Every team needs a wrestler like Naperville Central senior Shuji Mizoguchi.
“He’s one of the hardest workers I know,” teammate Cam Hayes said. “He’s humble and doesn’t say much, but he brings a lot of energy into the room. He’s the first one to do anything the coaches ask.”
Redhawks coach Noah Fitzenreider wishes he could fill his practices with wrestlers like Mizoguchi.
“He is the definition of the kind of kid you want to coach,” Fitzenreider said. “He’s as committed a kid as I’ve seen, and he has done everything possible to succeed.”
While Mizoguchi has been competing at 113 pounds this season, he was a light freshman thrown into the varsity mix at 106 three years ago. What does he remember about that experience?
“Watching all the other freshmen have fun,” Mizoguchi said, joking. “But I learned that I have what it takes to wrestle at that (varsity) level. It helped me to get more confident.”
As a freshman, Mizoguchi went 25-17 and was a Class 3A sectional qualifier. He went 23-18 as a sophomore and failed to advance through the regional, then went 24-15 last year at 113. He placed third at the regional meet to become a sectional qualifier for the second time.
This year, Mizoguchi has taken his performance to the next level. He’s 31-2 at 113 heading into Saturday’s DuPage Valley Conference Tournament, with added strength, more mat savvy, and an increased belief that he can battle with the best.
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“You can tell that his confidence has come since last year,” Fitzenreider said. “With success, the confidence came and you can see it before his matches, you see it in practice, and it has taken him to the next level.”
Winning wasn’t the only thing that gave Mizoguchi confidence.
“In addition to that, it’s all the hard work that we go through to push ourselves past our own limits,” Mizoguchi said. “I couldn’t push myself as hard if I didn’t have my teammates and coaches around me, pushing me to push myself further. And now I’m able to push myself further when I’m training on my own.”
Becoming a state qualifier for the first time is a goal, but Mizoguchi wants more than that. He wants a coveted place on the award stand in Champaign.
But whatever happens in the postseason, Mizoguchi’s grit and determination have left a mark on the Redhawks’ program.
“The biggest thing wrestling has taught me is mental toughness,” he said. “And when it’s over, I’ll miss the chance to go my absolute hardest with all my friends, and knowing that they’re going through the same thing I am.”
Chasing history: Aurora Central Catholic last won a regional title in wrestling in 1977, but the Chargers are poised with enough talent and depth to repeat that feat.
“We’ve seen all the teams at our regional except Alden-Hebron, but I’ve looked at our common opponents and we stack up pretty well,” ACC coach Randy Glaudel said.
Aurora Central Catholic hosts a 1A regional on Feb. 6. Leading the way is senior Chris Pedersen (24-3) at 182.
“(Pedersen is) an extremely high level athlete,” Glaudel said. “He has 23 pins out of his 24 wins. He’s the real deal.”
Rubino primed: St. Charles East senior Anthony Rubino (126) improved to 31-6 Saturday in winning his second Upstate Eight Conference Tournament title.
With two wins by major decision setting up a dominant performance and a 7-3 win over St. Charles North’s Kolbe O’Brien for the title, Rubino believes he’s peaking in time to make a deep run to the 3A state finals in Champaign.
“At the beginning of the year I was in football shape and that’s not the same as wrestling shape,” Rubino said. “Now, I’m right there and I’m ready to try to get up on that podium.”
Gary Larsen is a freelance writer for The Courier-News, The Beacon-News and Naperville Sun.