155 wins. 80 pins. And counting.
Senior wrestler Mason Villwok recently broke two EHS wrestling records for overall pins and total wins, and he’s not done yet.
The pin record of 72 was set by Sean Stara in 2022, but Villwok earned his 73rd pin at the Fremont Invite Dec. 2 and that number continues to rise.
“I think I’m at like 80 right now, but hopefully I can get close to 100, that’s my goal,” Villwok said.
Villwok said he’s had his eye on the record for a little while, but said he chose to stick to what he knew, and wrestle like normal in order to accomplish the goal.
“I kind of knew, I’d say three matches ahead, how far I was off it, but I kind of forgot about it to be honest, so I didn’t even know I broke it until the end of the tournament when Coach Bobby told me,” Villwok said. “It was cool, but it also kinda sucks because I stole it from my buddy Sean, but someone has to hold it, I guess.”
Villwok’s first record was the total wins record which he set during his junior season. Through Dec. 16, Villwok said his total is 155 wins and counting.
Although wrestling is fun for the participants, it also has some downsides that they have to push past, one being cutting weight.
“I’d say people don’t realize how hard cutting weight is mostly just because most people never really need to cut weight, but it’s a very delicate process and you have to follow a lot of rules and restrictions, but it’s just so nobody has an advantage over each other,” Villwok said. “If everybody is the same weight, it makes it a more even contest than if somebody is five or ten pounds more.”
Villwok cannot break all of these records without hard work, even in the offseason, so he likes to make sure he is preparing himself for when it really counts.
“I usually try to make a better diet for myself and I do a lot of running, as well as watching film and trying to get in the mindset to go back to the season,” Villwok said.
Villwok has been wrestling for 13 years, and will continue his wrestling career in college at Chadron State, but for now he is focused on the rest of this season.
“My end goal is probably to win another State title, and then break as many records as possible,” Villwok said. “As a team I hope to have three State qualifiers if possible, more would be amazing, and then beat Elkhorn North in the team race at State.”
