For Mason Schrempp, wrestling is a matter of trust.

And the trust he has in his coaches – and vice versa – has the Aberdeen Central senior poised for another run at the Class A state wrestling tournament this weekend.

“I have a lot of trust in my coaches,” Schrempp said. “I believe in what they’re telling me.”

So much so that, instead of attending wrestling camps around the state or region, Schrempp spends his summers training at home, wrestling against his coaches.

“It’s been a lot of hard work with all my coaches,” he said. “I couldn’t have done it without any of them. It’s been showing up every single day and putting in as much effort as you can. It’s easy to do that when you have coaches like Donnie (Bowden) and CJ (Voegeli) and (Kolton) Roth and (Justin) Fox. Over time, it’s been getting better and showing up every day.”

That approach has translated to a 40-5 record this season and a spot amongst the favorites to win the 157-pound bracket at this weekend’s state championships.

It’s a culmination of a wrestling journey that began, quite literally, before he can remember.

“My family has been around wrestling their whole life,” he said. “My grandpa, he started wrestling, then my mom and uncle wrestled when they were little. Then when I was a little kid, my mom just threw me in and I’ve loved it ever since.”

Schrempp said the thing that kept him coming back to the mat over and over was the ability to control his own destiny.

“It’s just you out there,” he said. “You control your own destiny. You can control how aggressive you are and how much effort you put into it. I think that’s been the thing that has always drawn me.”

Along the way, Schrempp has learned the art of fighting freely.

“I think this year it’s just having fun more than anything,” he said. “Not being so nervous that I can’t breathe before matches. Just having fun. The practices are fun, the bus rides are fun. Still taking it serious, but just being more free and having a lot of fun.”

But make no mistake. Schrempp does not take kindly to losing. In fact, he is decidedly more motivated by a loss than by success. And as he approaches this year’s state tournament, there is the memory of last year’s tournament, where he finished third after losing in the semifinals.

“Those losses that I take, those light a fire under me,” he said. “Last year at state, I’m still motivated off that. Every loss I take is a big factor. I come back and practice a lot harder and focus more on the little things.”

And while his practice partners can no doubt feel that extra focus after a loss, they don’t say much, Schrempp said. 

Likely, that’s because the Golden Eagles as a whole are a highly motivated group. Most recently, Central set a record for team points scored in a region meet, qualifying all 14 wrestlers for this weekend’s state tournament.

“It’s truly a privilege to be alongside some of my teammates,” Schrempp said. “We know the work we put in, and being able to go out there and perform like that is pretty special.”

With his final matches in a Golden Eagle uniform looming on the near horizon, Schrempp hopes that people remember his past in the same way he approaches the future.

“I hope they look at me as a kid who gave it 100 percent every time he was on the mat,” he said. “A kid who was tough and who never gave up on it. He was always going forward and always attacking.”

But wrestling will not be a thing of the past for Schrempp, who will move across town to Northern State’s wrestling room next fall.

“It’s awesome,” he said of the chance to wrestle for the Wolves. “(Rocky Burkett) is a great coach and a great person. It shows how much he cares for wrestling in how hard he fought for it and bringing it back. … I love the way they coach and the way they fight in the room.”

In the meantime, Schrempp’s focus will narrow to three days of action he’s been preparing for all his life.

“I know the work I put in and I know how good I am, and I know if I wrestle how I know I can, no one will handle me,” he said.