NE Wrestle: You finished as the State Runner-Up in 285A last year after an injury in the state semifinals. How did you feel not getting a chance to wrestle in the finals?
Cyrus Marshall: It was a huge disappointment. I really wanted to make it to the finals. I felt like I let down a lot of people. I also felt like I did not fully reach the pinnacle of where I could be.
How did you evaluated your junior season as a whole?
CM: In my eyes, my junior season went as well as it could have. The team put in a lot of time in in the wrestling room. I have a couple of very good training partners (Colton Wolfe and Wyatt Olcott). We push each other to be the best we can be and it shows on the mat.
You’re successful on the football field as well, how did wrestling help you in football?
CM: Wrestling is a very mentally challenging sport; it teaches you how to handle things that a normal person couldn’t. It teaches you how to adapt when things are not going your way. Wrestling is a very physically demanding sport which makes the demand for physicality in football easier.
What is it that makes the Columbus Wrestling program so successful from the youth level to the high school level?
CM: Most of the high school wrestlers came through the youth program. In Columbus, wrestling is probably the most popular sport, besides football; it draws the biggest fan base. The youth program has about 120 kids, along with a lot of their fathers who help. It is just a very tight knit community.
What are your goals for your senior season?
CM: My plan for my senior year is to win the state title. Columbus has won seven state team titles; this year we are “Chasing 8,” which has become our new team motto. It would be pretty special if we could cement our name back at the top as one of the elites in Nebraska.
Do you have any plans to wrestle in college, and if so, do you have a list of schools you’re considering?
CM: I have not decided whether I am going to wrestle or play football. I have looked at a couple of different colleges. I have looked at Wesleyan and Hastings so far, and I will also be looking at Chadron State, Morningside, and Concordia.