Wantock's perseverance leads him back to the mat

MARION - Somewhere along the way, Linn-Mar senior Mitch Wantock must have broken a mirror, strolled under a ladder or watched a black cat pass before his eyes.

That may be the only way to explain the things he's had to endure in his prep wrestling career.

Wantock's focus never wavered while struggling through injuries the last three seasons, and has returned from his latest setback with goals of more state hardware.

“I really do appreciate everything when I step out on the mat,” Wantock said. “The thing with wrestling is it can turn into a long grueling season. I've never had to go through that, so I realized every match is easy to go out there and be motivated because I really don't have much time left.”

Wantock, ranked third at 170 pounds, is 11-0 this season since coming back from a broken right ankle that ended his football season Week 9 against Cedar Rapids Xavier. At the time, he was more concerned about football.

“Right when it happened I knew it wasn't going to be good at all,” said Wantock, who amassed 1,129 total offensive yards and 10 touchdowns as the Lions' starting running back. “I was mostly worried about my football season. Everyone kept telling me I'd be back in time for wrestling seasons and that wrestling wouldn't be a problem.”

Injuries have been an issue for Wantock, who missed the preseason and a month of competition. He has dealt with this type of adversity, missing his full sophomore year to a wrist injury and about half of last year with a torn meniscus.

“I don't know how many other people have had this kind of stuff happen,” Wantock said. “The whole thing about getting over these injuries and doing well is staying confident and pushing yourself everyday. That's the main part.”

Being a spectator instead of a competitor produced frustration. He wanted to be side-by-side with his teammates, especially after training with them the last four years.

“It's really frustrating,” Wantock said about not contributing to the team's success. “It got me more anxious to see what I can do when I get out on the mat.”

He prepared the best he could without being able to step on a mat while sidelined. He rode a stationary bike, had swim workouts, lifted weights and other low-impact exercises to maintain his conditioning. Out of the lineup did not mean out of commission.

“He has a heck of a work ethic,” Linn-Mar Coach Doug Streicher said about Wantock enduring those workouts until he could wrestle. “Just to sit and watch when you can be out there doing good things and keep a good mindset about it and he come back ready to go.”

With the ankle injury this season, he was limited to strength training. He didn't start wrestling live in practice until the third week in December, making the lineup Jan. 5. He scored a pin that night.

“The biggest thing is getting in match shape, because you can't get in match shape by riding a bike or swimming,” Streicher said. “It's got to come through mat time and that's why last year was so amazing.”

Last year, Wantock's first event after being injured in the second week of the season was a stacked district bracket.

He placed second, advancing to state where he finished sixth.

“There was a lot of relief just making it to state,” Wantock said. “It was awesome.”

Long layoffs could be a death sentence for others who haven't had the years of experience like Wantock, according to Streicher.

“He's got good mat sense,” Streicher said. “That goes back to getting mat time since he was a little kid. He's really strong.”

Streicher said Wantock is “as strong as an ox” and is very coachable. Wantock, who also excels in the classroom with a 4.10 grade-point average and said he wants to attend Northwestern University to study engineering, serves as a leader on the team even when he isn't in the lineup.

“Kids look up to him,” Streicher said. “They look at how hard he's working while he's out.”

The Lions will look to his leadership Thursday night as they wrestle at Cedar Rapids Prairie. Wantock will likely face No. 5 Cameron Rathje at 170. The Hawks, sixth in the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association dual rankings, and No. 9 Lions have split two previous duals this season. Neither were at full strength for those two duals.

“Prairie is very good and they're having some kids coming back, too,” Wantock said. “It's just exciting to see what's going to happen.”

Overcoming another injury would be sweeter if it resulted in another finish like last year. Wantock said he would like to earn a second state medal to cap his career.

“I want another time at state,” Wantock said. “I'll have to work hard to get there again. When I step out on the mat I want to be the best at my weight class.”