Heine winds up successful wrestling season at Nationals

HARTINGTON — Maverick Heine, a fifth grader at Holy Trinity School, can’t wait for the new wrestling season to begin.

He has been wrestling a long time. As a kindergartner, he lost the state final match 6-2 to take 2nd place.

For the next four years, although always qualifying for the state tournament, Maverick didn’t make the podium. He would lose to the same group of kids from different parts of the state. If there was a ranking, he would have been around 10th in the state at his age and weight at that time. It all changed this year.

Maverick’s 2019 record was 42-7 on a year as a 5th grader wrestling in the 5th/6th grade division.

Six of his seven losses came from the same three kids who beat him multiple times in regular season.

Maverick pulled out a win at Districts to beat one of these kids and took home first place in his District.

Next it was the Nebraska State Wrestling Tournament. He narrowly won his first four matches against the kids from top wrestling programs from Omaha to Sydney, who have beat him previously in state year after year.

He finished second place in State.

Coach Cameron Schrempp said Heine is becoming a toprate competitor.

“Mav wrestled against kids from the big towns and cities that wrestle year round and he beats them,” Schrempp said. “His success isn’t really that surprising because his work ethic at practice is second to none. He is very deserving and his coaches are very happy for him.”

After the state tournament, Maverick was asked if he would be interested in wrestling for the Nebraska National Dual Team as a 70 pounder. His teammates came from all over the state. Seventeen kids total from 50 pounds to 160 pounds. This National Dual consisted of teams from Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, Texas, Utah, Iowa, South Dakota, and Pennsylvania, among others.

Maverick competed as part of the Nebraska Red team.

Nebraska Red drew Utah first and lost handily. Maverick lost his match 9-1. Next they competed against Minnesota and Maverick lost 5-4.

Iowa was next; however, Maverick dislocated his thumb and had to forfeit this match.

After watching his team give away his points (because of the forfeits), he decided, against his coaches advice, to tape his hand and try to win a match or two.

Maverick won his next six matches to help his team earn first place in the Gold Division.

Being part of the national team was a great experience for Maverick, said his dad, Scott Heine.

“The best part of the National Team is seeing a bunch of talented kids who don’t know each other, giving high fives, laughing and joking, and becoming fast friends in a few short days. When they see each other at future events, I’m sure they will pick up right where they left off.”