Coach with passion for wrestling leads Grafton

By MITCH MAERSCH

Ozaukee Press staff

Grafton High School’s new wrestling coach is no stranger to the sport.

Brant Murray-McKenvey has coached wrestling for nearly 20 years and has been involved with the sport for 35 years.

Murray-McKenvey is from Nekoosa, where he got involved in the youth program and wrestled in high school.

He blew out his knee as a senior and didn’t wrestle at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, but he instantly began coaching right out of high school. He started as an assistant for Menomonie.

Murray-McKenvey became aware of the Grafton job thanks to his wife, a Grafton native. Her first job was in Nekoosa, where the couple met, and they recently moved to Grafton.

Murray-McKenvey took last year off coaching while he and his wife prepared to move and he earned his master’s degree. He works in mental health.

When the Grafton job opened, his wife encouraged him to apply.

“She knew I loved wrestling and saw how antsy I got last year not being involved watching my son,” he said. “She convinced me.”

Murray-McKenvey has coached his son and daughter in baseball, softball and flag football, but wrestling is his favorite.

“I like the aspect that it’s a team sport but it’s also one-on-one,” he said. “And it seems to teach you the most life lessons. You get what you put in.”

While running the youth program at Nekoosa, Murray-McKenvey got plenty out of it. When he took it over, fewer than 20 wrestlers were involved.

“When I left we had 84,” he said.

“I’m big on your program needs to be fun and solid as far as you need to have a game plan from start to finish.”

That’s why Murray-McKenvey said he loves working with Mike Dodge, the former longtime Black Hawks’ coach now running the youth program.

The Hawks this year have a small and inexperienced team, but they fill all the weights.

The captains are seniors Nathan Krause and Ben Birch, junior Louis Berns and first-year wrestler Ellie Federl.

“She outworks so many people in the room,” Murray-McKenvey said of Federl. “She’s something to be reckoned with. She earned it, that’s for sure.”

The Hawks’ captains are called black shirts, a term taken from Ohio State’s legendary wrestling coach who has led the Buckeyes to a national title and five runner-up finishes.

“I’m a huge Tom Ryan fan,” Murray-McKenvey said.

At the E.H. Stech Invitational at West Allis on Dec. 16 and 17, the Hawks scored 37 points and finished 19th of 22 teams.

Krause at 220 pounds was the only place-winner for the Hawks, taking third.

Krause (16-2) pinned Kamron Banks-Womack of Brown Deer/Messmer/Shorewood in 1 minute, 13 seconds, Jonte Watt of Milwaukee Lutheran in 1:41, lost an 11-3 major decision to Ryan Mazer (20-1) of Mukwonago, pinned Tyler Habersetzer of Watertown in 1:41 and in the third-place match won a 10-4 decision over Tanner Gormanson (11-6) of Wisconsin Rapids.

“He has wrestled incredibly smart all year. He’s going to go far this year,” Murray-McKenvey said. “He’s just an extremely talented athlete all around.”

Three other Hawks scored points. Matthew Korinek (7-9) at 126 pounds went 2-1 and had six points. Alex Vincent (6-5) at 145 went 1-2 and scored six points. Ben Birch (4-7) at 182 went 2-2 and had three points.

At a quadrangular meet on Dec. 14, the Hawks lost to Homestead and Whitefish Bay/Dominican/University School of Milwaukee.

The goal this season, Murray-McKenvey said, is improvement, and the team has responded.

“The growth week to week has been just phenomenal,” he said.

“Going through the moves and stuff that we’re reviewing — it’s phenomenal how fast some of the younger wrestlers are catching on and the older, more seasoned individuals are pushing the younger ones.”

That will yield results, he said.

“The scores and the wins, that will come with time, especially with the dedication that we have right now,” Murra-McKenvey said.

The Hawks wrestle at Hartford on Thursday, Jan. 5.