(Editor’s note: MTN Sports began recognizing some of the best wrestlers in Montana history on Jan. 16 with the launch of the #MTTop20. Athletes will continue to be featured until Friday, Feb. 10 when No. 1 is unveiled.)
Top 20 rankings: No. 20 – Jarrett Degen.
No. 19 – Luke Weber, Forsyth
Thousands of wrestlers have graced the mats during their Montana prep careers and posted incredible wins. But no athlete owned more wins on the high school level than Forsyth’s Luke Weber.
Luke Weber stat sheet
Weber joined Jarrett Degen, No. 20 on our #MTTop20, last season as the latest athletes to secure four consecutive state championships. The Forsyth standout left the program as Montana’s all-time winningest wrestler with 212 career wins, compared to only five losses. He also ranks first and fifth in season wins, with 57 and 54, respectively. He posted undefeated seasons in 2014 and 2016.
A technical master, Weber owns 174 career pinfalls, 32 more than any other athlete in Treasure State history and amassed an incredible pin percentage of 82 percent during his four years at Forsyth. His 50 pins in the 2015-16 season are the most in a single season. He is also tied for second with teammate Chris Nile for the No. 2 spot with 47 pins in 2014. Weber was named the 2016 Junior Schalles Award winner, an honor given each year to the nation’s best high school pinner.
Weber also captured a National High School Coaches Association national championship at 145 pounds and the 18-and-under Flo Reno Worlds championship at 152 pounds on his way to being named the outstanding wrestler in his age group. He also was an all-state football player for the Dogies.
Now a freshman at the University of Nebraska, Weber won an individual title at the Hastings Cusatis Open after pinning three of his five opponents in the 157-pound weight class. At the time of this post, Weber owned a 17-7 record with six wins coming by pinfall.
Coached by his father Scott, Luke Weber joins his older brother Matt as a four-time state champion. The eldest Weber brother, Brandon, was a three-time champion for the Dogies. Nathan, a junior this year, has finished first and second while Michael, the youngest brother, won the title at 126 pounds last season.
… on Weber:
Glasgow head wrestling coach Jory Casterline: “There was nothing you could do. There was just no beating that guy. I’ve been coaching at the high school level now for three years so I’m on the tail end of his career but, man, the kid is just tough.
“I’m sure some of it goes back to work ethic, he outworked opponents in the wrestling room and that translates to the mats. He was physical on his feet and he would just break opponents; they would wrestle with him and it would be easier to just roll over and get pinned than take the physical abuse.
“Without a doubt, (the Weber brothers) are fearless competitors. They don’t care, they’ll go up a weight class or go down a weight class looking for competition and you have to respect that.”
