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Kevin Cronin (’88) was a
two-sport athlete who excelled on the football field and on the
wrestling mat. While he is remembered for helping the Buffalos
win the 1986 football title, it was on the wrestling mat Kevin made
his name known. Kevin’s style and memorable matches made him a
statewide fan favorite in the 1980s. Kevin played defensive back for several legendary Dave Tate football teams. A four-year player, the Buffalos rattled off a 34-6 record during Kevin’s time on the gridiron. During his sophomore year, they finished the regular season 7-3 before playoff elimination by McLaughlin. Kevin’s junior year, 1986, is the football year that the Buffalo faithful will remember forever. Kevin helped Stanley County to an undefeated season and the 1986 9A state football championship. The Buffalos outscored their opponents 379-61 and defeated Lyman, Faith, Herreid-Pollock, and Tripp-Delmont for the state title. During his Senior year, Kevin helped the Buffalos finish 7-1 before Burke upset them in the playoffs. It was on the wrestling mat, however, where Kevin became a Stanley County program pillar. A twelve-year wrestler and 1986 state AAU champion, Kevin first qualified for the state wrestling tournament as a freshman. He returned as a junior and earned a fifth-place finish. As a senior, Kevin wrestled his way to the state championship match and brought home second-place honors. His senior year was a dominant one. Besides reaching the state title match, he recorded the most team pins and was named Stanley County’s Most Valuable Wrestler. Winning numerous tournaments throughout his career, Kevin finished high school with a record of 158-63-1. Kevin’s years as a standout wrestler parallel several great years for Stanley County wrestling. During his junior year, Kevin’s fifth-place honors helped propel the Buffalos to a third-place team finish, at the time their highest ever. During his senior year, Kevin’s runner-up points helped propel the Buffalos into seventh place. Kevin’s generation of wrestlers was the first that Coach Glenn Dozark molded from elementary students to feared competitors. Kevin wrestled at Northern State University before enlisting in the Marines in 1990. As a Marine, Kevin won the 1991 Island Wide Wrestling Championship in Okinawa, Japan, and placed third at the 1995 European Wrestling Championships in Germany. A decorated combat veteran, Kevin retired in 2016 after 26 years of military service. He lives in Puyallup, Washington. |