By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
As the older sister, Washburn Rural star senior girls wrestler Addi Broxterman isn't ready to relinquish family bragging rights to younger brother Easton, a sophomore standout for the Junior Blue boys.
"We do wrestle, and I'll whoop him -- you can let him know that,'' Addi Broxterman joked.
Washburn Rural wrestling's brother-sister star combo of Easton and Addi Broxterman will take aim on state championships this week in Park City. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But most of the time the Broxtermans, two of the state's best, are content serving as each other's biggest fans.
And that will be the case later this week as the Broxtermans set their sights on winning their first high school state championships.
Both Addi, Rural's 125-pounder, and Easton, a 113-pounder, are coming off regional championships and will enter their respective state tournaments on the short list of top title contenders after both advanced to the state finals a year ago.
Addi Broxterman has finished second at state the past two seasons and will take a glossy 40-3 record into her final Class 6A-5A girls state tournament Wednesday and Thursday at Park City's Hartman Arena.
Easton Broxterman, 45-3 entering the 6A boys tournament Friday and Saturday at Hartman Arena, advanced to the state 106-pound championship match last season, finishing second to Junction City's Ezekiel Witt, and Broxterman gained a measure of revenge with a 15-3 major decision over Witt in last Saturday's 113-pound regional final.
Addi said her already strong sibling bond with Easton has been made stronger by their shared love for wrestling.
"I'm very close with my brothers, all three of them, and him being a high school wrestler, it's just a deeper connection,'' Addi said. "I'm very good friends with my brother.''
Easton said that Addi is an excellent role model for him.
"We're getting a lot closer the older we get,'' Easton said. "She's been through a lot of things I'm going through now, like getting second, and she's definitely somebody to look at. I know that she's doing the right things, so I just need to follow that example.''
Addi's success -- three state medals, two state team titles -- has set the bar high for Easton, who helped Rural win the 6A boys title last season.
"What she's doing is great and obviously I don't want to be the second best in the family,'' Easton said.
Addi said she has savored Easton's impressive run of success thus far and is eagler to see what the future holds for little brother.
"I'm very proud of my brother,'' she said. "He's one of my favorite people in the world. He can be a little turd sometimes, but I do love him and I think it's awesome all the things that he's done with his two years in high school and I can't wait to see what he does as a senior.''
The Broxtermans obviously don't want to get ahead of themselves, and know the task ahead is a tough one, but they realize how special it would be if they could end their weeks with a pair of state titles.
"It would be really cool for our family, that's for sure,'' Easton said.
