Hard work always wins

There are those who work hard and then a much smaller subset category of those who put in so much time that the others question how hard they’re really trying. 
HPC’s Gage Friesen and Hampton’s Gavin Gilmore, through testament of those closest to them, fit right into that exclusive category.
In fact, when it came down to deciding the fifth version of the News-Register’s male and female athletes of the year, their names came up first and most often. You only have to see them compete once to notice the differences.
Gage, in the moments before a big wrestling match or playoff football game, could honestly be mistaken for someone who doesn’t care. His relaxed and care-free nature makes it seem like nothing makes him nervous.
Of course, it couldn’t be further from the truth. Gage is a gamer who plays to have fun and whatever happens, happens.
“I get nervous, sure,” Friesen said. “It seems like I get nervous for things I shouldn’t be nervous about and not nervous for things I should be nervous about. Once you’re out there, you’re not nervous. Once the whistle blows, it is what it is.”
High Plains coach Greg Wood shared the 2025 group of seniors followed in Gage’s footsteps. Where Gage went, everyone followed.
“You get kids like Gage every once in awhile and it’s special,” Wood said. “That whole senior group was great and Gage was the leader of those guys. He didn’t care where you lined him up on the field, he just wanted to play. He’s a real coachable kid and always puts the team first.”
Sometimes, Friesen’s laid-back nature would even have HPC wrestling coach Martin Phillips questioning his sanity, especially in the hours leading up to his state wrestling final opportunity in February.
“No moment was too big for Gage,” Phillips said. “Before the state wrestling final he’s back there with an energy drink eating without a shirt on, just hanging out. The hay was in the barn, as they say. He didn’t care who he wrestled, he just wanted to compete. He was proud of the journey.”
Gage’s desire to be successful was challenged only by his will to compete with the best. That’s easily explainable through his journey to becoming a state wrestling champion.
During his senior year, Gage was descending in weight in hopes of reaching 144 pounds, and in fact did so at one point of the year.
Instead of getting to as light of weight as possible, like most wrestlers do, Gage wanted to go back up to 150. Why? To challenge Howells-Dodge’s Dylan Brichacek. 
The heart and will of a champion. Taking on the best in an effort to call yourself the best. That’s Gage Friesen.
“There’s a ‘never-say-die’ attitude with Gage,” Phillips said. “One of my favorite memories with Gage would be when he was dropping weight this winter to 144. He was actually able to get down there, but his mentality was wanting to wrestle Brichacek. Most high school kids cut weight to avoid someone and Gage technically went up a weight to chase someone.”
Gage recalled all of his shortcomings against Brichacek, a blowout loss his freshman season at the state meet and losing to him twice his junior year, including in the state semifinals on a last-second takedown.
That was the fuel Gage needed. 
It was all a collision course to last February where those two met one last time with a state title hanging in the balance. Gage scored a thunderous takedown with 54 seconds left and despite a Brichacek escape in the final 10 seconds, held on from there for the victory.
“I’m proud of the state championship and it shows the hard work can pay off,” Friesen said. “That’s a good thing for the rest of my life.”
There’s also the playoff win for High Plains on the football field last October, rallying past Lawrence-Nelson for a second time in a three-week span.
Lawrence-Nelson knew the answer to the test -- tackle Gage Friesen. They just couldn’t do it.
Assistant coach Darius Williams noted it was the easiest playcalling job he ever did. HPC ran the same play seven times in a row and they couldn’t stop it.
“Gage refused to lose at that point and was doing everything he could for that extra yardage to put Lawrence-Nelson away,” Williams said. “From my perspective, you could always count on Gage to get the job done. He would get that look in his eyes where he refused to lose. That was the coolest thing because it was a culmination of everything he put into it.”
Gavin may be a bit more loud in her approach, but still gets to the same result -- an insane desire to compete. 
In fact, Hampton volleyball coach Kayla Gaughen mentioned a small gesture most would have missed during play that helped Gavin get back to neutral.
“My biggest thing with Gavin is we would always squeeze hands when she got frustrated,” Gaughen said. “She would reach out for my hand and squeeze it. That little note and trust between us is something I’ll never forget.”
It was a special bond for Gavin, too.
“I am very competitive so when I struggle a bit, I always had her in my corner to squeeze her hand and calm me down,” Gilmore explained. “Those got me through a lot of games.”
Gavin’s shining moment came on a regular January night, raining 34 points in a 51-43 loss to Shelby-Rising City.
Hampton coach Margo LaBrie called it one of the best games she’d ever seen from a Hampton player and was so much fun to be part of.
“When you feel it, you feel it and that night Gavin was in that zone,” LaBrie said. “It was so much fun to watch her play and shoot that night. Her teammates supported her all the way. It’s such an accomplishment, those 34 points.”
Maybe the most important lesson of all is not forgetting your hair wax, either.
I went home before the game because I forgot my hair wax,” Gilmore said, laughing. “My Mom gave me a pep talk before the game about locking in. When I got on the court, everything was just right.”
The 34 points scored by Gilmore slots her into a tie for third on Hampton’s all-time single game scoring list. Teya Mason holds the school record with 40 points during the 2012-13 season while Leah Quiring is second with 36 points from the 1989-90 state championship game. 
Gilmore’s 34 points is tied with Quiring, who also scored 34 points on three separate occasions from 1990-92. 
“We were dancing in the locker room and I knew it would be a good game,” Gilmore said. “I was making all my threes from the left wing and it was so much fun.”
One of the attributes Gavin will be remembered most for is her ability to play without substitution. 
It was more of a team necessity and Gavin wasn’t going to let her team down. 
“Gavin’s never-give-up mindset is what Hampton is all about,” LaBrie said. “She is full of grit, grace and love. Her competitiveness is a full representation of what Hampton means. What she showed as a senior is what I’ve always tried to instill in our players.”
As for where Gavin fits in terms of Hampton’s all-time talents, Gaughen played with some of those and now coached others. 
She fits right in.
“Gavin is right there with Hampton’s best,” Gaughen said. “The top athletes we’ve had at Hampton didn’t accept losing. Gavin was that person for us. She competed and looked for ways to win and did everything she could to elevate her teammates. All of Hampton’s best athletes in history have that quality.”
As for small-town and small-school pride, both Gage and Gavin admit small is best, even if you have to work a bit harder. 
“The Hampton community is so tight and the school is like family,” Gavin said. “It meant a lot to me to graduate from here.”
“It’s been awesome to play sports here,” Gage continued. “It feels like you’re expected to do all three sports but I loved doing that. It makes you better for each one and I had so much fun.”
It was fun watching you two, believe me!
RICHARD RHODEN can be reached at sports@hamilton.net.