Westphal-Edwards goal of national title ends

CEDAR RAPIDS - Moving up in the world is always a challenge, especially in the sport of wrestling.

Washington High School graduate and Class 2A Iowa High School Athletic Association state wrestling champion last year at 182 pounds is now wrestling for the Coe College Kohawks.

'It's like being in a room full of lions 24/7, training to never be the gazelle in the match and in life,” Westphal-Edwards said.

Coe, which is a private liberal arts college founded in 1851 historically affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, has been in the D-III rankings this season. All-Americans Taylor Mehmen (197 pounds) and Cole Erickson (157) along with Westphal-Edwards (174) and heavyweight Kaleb Reeves (a Sigourney-Keota prep) have been ranked at various times.

Westphal-Edwards' season ended Sunday with a 20-5 record. He placed fifth at 174 pounds in the Lower Midwest Regional at Five Flags Center in Dubuque. The top three move on to nationals.

He won his first two matches with a 12-1 major decision and a 7-3 decision to get to the semifinals, where he lost to the second-place finisher by technical fall. He then lost by pinfall in 5 minutes, before scoring a 15-6 major decision to win fifth place.

He was undefeated his senior season in high school.

'Moving from high school to college wrestling was not the toughest transition,” Westphal-Edwards said. 'Academically I knew I was going to have to step it up and become more responsible and organized. School is something I always took lightly and never had the outcome I was capable of or wanted. So going into college knowing that this was my future at stake and I wanted to get the outcome I deserved so I put forth way more effort in the classroom. On the mat, it was not that much of a transition due to me competing at a high level in high school. I was ready for what college wrestling had to offer. I knew I was going to have to be tough, willing to learn, gritty, and put in more time.”

Those were things Westphal-Edwards was already doing and was capable of.

'Tristin is surpassing all of our expectations of him coming in as a freshman,” Coe assistant wrestling coach James Gotto said. 'He is a fierce competitor on the mat. He also has a GPA above 3.5 for his first semester.”

The difference in the college learning experience is something Westphal-Edwards has embraced.

'In my opinion, the classes I am taking in college are much better than high school due to the fact I am able to take classes I enjoy taking because they follow the path of my major,” Westphal-Edwards said. 'I strongly believe when you learn something you enjoy learning about, you learn it better. You also enjoy waking up, going, and participating in class. You will also have your hard classes and they are tough, but the great thing about college and being an athlete in college is you have so many resources to help you learn the material of that specific course you may be struggling with.”

Westphal-Edwards has seen a difference with the wrestling transition in the talent of his opponents and the schedule.

'The biggest difference in college wrestling than high school is that everybody is good,” he said. 'The season is also longer which can be pretty dreadful, but I love the sport of wrestling so it does not bother me. Also the competition level is crazy. You wrestle with grit, intensity, and fight, fight, fight.”

A lot of thought went into Westphal-Edwards college choice as there were many options.

'Being a Kohawk is one of the biggest blessings,” Westphal-Edwards said. 'I am thankful for everything I have received in life. My teammates are some of the best and most talented guys around and it's showing. My coaches remind me just like my coaches in high school, which is something I was really looking forward to. I am inspired everyday by this team.”

Apparently, his team is also inspired by him.

'He is an outstanding leader on our team,” Gotto said. 'He has a great attitude every day.”

Part of Westphal-Edwards attitude comes from all those he has had interactions with.

'I am highly thankful for everybody who has supported me, invested anything into me, or even doubted me,” he said. 'I am highly thankful for it all. It motivates me constantly to be great. I want to thank my mama and all of my siblings for everything. They are my backbone.”

Coaches at Coe have seen the effect of Westphal-Edwards and his attitude.

'He lifts everyone up around him. Tristin is only a freshman, but he is already a pillar in the Coe program,” Gotto said. 'He works his tail off every day in practice. He is extremely coachable and eager to learn.”

Westphal-Edwards wants everyone who has the desire to further their experiences in life with extracurricular activities.

'I would encourage wrestling in college or at the least do a sport in college. It is an amazing opportunity to meet more people, learn, and become a better human being,” he said. 'My advice for high school wrestlers who want to wrestle in college is to train hard, be yourself, fight, and never settle for being anything other than the lion on the mat and in life. Learn from your losses and revenge them.”

The college experience is about opening one's eyes to possibilities.

'My favorite thing about college so far is the independence, but also being able to meet new people and with those people explore awesome new adventures in life,” Westphal-Edwards said. 'I also get to wrestle 24/7 with guys that love to do the exact same thing. I also like the diversity. I like being able to be who I want by the way I dress, talk, think, believe in things, etcetera.”

Of course with new experiences, there is the longing for what one knows.

'My least favorite thing is probably being away from my mama and my siblings,” Westphal-Edwards said. 'I miss them constantly.

'What I miss most about being a Demon wrestler is probably just all the fun moments in the room that nobody on the outside knows about. That team chemistry and bond is always important in any team and being a Demon wrestler is definitely all about that. I also miss the coaches and the energy in the room when I was there.”

Westphal-Edwards has some advice and some predictions.

'I also want to say that everything in the world is possible. I have struggled with a lot in life, but have found blessings in the end. I also want to encourage the Washington community to be on the lookout for me and my journey to go win a national title this year and the next three.”