01-16-2008, 02:21 PM
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Montini two-sport star Garrett Goebel used an incredible work ethic to become a state champion wrestler and an elite football prospect
By: Jon Mahoney 1/16/08
Before Garrett Goebel arrived at Montini (Lombard, Ill.) as a freshman, Broncos wrestling coach Mike Bukovsky had already heard plenty about the budding star.
A three-time state champion at the club level, Goebel entered high school hyped as the state?s next great grappler thanks to his combination of size and technique. Bukovsky, however, was only guardedly optimistic. While he believed Goebel was a phenomenal talent, he wondered how those skills would translate to the high school mat.
Bukovsky got his answer in December of 2004 at the prestigious Walsh Ironman Tournament in Ohio, an event that brings together many of the nation?s top teams and wrestlers. Goebel, then a freshman competing in the 215-pound weight class, was a decided underdog in his second-round match against then-junior Trey Rogers of Great Bridge (Chesapeake, Va.).
But Goebel surprised many in attendance, including his head coach, by upending Rogers, 4-2. And though he ended up losing in the quarterfinals, Goebel?s performance against a quality opponent justified all the hype he carried into high school.
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?That set the tone, gave me some confidence and told me I could compete with the best guys in the country,? Goebel says.
?Garrett just won the match on attitude and hustle,? adds Bukovsky, who?s in his 14th year as head coach. ?I saw right there that he had arrived. He was supposed to get beat in that match, but he doesn?t think that way. You see it in his eyes. It?s just a very focused look.?
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Goebel entered his senior season with 144 career wins and was ranked No. 5 in the country in his weight class by W.I.N. magazine. He is the favorite to cap his prep career with another state crown.
With such a stellar resume on the mat, it?s a bit surprising to find out that wrestling might not actually be Goebel?s best sport. He is also a stellar defensive/offensive lineman for Montini and is rated the nation?s No. 75 overall football recruit in the Class of 2008 by RISE. Not bad for a kid who never played a down of football before high school. He?ll likely play defensive tackle in college for Ohio State ? where he committed in July ? but doesn?t plan on wrestling for the Buckeyes.
?I just like football a lot better,? Goebel says. ?I?d rather get a sack and make a big play on the football field than pin a guy on the mat.?
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Goebel can bench press 360 pounds and power clean 280 pounds. When you add that strength to his tremendous speed for his size (4.9 seconds in the 40-yard dash) and relentless style of play, it?s easy to see why he?s a highly coveted recruit. He finished with 63 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and four sacks as a junior and was the Suburban Catholic Conference Lineman of the Year.
?Garrett plays the game like an old-school football player,? says Bukovsky, who is also the defensive coordinator for the football team. ?His motor never stops.?
Wrestling also helped Goebel make a smooth transition to football.
?Just like in wrestling, you use your hands and you need good agility and footwork,? Greg Goebel says. ?There?s no comparison for what wrestling can do for a football player.?
?I know I did a whole lot of work to get here,? Garrett adds. ?I owe a lot of it to wrestling.?
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