Hager (35-4) won his first match at last year’s district meet before falling into the consolation bracket. He won a match there before a tough 7-5 decision left him one match shy of competing for state. Coming that close motivated Hager in the weight room, wrestling room and when going to the mat.
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“I’ve never really had the drive for it,” said Hager, who started wrestling when he was 5years old. “Now that I can actually see some potential in myself – seeing some success the more work I put in – it’s a lot easier to put it in after that.”
Hager finished 27-15 as a freshman. He went 28-10 as a sophomore. Add in his 35-4 record this season and he’s 10 wins shy of 100. He started going to extra practices during the winter. During practices with the Warriors he worked up more of a sweat with two layers of sweats rather than the T-shirt and shorts he previously wore. He also put in extra time with this coaches, and just as important, is asking more questions.
“I’ve surprised myself this season. Even though I’ve been wrestling 12 years there are still things I don’t know that your coach can teach you or help you with every day. It starts to work and click after a while,” Hager said.
“My coaches tell me there is always someone out there training harder than you are. It’s motivation to push past being tired. You put that in the back of your mind. It’s that mental barrier and pushing past the fatigue.”
Hager – one of four wrestlers on the Warriors’ team – opens the district tournament against Oakwood junior Keaton Seim (17-10). A win there and he likely faces Licking Valley junior Dylan Dodson (43-0), a No. 1 seed. Eaton senior Zac Schmidt (31-7), Wilmington senior Kile Holland (29-12) and Blanchester junior Gage Huston (36-5) are the other No. 1 seeds.
Should Hager reach the championship match or capture a district title it wouldn’t be the first time he has overcome an obstacle. For his Eagle Scout project he spent last summer constructing a kiosk at Northwestern for the cross country team to use. Results, records and addition info can be posted on the kiosk.
“It took a lot of paperwork and six different revisions trying to get it done,” said Hager, who wants to be an airplane mechanic and later a commercial pilot. “You learn a lot from those sort of things.”
Also at the D-II tournament in Wilmington, Graham continues its bid for a 20th state championship with a meet-high 11 qualifiers in the 14 weight classes. Kenton Ridge (3), Northwestern (2) and Urbana (2) are also competing.
In the D-I at Fairmont’s Trent Arena, Tecumseh sends five wrestlers and Springfield four.
In D-III at Troy’s Hobart Arena, Mechanicsburg sends 10 wrestlers and is joined by Triad (4), Greeneview (3), Shawnee (3), Greenon (2), Southeastern (2) and West Liberty-Salem (2).
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