photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence junior Lou Elsten gets his hand raised by the referee after winning third in the 120-pound weight class of the 6A state boys wrestling tournament on Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Overland Park.

With only weeks left in the wrestling season, Lawrence senior Lou Elsten is making the most of his time.

Elsten has his mind set on winning a state championship, something he’s come close to accomplishing the last few years. As the wrestling season enters its final stretches, Elsten is working toward that goal.

But he hasn’t forgotten the most important part: having fun while wrestling.

“I lost a tough match in the semis last year, but that’s only given me more motivation to do better,” Elsten said. “I wouldn’t necessarily say it is pressure, but at the end of the day, it’s just wrestling. Going out and having fun, letting my skills and hard work determine the outcome.”

Aside from working to finish his high school career at the top of the state, Elsten has been cementing his legacy at Lawrence in other ways. Lawrence coach Patrick Naughton said that Elsten has “been really a big leader, a big help, especially for the guys around his weight.”

“It’s really important that we have the guys that come out all the way four years be leaders, because it sets the tone for everybody else in the room,” Naughton said. “That’s the biggest thing. When you have good practice partners and you have a good attitude, that bleeds into everything else.”

Elsten, who wrestles between the 126 and 132 weight classes, is often in the same weight classes as the younger wrestlers on the team.

“I’ve talked to the guys and it’s just wrestling,” Elsten said. “Have fun with it, but also push to be the best they can be. Giving them a good environment to be around, we’ll hopefully get them to come back and get more people to come back and just get the wrestling score back to where it should be.”

Elsten hopes to help his teammates grow both on and off the mat, ideally giving the Lawrence wrestling program a future group of leaders that can retain wrestlers and grow the program.

“Having them look up to me and doing what I do in practice will not only help them with wrestling but hopefully with life,” Elsten said. “Having a good leader in turn helps you be a good leader. So having these young guys at my weight, it’s been great.”

Elsten’s wrestling career won’t end after the state championship. Elsten is committed to wrestle at the United States Merchant Marine Academy, where his older brother, Jack, is a student.

“It’s a different route than most high schoolers take, but since my brother is there, I’ll know what is to come,” Elsten said. “I’m very excited for it.”

Jack Elsten went to the Merchant Marine Academy to wrestle but stopped after his first year. Lou plans on spending his entire college career wrestling for the team. The Academy competes in the NCAA Division III.

“It’s a different game, but I’m very excited,” Elsten said. “Better competition, harder practices. My number one goal is just get better at the little things every day, and college wrestling is definitely a route to that if that’s what you want to do.”

The Elsten boys’ grandfather was an officer in the Marine Corps for three decades. His service inspired Lou to think about military service. Jack’s decision to join the Academy and a wrestling opportunity being there for Lou helped solidify his decision.

While Elsten is excited about his future with the sport at the college level, he’s making sure to be where his feet are. That means, above all, working hard and having fun while he’s still a high school wrestler.

“My life will be completely different than what a normal person in college will be,” Elsten said. “So I’m trying to soak in all the time I have here with my friends and my family.”