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Second-best not enough for Sommer

Sports

Written by David Wolman

Friday, 20 March 2009 08:00

Nathan Sommer of Prairie View represents Kansas in the annual Metro Classic on Tuesday. Sommer became the first Prairie View wrestler to win a state title. Sommer, 49-2 at 152 pounds, was named the Tri-County Spotlight Wrestler of the Year. (Photo by David Wolman)

Nathan Sommer wasn’t about to be second-best again.

He had experienced that disappointment as he walked off the mat at the 2008 state wrestling tournament at Salina’s Bicentennial Center following his loss to Labette County’s Aaron Arb in the 145-pound final.

“It definitely was not as good as first,” he said. “It got to me. It made me want to work harder.”

Hard-working is a phrase that has always been tucked into the dictionary of the Tri-County Spotlight Wrestler of the Year.

“Nathan is a good, hard-working kid,” Prairie View coach Walter Vandeventer said. “He’s good in any sport he does. He’s the kind of kid you want.”

Sommer is a three-sport athlete at Prairie View. He was the starting quarterback on a Buffalos’ team that won the Pioneer League last fall. In the 2008 spring baseball season, he posted a .367 batting average and drove in 10 runs, also tying for team-high honors in doubles, with five.

Sommer has been a regular fixture at the state wrestling tournament, having qualified all four seasons and placing the previous two.

Would the third time be the lucky charm?

Could he become the first Prairie View wrestler in program history to finally win a state title?

Vandeventer knew all along Sommer had the ability to win a state title, it was a matter of increasing Sommer’s level of confidence.
“It was not worrying about the other guy, but attacking the opponent,” Vandeventer said.

Sommer agreed.

“He kept pushing me and saying that I could do this,” Sommer said.

Step one was qualifying for state.

Sommer dominated his way at the Feb. 20-21 Class 4A regional wrestling tournament in Spring Hill, winning all four matches to win a regional title and qualify for state for the fourth time.

Check.

Sommer brought a glistening 45-2 record into the state tournament the following weekend in Salina — having gone undefeated against 4A competition.

Sandwiching two pins around an 11-1 major decision, he was off to a dominating start. By pinning Abilene’s Colten Picking in 2 minutes, 43 seconds in the 152-pound semifinals, Sommer needed to win only one more match to be crowned state champion.
Sommer faced the top-ranked wrestler at 152, Ulysses’ Derek Newell, in the final. But Sommer felt more prepared heading into his second straight state championship match.

“I had more confidence, and I felt less nervous,” he said.

It was domination.

Sommer prevented Newell from getting onto his feet nearly the entire match.

“He wrestled a very smart match,” Vandeventer said.

As the final seconds were ticking off the clock, Vandeventer could be counting down history, “15, 14, 13 ...”

Sommer had his hand raised in victory by the referee, signifying the Buffalos had crowned their first state champion in program history.

Sommer 5, Newell 0.

“We got the monkeys off our back,” Vandeventer said.

Sommer didn’t evoke any type of celebration. No jumping in the air or hugging his coaches. It was just another match to Sommer. But deep inside, it was pure relief.

“Just a good feeling,” he said. “It was a good way to go out.”

Sommer did have one more match to wrestle in his high school career, as he was selected to wrestle in the 11th annual Metro Classic on March 11 at Kansas City Kansas Community College. Sommer dominated Harrisonville’s (Mo.) Ryan Wood, winning by an 11-2 major decision.

It was a fitting end to Sommer’s career. He finished with a 162-27 career record.

“It was just an honor to be invited,” he said. “I got to meet a whole bunch of great people.”

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