HOLMEN — The motivation is certainly there for Turner Campbell as he begins his final wrestling postseason for Holmen High School.
It was built through past success and pushed when injury and illness cut into his senior season with the Vikings.
Campbell has been a part of Holmen’s regular lineup since he was a freshman 113-pounder. He qualified for the WIAA Division 1 state tournament as an individual and helped it advance all the way to the championship dual as a team.
His first taste of the big time stuck with him, and Campbell wasn’t about to settle for less as his career progressed. That was evident with his role on the roster.
“My freshman year, I got the leadership award for our team,” said Campbell, whose team hosts a Division 1 regional at the Bernie L. Ferry Fieldhouse on Saturday. “Even being young, my eyes were opened up to how important it was to be a leader.
“It’s important to have someone to be there and tie everything together for the whole team.”
Campbell, who is ranked second by Wisconsin Grappler at 132 pounds with a 27-2 record, is doing his best with that as the Vikings head to the regional.
Winning or placing second at the regional gets Holmen to the sectional and a chance to end a two-year absence from the team state tournament. Wisconsin Grappler has the Vikings ranked third, and Campbell likes the lineup that has posted victories over teams like West Salem/Bangor, Menomonie, Marshfield, Aquinas and G-E-T/Melrose-Mindoro.
“When I came in to the first practice as a freshman, it seemed like everyone on the upper level really knew what they were doing,” Campbell said. “This year was the best first practice I’ve ever had. Every level seemed to know what their job was and what was expected of them.
:That was a big eye-opener to me, like we could really do something as a team.”
Campbell has done his part while battling through a high ankle sprain and sinus infections that have him competing at less than 100 percent. The ankle injury came at the Bi-State Classic the last week of December, and the illness followed. Both have been lingering problems, but they haven’t stopped him from winning matches and pushing his career record to 139-26.
“Fighting through all of that has made him a little bit stronger and a little better competitor,” Holmen coach Justin Lancaster said of Campbell, who has third- and fifth-place state finishes as a sophomore and junior. “He’s done a great job working for this, and he’s ready.”
Campbell has wrestled 11 matches since his return, and 10 of those matches have ended with a pin. He also won by technical fall over G-E-T/Mel.-Min.’s Brody Banse.
While Bi-State didn’t go the way he desired — the injury ended his participation — and he missed The Clash national duals at the La Crosse Center the next week, Campbell knows that doesn’t impact anything that happens moving forward. He can, however, draw on the disappointment and missed experience.
“I missed some good matches that I could have had,” Campbell said. “I look up to my dad (Thomas) a lot, and his senior year, he won Bi-State and was second at state.
“So me sitting out at Bi-State was devastating. I had a really hard time accepting that I was injured.”
He was encouraged to take his time an — reluctantly — did. Slowing down has allowed him to not only increase his health, but it has allowed him to focus on the many aspects of a senior season. Wrestling is certainly an important part of the process, but so is the camaraderie he has enjoyed.
“I just wanted to be back out there with my guys, but it took some time,” Campbell said. “I’m having so much fun leading this team.”
