January 23, 2025
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Record Newspapers Athlete of the Week: Jack Ferguson, Yorkville, wrestling, senior

By Joshua Welge
Yorkville’s Jack Ferguson faces off against Mt. Carmel’s Liam Kelly in the Class 3A dual state championship on Saturday, Feb. 24th 2024 in Bloomington.

Yorkville’s Jack Ferguson faces off against Mt. Carmel’s Liam Kelly in the Class 3A dual state championship in February 2024 in Bloomington. (Gary Middendorf/gmiddendorf@shawmedia.com)

Name: Jack Ferguson

School: Yorkville, senior

Sport: Wrestling

Why he was selected: Ferguson won the 157-pound championship at the Illini Classic, helping lead Yorkville to fourth place as a team.

He was selected the Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is his interview with Sports Editor Joshua Welge.

The tournament you just took first in, how did you feel you wrestled and what did it mean to win the tournament?

Ferguson: I feel like before the finals I wasn’t wrestling that great. My mindset going into each match was off. I feel like I wrestled my best in the finals and to win that tournament is a great feeling. I beat a good kid from California and a couple other kids I will see downstate.

How has the season gone otherwise? What other wins stand out?

Ferguson: Other than this tournament the season has gone pretty well. I won the Dvorak earlier in the year and my only two losses are from kids out of state. The wins that stand out the most are probably the ones at the Dvorak. I felt like I dominated the whole tournament.

How did you get into wrestling and what about the sport do you enjoy most?

Ferguson: I got into wrestling from my dad starting me at a young age and I started because my brother was doing it as well. The thing I enjoy most is the individual aspect. You control the outcome of the match and have no one else to blame. So when you win it feels amazing because you know you did it yourself.

What are your goals for the rest of the season, both individual and team wise? How good is the depth of this team?

Ferguson: My main goal is to win individual state. That’s been a goal of mine ever since I was young. As a team it’s probably to place again at team state. As far as depth goes we have a bunch of good underclassmen who are more than capable to step up when we need them to.