Hunter Otto lost his first match of the season and was concerned he may have suffered a serious knee injury.
The University High School wrestler’s knee was only hyper-extended. His senior season would recover quite nicely as well.
Otto has not lost since and takes a 28-1 record into the Class 1A State Tournament Thursday through Saturday at the State Farm Center in Champaign.
“I would really like to place in the top three at state at least and would love to be a state champion,” Otto said. “I have to remember my fundamentals, everything I’ve built on since junior high.”
Otto, who is ranked third in the state at 285 pounds, suffered his only loss to Chatham Glenwood’s Alex Hamrick, the No. 2-ranked 285-pounder in 2A.
“Part of it was just bad luck. I hurt my knee right at the start of the match, and that really put me behind,” said Otto. “I was hoping it didn’t hurt my season. I gave it some rest and I was all right.”
U High coach Caleb Phillips sees Otto as a level-headed competitor with good balance and footwork.
“He has a very strong work ethic and a very positive attitude. He can bounce back from very difficult situations,” Phillips said. “He’s very difficult to take down with his defensive game, and he’s developed some offensive weapons the last couple years.”
At 237 pounds, Otto could face an opponent more than 40 pounds heavier.
“I’ve been trying to put on more weight, but it hasn’t been too successful,” he said. “My speed helps there. I can create separation so I can get out of those positions. It can be a disadvantage having a guy a lot heavier laying on me.”
Otto missed his freshman wrestling season with an injury and was one place from qualifying for state as a sophomore. Although there was no IHSA State Tournament last season, Otto did wrestle in the Coaches and Officials Association season-ending tournament.
“This is my first true time in Champaign,” said Otto. “It’s really going how I wanted it to go.”
U High’s other state qualifier is senior Zach Gross, who is 31-6 at 152. Gross is making his first return to state competition since his freshman year.
“It does seem like a long time ago,” Gross said. “There was a little disappointment sophomore and junior years feeling the expectations as a state qualifier to return to state every year. It’s nice as a senior to finally be back and be there with everyone.”
Phillips called Gross “very well conditioned. He’s very tall at his weight class and can use his legs to scramble out of certain situations. He’s really put in the hard work to make sure he had this opportunity.”
Tremont advances six
Tremont leads the Pantagraph area with six state qualifiers in Bowden Delaney (120), Levi Leitner (152), Lucas Wendling (170), TJ Connor (182), Cooper Wendling (195) and Luke Sauder (285).
The Wendlings are seniors and twin brothers. Lucas is 37-2 and ranked second at his weight class, while Cooper is 30-3 and ranked first.
“I did what other people weren’t willing to do,” said Lucas, “double practices, lifting every day and having a clean diet.”
“I've pushed myself to make sure I’m in the best shape possible, went to double practices, made sure to focus on being sharp during my drilling and taking advantage of the knowledge my coaches have provided me with,” Cooper said.
Area represented by 27 in 1A
The Pantagraph area has a total of 27 wrestlers in the brackets at 1A State.
Others in the lower weights are Dylan Eimer of Olympia and Brady Mouser of LeRoy at 106, Ridgeview’s Danny Tay and Dwight’s Dylan Crouch at 113, Ridgeview’s Braydon Campbell at 120, Donavan Lewis of Prairie Central and Connor Lyons of LeRoy at 132, Olympia’s William Winter and Dwight’s Dillon Sarff at 138 and Dax Gentes of El Paso-Gridley and Emmett Emmons of Dwight at 145.
Qualifiers in the upper weights are Clinton’s Trevor Willis (152), Deer Creek-Mackinaw’s Gage Sweckard (160), Braylen Kean of GCMS and Tyson Brent of LeRoy (170), Prairie Central’s Connor Steidinger (195) and Samuel Edwards of Dwight, Ridgeview’s Evan Antonio and LeRoy’s Andrew Moore (220).
2A, 3A qualifiers
Bloomington has four wrestlers in the state field in Carson Nishida (120), Jacob Barger (145), Anthony Curry (195) and Jack Weltha (220). Nishida is ranked fourth, Curry fifth and Weltha second.
Froylan Racey of Normal West is ranked third at 120 and is joined by teammates Matt Bicknell (113) and Austin Johnston (126) at state.
The area’s lone 3A state qualifier is Normal Community 195-pounder Cooper Caraway.
Swimmers hit water for sectionals
Boys swimming sectionals are set for Saturday. Most area teams will be part of the Normal Community Sectional.
The winners in each event advance to the State Final on Feb. 26-27 in Westmont along with those surpassing a minimum qualifying time.
Clinton and Lincoln swimmers will be at the Champaign Central Sectional.
Ex-Tri Valley standout transfers
Former Tri-Valley volleyball player Hannah Clayton is transferring from Iowa to Purdue.
The 6-foot-2 middle blocker played in all 107 sets for the Hawkeyes last season and amassed 199 kills and 89 blocks. Clayton will play her final season with the Boilermakers.
Boys regionals crank up
A new postseason format has boys basketball regionals starting Saturday in all four classes.
Classes 1A and 2A will play their state semifinals and third-place game on March 10 as the State Tournament returns to Champaign. Classes 3A and 4A have their semifinals and third-place games set for March 11.
March 12 will feature all four state championship games: 1A at 11 a.m., 2A at 12:30 p.m., 3A at 5:30 p.m. and 4A at 7 p.m.
NCHS, Normal West top ranked foes
Normal Community and Normal West both defeated state-ranked boys basketball teams on Saturday.
West bested Chicago Orr, which is tied for fifth in the 2A rankings 71-68 at the Danville Shootout.
Ranked fourth in 4A, NCHS overcame No. 9 Moline 60-47 in Normal. The win pushed the Ironmen winning streak to 21 games.
NCHS takes a 28-1 record into Wednesday's home game against Bloomington. Already owners of a share of the Big 12 championship, the Ironmen could claim the title outright by besting the Purple Raiders.
McDowell wins 100th at U High
U High boys basketball coach Andrew McDowell earned his 100th win with the Pioneers last week.
In his sixth season as U High head coach, McDowell is 100-72. Add in three seasons at Lexington and McDowell has a 150-112 career record.
Pfaff reaches 1,000
Flanagan-Cornell’s Tyler Pfaff reached the 1,000-point career milestone last week.
PHOTOS: Bloomington, Normal West and Lincoln wrestlers at the Mahomet Sectional
Contact Randy Reinhardt at (309) 820-3403. Follow him on Twitter: pg_reinhardt
University High head boys basketball coach Andrew McDowell calls a play during the Pioneers' 54-46 Class 2A regional championship win over Central Catholic on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, at Mackinaw.