MHS Junior Wyatt Bathke has been named Athlete of the Week for the week of Feb. 11. Wyatt is a Merrill Varsity Wrestler and has been wrestling as part of the varsity team for the last three years. Most recently, Wyatt took second place in his 195 weight class at the Regional Wrestling Tournament on Jan. 30 at DC Everest and contributed 20 team points. That qualified him to go to the Sectional Wrestling Tournament on Feb. 6 at Wausau East where he will compete against wrestlers from 29 schools. The top two wrestlers will advance to the State Tournament. Wyatt has been wrestling since he was in Kindergarten every year except when he was in the second grade. Wyatt has also played Varsity Football for the Merrill Bluejays for the last three years, playing nose tackle on defense.
Wyatt is very active with his church, St. Paul’s Lutheran in Irma, and with the youth group there. He participates in church and youth group activities, mission activities, travel to youth gatherings, and helps with Vacation Bible School at his own church and doing things like building bunk beds for kids in orphanages in conjunction with other area churches. He also likes to hunt, fish, 4-wheel, and work on and race demo cars.
Wyatt is the son of Rachel and James Bathke of Merrill. He maintains “around a 3.0” GPA and is trying to decide between becoming a mechanic or going into the military, possibly the Navy, after graduation.