp. "My junior year was the best season with the best record. This year was tougher because I was in an upper weight class with more competition which actually showed me better."

He may have lost more, but facing better, stronger athletes week in and week out got him more respect from opposing wrestlers, coaches and college scouts.

“The tournaments that we went to which were bigger," said Raupp. "There were state champions from other places and kids from Oregon and just seeing people from other states gives me a better perspective of what I will see in the future."

Raup has also gathered other fans through the years.

"My grandpa is probably my biggest supporter. He goes to almost every single event," Raupp says about John Raupp who also was at the Thursday press event. "My parents go most of the time, but they usually have to work. They supported me for going whichever weight class that I choose. They don't strongly encourage me to drop weight like I did before."

In college, Raupp still has some choices to make but he has a lot of advisors too.

“I am probably going to go undeclared for the first two years," explains Raupp. "Hopefully, if I am good enough, I will transfer to a division one(larger) school and then major in criminal justice or go into sports medicine which is an eight year degree. My two older brothers are both in criminal justice and my mom is an R.N. I like both of them so I haven't chose yet. "

Whatever Raupp might do, the road from Winlock to Northwest Nebraska was supplied through wrestling and Raupp's tenacity on the mat.