By Rachel Bell

Dimmed lights, a roaring crowd, and nothing but blank space are all that separates two towering opponents. They defy gravity – bent, but not broken. Only pure strength can break through the wall that a lineman faces. The ball is chucked backwards, and suddenly gravity seems to re-enter the world as the lines propel forward–straight into each other. The battle has begun and the play unfolds.

Coming from a town as small and secluded as Mount Vernon, IA, it’s hard to believe that there’s any chance to stand out. However, junior Tristan Wirfs has been the subject of much of the gossip surrounding the nearby sports world. In a single summer month, two consecutive offers were thrown at Wirfs–the first for Iowa State and the second for University of Iowa. “Being able to go to colleges and see and meet the players is awesome,” said Wirfs. “The coaches really want to know how you are doing and how things are going with you.” Their binoculars have been peering into his athletic life for a number of years now, but they have only recently emerged from the bushes they were hiding behind. “Big T”, as he’s come to been known by, will be one to keep an eye on in the upcoming year.

“Wirfs could easily be–and probably would be at this point right now–the top recruit in the state for that class,” said recruiting analyst Allen Trieu. “He’s a very naturally-athletic kid at that size, very accomplished in track and field as well, which we’ve seen correlates very well to offensive line success at the next level.” His power, footwork, and sheer size seem to be the trifecta for any offensive lineman. Blame it on Wirfs’ extensive list of sports, but football, wrestling, baseball, and track and field have all mashed together to create a fantastically well-rounded athlete.

With rising fame, it is sometimes difficult to stay humble; but Wirfs knows how to keep the scale balanced. “I love these guys like brothers,” said Wirfs, “I have their back no matter what and they have mine, there is nobody I would rather be out on the field on a Friday night with than them.” The key to a good athlete is a deep and practical understanding of what it takes to create a successful team. “We put in a ton of work in the practices and watch a lot of film leading up to the game to get prepared for that one night,” said Wirfs. “That’s when all the work gets put into play and everyone gets to see it all come together.” It seems that “Big T” can no longer hide in the shadows of small town Mount Vernon, but instead will go on to do bigger and better things.