Ethan Goss-Dickie has had a pretty great wrestling career at St. Ignatius high school. So great, in fact, that he will be continuing that career into college. After he graduates in the spring, Goss-Dickie is headed to Dickinson State University to wrestle.

Goss-Dickie said he’s been wrestling since eight grade. He didn’t recall why he started wrestling, but it’s clear he picked the right sport. He’s a two year state competitor, and took fifth at the BC championships last year. In November, he signed with Dickinson. “One of our assistants [Mark Johnson] is an alumni from Dickinson and was really pivotal in me being offered a scholarship there,” Goss-Dickie said, “and I just thought that was the best place for me to be successful.”

His freshman year, he went to state, where he won one match and lost two. His sophomore year, he was doing great toward the end of the season, according to his head coach, Lyle Cronk. However, his trip to the state tournament was cut short when he failed a skin check. “He had a staff infection on his head from wrestling and wasn’t able to compete,” Cronk said, “I think that’s one of the things that fueled him to come back his junior year and take fifth at state.

After that fifth place finish in the heavyweight class last year, Goss-Dickie is back for his senior year, hoping to take top honors. “I think I have a good chance to win it,” he said.

To be this good at wrestling, Goss-Dickie puts in a lot of work. “It’s my favorite sport. I pretty much wrestle year around, except in the fall during football.” 

Cronk said that’s part of the reason he has gotten as far as he has. “Ethan is really determined and has a great work ethic and a great attitude,” he said, “He really has a strong desire to be the top heavyweight in the state and a strong desire to get better. He’s a great kid and a pleasure to coach.”

Being in the heavyweight class has caused a few problems for Goss-Dickie. There aren’t a ton of heavyweight competitors in the area, and none on the Mission/Charlo team. “It’s one of our challenges,” Cronk said, “getting people to wrestle Ethan – not all the schools have heavyweight and even in practice he has to wrestle us coaches. It’s a big disadvantage if you’re used to wrestling somebody that’s 200 or 180 pounds then you have to go wrestle someone that’s a heavyweight in competition.” 

Goss-Dickie, who has spent his whole life in Mission, said he’s the first wrestler in the family, and that this parents have always been very supportive. He knows they will be when he competes at Dickinson too. “I think my parents will make the journey a couple times a year.”

He’ll be joining a few friendly faces in North Dakota, including Jamie Mullins, a 2015 Mission grad, who is also wrestling for the Blue Hawks. Goss-Dickie said he also knows a Florence wrestler who is in college there.

So far this season, Goss-Dickie has only lost about five matches, and already has some tournaments wins. One of the more impressive feats this year was his fifth place finish at the Tri-State meet in Idaho, where he went up against schools from all over western Montana, Washington, Idaho, and a few from Oregon.

Last Saturday at the Mission Mountain Classic, Goss-Dickie reflected on what he thinks makes him successful. “I listen to what my coaches say, and I work hard,” he said.

As the season continues on, Goss-Dickie will no doubt win more tournaments, and look forward to a chance at a state title to end his senior year.