Kane County Chronicle Athlete of the Week: St. Charles East’s Anthony Gutierrez, boys wrestling, senior

Name: Anthony Gutierrez

Sport: Boys wrestling

What he did: Gutierrez won the 165-pound championship at the Class 3A Conant Sectional, winning all of his matches either by fall or tech fall.

Gutierrez was selected as the Kane County Chronicle Athlete of the Week in an online vote.

Here is his Q&A with sports reporter Joel Boenitz.

What was the feeling of winning a sectional championship?

Gutierrez: It feels great. I haven’t been a sectional champion yet in high school, so it was good to be able to get it done my senior year.

What was your mindset heading into that sectional final?

Gutierrez: I just made sure the match went my way and I wrestled my type of match. I didn’t fix the way I wrestled to match his style. I was trying to make the match my style, and I was just making sure that I could keep scoring points.

You were in a similar situation last year, but lost in the sectional finals. What was the feeling of winning this year, especially against an opponent from the same school?

Gutierrez: I just couldn’t lose again, and I capitalized on a lot of things that I wasn’t too good at last year and a lot of my mistakes. I changed this year, and I think I’m a lot better wrestler than I was last year, and I’m ready to go prove that at the state tournament.

You’ve won all your matches this postseason either by fall or tech fall so far. What’s been the key to your success?

Gutierrez: I just know that no one works as hard as me, and I know no one’s doing the same things that I’m doing. I’m different than everyone else, and I think that’s getting proven. So I know that if I work harder than everyone else and do things that other people aren’t doing, like the little things, that’s what’s going to make a difference. It’s doing those extra things that matters and is what separates you from the rest.

What’s your mindset heading into state, especially with it being your last one?

Gutierrez: I’m just gonna go out there and leave everything that I have. I’ve got no more chances and this is my last time. It’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid to be a state champion, so I’m just gonna go leave it all out there and push the pace on everyone, and hopefully I get the job done.

You’re committed to wrestle at Indiana in college. What made you want to wrestle there?

Gutierrez: That’s also always been a dream of mine since I was a kid to wrestle in the Big Ten. In my opinion, that’s the top division you could be in, and there’s no better place. And I picked Indiana because I loved the coaches and the team atmosphere and their goals and the way that they coach. Everything about it was just great.

What’s your favorite thing to listen to before a match?

Gutierrez: I like a lot of rap like Future and Lil Baby.

What’s your favorite pre-meet meal?

Gutierrez: I like to make some protein pasta with some protein meatballs and marinara sauce and a Mio Energy.