Newton High School wrestling star set for service in the Air Force
Standing outside the visitors’ locker room, Wyatt Hendrickson became a celebrity.
Almost every starter in the Derby wrestling lineup came up to shake his hand, pat him on the back or even jump into his arms. Hendrickson is one of the most respected high school athletes in Kansas, and his college decision only solidified that.
Hendrickson will finish his Newton career as a three-time state qualifier, likely a two-time state champion with three appearances in the state title bout. He is the No. 3 220-pounder in the nation, according to InterMat.
Hendrickson is one of two Kansans in the InterMat rankings released Wednesday. Goddard senior 170-pounder Troy Fisher is the other at No. 12.
And Hendrickson is verbally committed to serve and wrestle for the Air Force after his graduation. He was in talks with Nebraska, Colorado School of Mines and Navy, but service in the Air Force stood out.
“I like everything to be organized; I like order and a schedule,” he said.
Hendrickson will go to the Air Force Prep Academy for a year before taking the next step. After his four years of wrestling, he will enter service.
Where most college athletes commit for four years, Hendrickson is in it potentially for life.
“I’m looking into finance and engineering,” he said. “They like to turn a lot of the athletes into the special ops guys, so that’s an idea. I might even be a pilot. That crossed my mind, too.
“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Hendrickson is driven by organization and regimen. He is squared away and well-spoken. Newton coach Tommy Edgmon said Hendrickson almost always has a smile on his face.
He said he has been a pleasure to coach.
“(During his recruitment) there were some of those general questions about his academics, his work ethic, his dedication, his attitude,” he said. “But there’s really not much to say on that beause he’s a phenomenal kid. Anywhere he would have looked, all of that would have been taken care of.”
Newton put together its highest finish at the Class 5A state tournament last year, sixth, since finishing runner-up in 2012.
The Railers sent three wrestlers into state championship bouts. They won two and brought back both champions this season.
Hendrickson was one champ at 195 pounds with a fall at 3:58 on Bishop Carroll’s Brady Bockover. He was one of five out of 445 state qualifiers to pin every opponent in his path.
He was only on the mat for 7:21, the third-lowest time in Class 5A.
Grant Treaster was Newton’s other champion at 113 pounds with a fall at 1:44 on Goddard’s Lucas Glover. None of his bouts were won by decision.
Together, Hendrickson and Treaster are one of the best one-two punches in the Wichita area. They are likely to contend for their second state titles, and Edgmon said they are key to carrying the team along.
“The kids look up to them,” he said. “Wyatt performs well and makes them want to perform well. He talks with our younger guys and works with them.”
Newton finished 10th at its home tournament — the Tournament of Champions — last Saturday. The field consisted of the top four teams in 6A and 5A.
Derby, No. 1 in 6A, finished fith. The Railers met the Panthers in a dual meet Thursday night on the road. Where they likely should have been blown out, they battled to a 34-30 loss and led until the 195-pound bout.
Hendrickson said the Railers don’t have the talent they had last year in the room, but their fight is better than ever.
“We have two first-year wrestlers on varsity,” he said. “I guarantee you we don’t have better people to fill those spots, but they have put in the work. At practice, they’ve got their shoes on. They’re ready to go.”
Hendrickson said he wants to surround himself with people who are as equally driven to improve. He wants to be with people who have other teams’ wrestlers coming to see them.
“Everyone there is going to be there for a purpose,” he said. “I want to be surrounded by a group of people just like me, and I feel like that’s what I’m getting in the Air Force.”