Mount Carmel High School wrestler Seth Mendoza hopes for 4 straight state titles
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Seth Mendoza is a wrestler at Mount Carmel High School who is trying put his name up among the all-time greats — all while following in the footsteps of his coach, who was a legendary wrestler in his own right.
Mendoza's wrestling career was almost over before it even really started — because initially, he just wasn't into it.
"At first, I actually didn't like it. I remember I did one practice. I quit for a year," he said. "My parents were like, 'You know, try it again, we think you'll like it.' I tried it again, and I loved it from that day on."
Indeed, the rest, as they say, is history — and now, the Mount Carmel senior is chasing history, trying to become just the 15th wrestler ever in Illinois to win four straight state championships.
"It would be awesome. It's something that makes you stand out a little bit. It's something that makes you fit in with those guys," Mendoza said. "Like, one of my really good friends, Ben Davino, he was the last four-timer last year, and I've been wrestling with him since I was in like fourth grade."
Alex Tsirtsis is the wrestling coach at Mount Carmel, and is impressed with Mendoza's success.
"It's awesome. It's a great accomplishment. But at the same time, it's a goal that he had, but it's the journey that is the most important thing," said Tsirtsis. "If you just focus on four state titles when you're a freshman, there's a good chance that you're not going to do it. So him just going through the journey the way that he should, and getting better every day, and developing the way that he should — that's the most impressive thing.
Tsirtsis knows a little bit about winning titles. He is one of 10 four-time individual state champions in Indiana history.
"He's someone that I could always trust, rely on, and he has answer for everything. I ask him a question. He has an answer," Mendoza said. "I'll try to think of hard questions that maybe he can't answer. I'm like, 'What would I do if this guy does this?' thinking I'd stump him. But no, he's like infinite answers."
It's not just in on the mat where Mendoza is striving to reach new heights. In his limited free time outside of wrestling and school, Mendoza earned his private pilot license last year.
"It's just something totally different. Not many people can say they can fly a plane, so it's just something different," Mendoza said. "I guess, it's just like maybe a little bit of the freedom, and like, it's something special about it to me. It's something really challenging, but really rewarding."
Maybe it's not so different from wrestling after all, as Mendoza hopes he can overcome the remain challenges to be rewarded with a fourth individual title while his team tries to win their third championship in the last four years.
Mendoza made it through IHSA wrestling regionals on Saturday. The next stop is sectionals on Friday, with the individual state meet starting Feb. 20 in Champaign.
