MILLER – Kellan Hurd’s journey through the sport of wrestling has run the full spectrum.

The senior standout of the Miller-Highmore-Harrold squad has transformed from being a ‘wimp’ into a two-time state champion and among the favorites to win another state title in less than two weeks.

“My dad put me in wrestling when I was a little kid,” Hurd said, “just to try to toughen me up, because I was a little wimp or whatever.”

It’s safe to say those days are long, long gone.

“It definitely did what they expected it to, I guess,” Hurd said.

Hurd finished runner-up at 120 pounds at the State B Tournament his freshman year, before winning the state championship at 126 as a sophomore, and at 138 last year as a junior.

Hurd is now competing at 144 pounds to cap off his prep career.

“I could have probably went down to 38 this year,” Hurd said, “but I was just kind of like, might as well enjoy my last year and eat, and not have to cut as much weight.”

While Hurd’s weight class has changed every year, the one thing that has not has been his ability to be an elite competitor every year.

Hurd knows all about the pressure of being favored to win every match. He has been tripped up a few times this year, most recently at the Lee Wolf Invitational where he fell to Winner’s Ryken Orel who was named the Stan Opp Outstanding Wrestler at the event.

Hurd avenged that loss the following weekend, defeating Orel at the Big Dakota Conference Tournament.

The difference?

“For me it’s just mindset. Coming into the year, I was ranked pretty high in the state. Sometimes it’s kind of hard when you’re on top like that,” Hurd said. “You don’t have anything to chase, so you ease off a little bit. But then after getting beat the last couple of weeks here, I’ve kind of pushed myself more.”

While it hasn’t happened much in his career, the few times Hurd has lost have left an impression.

“It’s definitely really humbling when I get beat,” Hurd said. “It’s tough.”

Last year Hurd defeated Haedon Jorgenson of Webster in double overtime in the championship match. The two wrestled four times last year, with Hurd handing Jorgenson all three of his losses.

The duo decided to compete in separate weights this year.

“We’re pretty good friends. We talk every once in a while,” Hurd said. “We kind of said that this year we weren’t going to wrestle each other.”

Make no mistake, even without having to face Jorgenson, the competition will be intense the rest of the way, with another match with Orel likely.

“My region is going to be stacked,” Hurd said.

Interestingly enough, Hurd toughens up in the wrestling room against a familiar practice partner, his freshman brother Chase.

“I’m always in his corner trying to support him the best I can,” Hurd said.

When asked about offering advice, Hurd said, “There’s times when he’s not going to listen to me, but if he will I’ll tell him what he needs to do different and stuff like that, just try to help him wrestle the best he can.”

His best advice for the young sibling: “wrestle someone like he wrestles me.”

Hurd also participates in other sports such as football and baseball. While he enjoys playing baseball, everything always rotates back to his first love.

“Wrestling for sure has kind of kind of taught me everything, all of those traits and characteristics, and then carry into other sports,” Hurd said. “How to deal with pressure is definitely a big one.”

Having a former multiple state champion coach in Ryan Resel has also played a key role in Hurd’s wrestling accomplishments.

“He’s definitely a great coach. … He taught me pretty much everything,” Hurd said.

As he heads into the final matches of his decorated wrestling career, Hurd’s goal will be to compete in a fourth straight state championship match. If he reaches that match, he feels the pressure will be off regardless of what transpires.

“I get more nervous during semifinal matches,” Hurd said. “Once the finals get here, my confidence is there. I mean I already placed top two, so just go do what you do.”