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11-30-2006, 10:44 PM
http://www.illinoismatmen.com/images/wrestlers/cotton_donny2.gifBY JOE GENZEL
Peoria Journal Star (http://www.pjstar.com/)
Photo by Mike Hannigan (Illinois Matmen)
EAST PEORIA -- Donny Cotton doesn't pause when you ask him his record a season ago.
"Last year I was 39 and 1," said the 135-pound wrestler from East Peoria.
Then you see the look of disappointment come over Cotton's face, and how that single loss to Belvidere's Dalton Bullard in the Class AA state semifinals has driven him every day since it happened.
"This year I think about that loss ... that one loss just kills," said Cotton, who finished third at 130 pounds in 2005-06. "I just look back, think about it, and it just makes me go harder.
"If I think about it too long, it just ticks me off."
Not only does Cotton have that semifinal loss to motivate him, he also realizes every kid he steps on the mat with this season, knows Cotton, ranked No. 1 in his weight class by illinoismatmen.com, is the man to beat at 135.
"I think there is a lot of pressure," Cotton said. "Everybody is going to try and come after me now than I'm ranked No. 1. That's how I always thought.
"If a kid's ranked No. 1 I want to go out and see how I do ... I'm just going to work as hard as I can. Hopefully harder than everybody else."
Cotton's work ethic won't be in question this season.
He went to Florida and Delaware this summer to wrestle in national tournaments.
Cotton also spent time in Springfield, conditioning at an ultimate fighting training camp, where he said drills would last up to 2 1/2 hours without a water break.
The senior also is known to wrestle well past the whistle in practice.
"I see his passion," said EP coach Phil Johns, who won an individual state title at Canton in 1987. "I don't know if he thinks about last year, but he does think about this year's expectations. He's not just wrestling for himself, but his teammates and the coaches, too."
If Cotton wins a state title, he would be the first from EP to do so.
A Journal Star-area wrestler hasn't won a Class AA championship since Morton's Jeremy Hayes and Grant Hoerr in 1996.
Johns knows exactly what kind of talent Cotton possesses, and if the senior stays on track, a state medal seems imminent.
"Donny, by far, has many attributes 99.9 percent of the wrestlers I've coached don't have," Johns said. "He's the total package."
It's likely no one locally can legitimately challenge Cotton, and he already is making plans for the state series, even though it's more than two months away.
Cotton is contemplating dropping back down a weight class to challenge two-time state champ John Starzyk of New Lenox Providence, the top-rated wrestler at 130 pounds.
"I just figure if you want to be the best, you have to practice harder than anybody out there, and put in extra time," Cotton said. "Years before I put in a little bit of time, not like what I should have. I want to be the best. I want to excel in this sport."
Joe Genzel can be reached at 686-3214 or jgenzel@pjstar.com.
Peoria Journal Star (http://www.pjstar.com/)
Photo by Mike Hannigan (Illinois Matmen)
EAST PEORIA -- Donny Cotton doesn't pause when you ask him his record a season ago.
"Last year I was 39 and 1," said the 135-pound wrestler from East Peoria.
Then you see the look of disappointment come over Cotton's face, and how that single loss to Belvidere's Dalton Bullard in the Class AA state semifinals has driven him every day since it happened.
"This year I think about that loss ... that one loss just kills," said Cotton, who finished third at 130 pounds in 2005-06. "I just look back, think about it, and it just makes me go harder.
"If I think about it too long, it just ticks me off."
Not only does Cotton have that semifinal loss to motivate him, he also realizes every kid he steps on the mat with this season, knows Cotton, ranked No. 1 in his weight class by illinoismatmen.com, is the man to beat at 135.
"I think there is a lot of pressure," Cotton said. "Everybody is going to try and come after me now than I'm ranked No. 1. That's how I always thought.
"If a kid's ranked No. 1 I want to go out and see how I do ... I'm just going to work as hard as I can. Hopefully harder than everybody else."
Cotton's work ethic won't be in question this season.
He went to Florida and Delaware this summer to wrestle in national tournaments.
Cotton also spent time in Springfield, conditioning at an ultimate fighting training camp, where he said drills would last up to 2 1/2 hours without a water break.
The senior also is known to wrestle well past the whistle in practice.
"I see his passion," said EP coach Phil Johns, who won an individual state title at Canton in 1987. "I don't know if he thinks about last year, but he does think about this year's expectations. He's not just wrestling for himself, but his teammates and the coaches, too."
If Cotton wins a state title, he would be the first from EP to do so.
A Journal Star-area wrestler hasn't won a Class AA championship since Morton's Jeremy Hayes and Grant Hoerr in 1996.
Johns knows exactly what kind of talent Cotton possesses, and if the senior stays on track, a state medal seems imminent.
"Donny, by far, has many attributes 99.9 percent of the wrestlers I've coached don't have," Johns said. "He's the total package."
It's likely no one locally can legitimately challenge Cotton, and he already is making plans for the state series, even though it's more than two months away.
Cotton is contemplating dropping back down a weight class to challenge two-time state champ John Starzyk of New Lenox Providence, the top-rated wrestler at 130 pounds.
"I just figure if you want to be the best, you have to practice harder than anybody out there, and put in extra time," Cotton said. "Years before I put in a little bit of time, not like what I should have. I want to be the best. I want to excel in this sport."
Joe Genzel can be reached at 686-3214 or jgenzel@pjstar.com.