CHAMPAIGN — Before this winter, Hinsdale South junior Josh King was known more for his football skills than wrestling ability.
That should change now that King became a state wrestling champion Saturday with a dominating performance in the Class 3A state meet at 220 pounds.
“It’s great to know I’m not a one-trick pony,” King said. “I’m more than a football player, but an athlete. I like to be someone that plays two sports as much as I can.”
On the football field, the 6-foot-6, 245-pound King was a starting defensive end for the Hornets’ Class 6A state quarterfinal team.
But King has wrestled even longer than playing football, starting out at age 4 while growing up in Maywood. He transferred to Hinsdale South from Proviso East during the first semester of his freshman year and now lives in Willowbrook with his mother and grandmother.
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In King’s two previous appearances downstate, he went 1-2.
“The competition changes from year to year,” first-year Hinsdale South coach Kevin Formanski said. “When Josh was a sophomore to this year was a big difference. Josh has wrestled with a lot of confidence. He knew what he wants and that was his goal.”
King (45-1) defeated Plainfield South junior Eric Johnson 9-6 in the final at the State Farm Center in Champaign. Johnson (46-4) fell behind 9-4 before scoring two points late in the match.
King beat Libertyville senior Mark Dunsing 11-2 in the semifinals after scoring first-period pins against each of his previous two opponents, Conant’s Michael Meier and Hononegah’s Blake Zalapi.
After his championship victory, King walked up a staircase to the concourse and was greeted with a huge hug by Hinsdale South senior Rob Regan, who was King’s practice partner during the wrestling season and quarterback in the fall. King was a part-time tight end who was on the receiving end of a few Regan passes.
“I tried to make him a better wrestler and football player,” Regan said. “He makes me a better wrestler and football player. I’ve been saying all year, ‘I have the best wrestling workout partner.’ He’s tough. We get banged up and scratched up every day.”
King became Hinsdale South’s fifth wrestling state champion, following Sebastian Pique (112 in 2011), Scott Wallace (145 in 2005), Kurt Bednar (185 in 1985) and Bill Castans (155 in 1977).
King is rated a four-star college football recruit by Rivals.com, which has him as the top-ranked player in the state from the Class of 2016. His 18 offers include those from nine Big Ten schools, USC, Oregon, LSU and Florida.
“This is unbelievable for Josh,” Formanski said. “He’s such a great athlete. For him to be able to do this in two sports, it’s nice to see him on the football field, but in wrestling he’s a state champion.”
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