Pena credits family, team support; wins state spot

HUNTLEY — Huntley senior Adam Pena, capped off a determined season with a trip to the IHSA Class 4A State Individual Meet at 126 pounds.

Pena ended fourth at sectional. He improved his season to a 32-14 record. The IHSA Class 4A State Individual Meet is Feb. 16-18 at the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center in Champaign.

“His focused has changed 180 degrees,” HHS coach BJ Bertelsman said. “I think COVID-19 delay may have helped him in wrestling. He is much more focused in the wrestling room and the classroom. Pena has been a great success story from where he started in high school to where he is today. I am so happy for Pena.”

Pena gained his top four and qualifying finish with a 4-1 decision over David Rodriquez of Buffalo Grove. Pena had lost the round before, to Patrick Zimmer of Loyola Academy, by pin in 3:08. Pena fell in the third place match, to Maksim Mukhamedaliyev of Hersey by a pin in 3:00.

Pena, after a practice session, looked back on punching his participant ticket to state.

“I was just overcome with raw emotion, honestly,” Pena said. “I’ve worked hard my whole life to go and compete with the best in Champaign and I finally achieved my dream of punching my ticket. To see my family and my supporters cheering for me made me feel special.”

The semifinal round, which a win avoids a “blood round” battle for the state ticket, was a close loss but Pena responded.

“It was a tough loss in the semifinals,” Pena said. “It really made we want it more because all I could think of that’s it and it’s do or die now and everything I worked for could end. I came into the ‘blood rounds’ with a killer mentality that I haven’t had all year and it drove me to go as hard as I can for a six-minute match.”

Pena’s dad Ray competed at Assembly Hall’s State Individual wrestling tournament, his sophomore year in 1989 for Elgin Larkin.

“Coming from a wrestling family that’s been around the sport for some time now really motivates me to do my best and continue the Pena legacy,” Adam said. “I’ve been through a lot growing up in this sport from cutting weight to hard practices and hard fought matches so it helped a lot going into high school. It helps me be prepared for these moments that are make-or break.”

Pena’s wrestling background dates back to age five with Team Pena. “My family had our own wrestling team and I have been wrestling ever since,” he said.

Pena, one of 11 Red Raiders seniors, praised his teammates and wrestling room partners, Aiden Lira at 120 pounds and Raefel Sobprena at 138.

“My teammates this year really pushed me to be my best,” Pena commented. “Those guys made it easier for me to be myself and made me want to work harder for our young team to show them what we could be capable of. My practice partners, Sobprena and Lira, got me back into my groove of things at the end of the season. We just pushed each other all year to be the best wrestlers we could.”

Season recaps

Other HHS grapplers came close and finished with 20 or more wins but could not gain that top four finish.

Lira concluded with a 25-23 record at 120 pounds. He was 1-2 at sectional.

Sobprena closed out his career with a 27-20 mark at 138 pounds.

Junior Markos Mihalopoulos sought a second straight trip to state but fell shy of a bid for the top four at 285 pounds. A 1-2 tournament gave him a final 34-11 record.

The sectional qualifiers included two sophomores. Shane McGuine ended at 14-11 record at 145 pounds while Wyatt Theobald, 195 was 13-16 overall.