KASSON, Minn. - “It’s just you and another man in a six-minute time battle and the guy who goes into the match and is going to push the hardest is going to win.”
Over the last four years, no one has pushed harder than Kasson-Mantorville’s Patrick Kennedy. No high schooler at 182 pounds in the country can say they are better than him.
This past Saturday, Kennedy defeated Simley’s Quayin Short in the state finals for his fourth state title in four years.
The road to dominance wasn’t always one of glamour. There was once a time in the seventh grade when a younger Kennedy wasn’t sure he’d ever get to that level until he put his trust into one man.
“That was a really big moment in seventh grade or just my high school career. A man like Jamie Heidt – you just put your trust in him,” Kennedy said. “When you let him dictate your plans or the way your season is going to go, it ends good and you just put your trust in him and you’ll go a long ways.”
KoMets Head Coach, Jamie Heidt, has been there every step of the way but says the accolades do not define the growth of Patrick.
“The success is very important but in my eyes even more so it’s the work ethic, it’s the attitude, it’s the type of young man he is.”
Four consecutive state champions ships and ranked first in the entire country, there is little he hasn’t done in the prep ranks. Now the question is what’s next for Patrick Kennedy?
“Get back in the room and get better,” he said.
Kennedy will wrestle collegiately for the Iowa Hawkeyes, a juggernaut of a program. However, he wants to take wrestling even further.
“Olympic gold champ,” Kennedy stated.
He leaves quite the legacy in Kasson. One that stretches far beyond the championships.
“Accomplishment wise, absolutely. We’re going to put that on the wall down in the wrestling room but that legacy of leadership – that’ll continue to show in this program for years to come,” Heidt said.
Kennedy says he will always remember his roots.
“I’m just going to miss the kids I grew up with and all of the fond memories we have of each other. That’s what I’ll probably miss the most.”
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