Zupko closes illustrious career at Chisago Lakes

Senior Quade Zupko ended his career as one of the most accomplished wrestlers in Chisago Lakes Wildcat history. At last Friday’s wrestling banquet, Wildcat head coach Shawn Frederixon praised Zupko for his accomplishments and for his dedication to the Wildcat wrestling program.

Frederixon said, “We’ve had some outstanding wrestlers since I have been the head coach here at Chisago Lakes, like Travis Kammerer and Clay Olson. Quade surpassed them all with 189 career wins. He never missed a practice. When we were at the North Suburban Conference coaches’ meeting at the end of the season and were trying to decide who was the conference’s Most Valuable Wrestler, Quade’s name came up. All of the other coaches said ‘that’s the guy.’”

And Zupko became the only Wildcat wrestler to win the Most Valuable Wrestler award in North Suburban Conference history. Zupko, this season’s team captain, is a quiet, confident leader with an easy smile. He led the Wildcats to their first team trophy at the state tournament in school history. But wrestling three matches the day before the individual competition started may have contributed to Zupko’s early exit from the individual competition. Frederixon said proudly, “Quade put aside his individual goals for the good of the team.” Zupko plans to wrestle at Augsburg College next year and study business.

Here are some of Zupko’s career highlights:
•2013 North Suburban Conference Most Valuable Wrestler
•Four straight state tournament appearances
•Sixth place at 2012 state tournament – the first junior to place since Dan Dellwo in 1994
•Set career record for wins with 189 (surpassing Travis Kammerer)
•Set career record for pins with 88 (surpassing Travis Kammerer)
•Set career records for takedowns with 405 (surpassing, once again, Travis Kammerer)
•All Conference for five straight years – 2009-2013
•Set season record for wins by a senior with 44 in 2013
•Sole captain for 2013 team that made it to the state tournament
•Won six straight Mann Awards – which means he never missed a practice in six years on the Chisago Lakes varsity team
•Had 105 takedowns in 2013, which is the third best season total in Wildcat history