Freshman Kane Dauber brings competitive fire to Princeton wrestlers

Princeton Tiger wrestling fans know all about the big 4.

There’s junior Casey Etheridge, a 2024 state qualifier, ranked No. 2 at 160 pounds with a 20-0 record.

Senior Ace Christiansen, a 2024 third-place state medalist, is ranked No. 5 at 144 pounds with a 17-2 record.

Senior Cade Odell, a 2024 fourth-place state medalist, is ranked No. 4 at 285 with a 16-0 record.

And junior Augustus Swanson, a 2024 fifth-place state medalist, is ranked No. 6 at 120 with a 6-1 record.

They have fast to come to know the new kid on the Tiger block, Kane Dauber.

The freshman 132-pounder comes to Princeton from Tonica with a strong wrestling pedigree. He wrestled in the IKWF ranks for the L-P Crunchin’ Cavs and Ottawa Wolf Pack as well as the Tiger Town Tanglers this past offseason.

Dauber’s dad, Ryan, wrestled for LaSalle-Peru under coach Mark Siebert and his little brothers are wrestlers as well.

Dauber is excited to join such a strong program like Princeton’s under coach Steve Amy.

“We’re good for the area. We can compete with everybody,” Dauber said. “We’ve got a good team. Everybody works together to get better.”

Dauber’s most impressed with newly renovated wrestling room and the program’s new wall of champions and learning about their history from a longtime sportswriter.

“Just a long line of good wrestlers and good wrestlers and just a tradition to be good and win and keep on going,” he said of the wall.

Dauber is Amy’s kind of kid.

“He’s a great young man that has a positive attitude and amazing with ethic. He’s one of those kids who loves wrestling,” Amy said.

Dauber’s off to a fast start, winning 19 of his first 20 matches this season, ranked No. 9 at 132 pounds. His only loss came by fall to Lleyton Cobine of Roxana at ABE’s Rumble in Springfield, making what Amy called a “freshman mistake.”

“I got caught,” Dauber said, then asked Amy, who was sweeping the practice mats nearby, “What did happen? My legs came out and I fell on my back?”

“Yeah, pretty much,” Amy said, without missing a beat. “Doing some freshman stuff. We’re past all that now.”

Dauber said while he doesn’t forget the losses, he doesn’t dwell on them.

“If you think about it too long, you become uncomfortable. You’re focusing on other things, not the matches itself,” he said.

Quiet by nature, Dauber has fit in right away with the Tigers who appreciate his commitment to sport.

“He is a great kid. Such a hard worker and I just love having him in the room, Odell said. “He is very skilled and I love how he is going to win some big matches for us in the future.”

Dauber said he’s learned more about competitiveness, talent and speed from his new teammates.

What Dauber likes most about wrestling is the competitiveness of the sport and the rewards it brings.

“If you train hard, you’re going to win,” he said.

Dauber, who attended last year’s Princeton Invitational, or PIT, from the stands, is excited to get his first taste out on the mats this weekend.

“It’s very competitive and a good tournament all around,” he said. “There’s a few teams here, there’s a few teams there. Now at the PIT, everybody’s there.”

While he’s looked at the names of wrestlers at 132 pounds, he said, “it’s just a wrestling match. Don’t really matter. Just another person.”

The PIT starts at 4:30 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday with the finals about 3 p.m. Saturday.

The field includes four teams ranked in the top 10, seven defending or former state champions, 24 returning state-finishers and 59 returning state qualifiers.