Mt. Lebanon grappler has heavyweight plans
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Mt. Lebanon’s Nate Hoaglund, right, goes head to head with Upper St. Clair’s Jake Slinger during dual meet action earlier this season. A junior, Hoaglund finished fifth in the prestigious Powerade Tournament held over the holiday break at Canon-McMillan High School.
Nate Hoaglund
Nate Hoaglund surprises people. Just not on the wrestling mats.
The Mt. Lebanon heavyweight used to swim. The 6-2, 240-pound junior also loves chocolate milk and hopes to eventually own an ice cream shop.
Yet, in a matter of four years, Hoaglund has labored to become one of the best grapplers in the 285-pound weight class. In fact, he recently finished fifth in the prestigious Powerade Tournament. He’s also been a two-year starter on the offensive line and a member of the Blue Devils’ varsity football team since his freshman year.
“That doesn’t happen very often, especially at the line positions,” explained his football coach Mike Melnyk.
“Nate is a tireless worker,” Melnyk added. “Nate is the strongest player we have pound for pound but he is also a nice kid who is focused on success in and out of the classroom.”
Hoaglund’s wrestling coach agreed. “Nathan is a character kid,” said Marc Allemang. Noting his 4.0 GPA, complete with AP and honors classes, Allemang added, “Nathan never misses school or practice. He is just a super kid but what has helped him find success is that he never misses an opportunity to improve.”
While he started playing football in fourth grade and added lacrosse along the way, Hoaglund did not begin wrestling until he moved from Boston to Mt. Lebanon the summer before he entered seventh grade. Mellon assistant coach Chris Kolling encouraged Hoaglund to wrestle, suggesting it would make him a better football player.
“Football was my kind of thing until I wrestled and then that became more my sport,” Hoaglund explained.
In addition to competing at Mt. Lebanon, he joined the Quest School of Wrestling and attended workouts as part of the Pitt Wrestling Club. He noted the clubs provided a “community of wrestling” and competing against these opponents was “a lot of fun.” Another, more important thing happened along the way.
“While I loved the sport,” Hoaglund said, “I was pretty bad in the beginning but I also saw that I was getting better.”
By his sophomore year, he was third-best in the section and a Top 8 performer in the WPIAL, posting a 28-11 record. Though he has moved up a weight class from 220 to heavyweight this winter, he has had a strong start with his best showing in the Powerade Tournament.
In advancing to the semifinals of the prestigious event held over the holiday break at Canon-McMillan High School, Hoaglund upset the No. 3 seed Curt Ruff, 3-2. Of the Florida state qualifier, Hoaglund said he tried to view his opponent as any other foe he wrestled.
“I knew he was higher rated but I didn’t look into him or how good he was. I just treated it like any other match and that I can beat him. It’s not cocky. I just think we are both high school kids and I have worked hard, too. And, (mentally) I can’t lose the match before it started. I just put it all out there for six minutes and what happens, happens.”
An overtime loss, 3-1, to Kawaun DeBoe from Erie Prep prevented Hoaglund from reaching the finals. The loss took its toll as Hoaglund fell to third-place finisher Louden Haga from Parkersburg, W.Va in the consolation match that immediately followed the semifinal defeat. Hoaglund rebounded however and decisioned Corey Dodson from Albert Gallatin, 4-2, to secure the fifth-place medal.
“I should have been smarter and wrestled better,” he said. “It’s all a learning process. But I was pleased with my last match and how I finished because the last win came against a kid that was higher ranked again.”
The Powerade Tournament sets Hoaglund up for the 2018 campaign, which includes sectionals Feb. 24, WPIAL championships March 2-3 at Canon-McMillan as well as the PIAA tournament to be held March 8-10 at the Giant Center in Hershey.
“Before going into the season, I didn’t know exactly what my goals were. I didn’t know what I could accomplish but after Powerade, I realized how hard I have to still work but I can be a good wrestler. I’ve tasted success and I want more. You can’t stay complacent. So the goal right now has to be to place at states.”
Allemang believes that’s an obtainable objective for Hoaglund.
“What it comes down to is who wrestles mistake free at WPIALs and is relaxed and confident,” Allemang said. “If Nathan can do those things, his goals will take care of themselves.”
Hoaglund has certainly taken care of the preliminaries. During the off-season, he lifts four days a week and attends practices, at least three to four times a week, while balancing his football duties. In addition to Powerade, he has also wrestled in Freestyle/Greco qualifiers and participated in other tournaments such as Super 32, FloNationals and the MAWA’s.
“For any wrestler looking to improve the answer is found in the time spent wrestling and Nathan has really made it a point to wrestle and compete more often. … He’s smarter, more tactical and, because he is on the lighter end of heavyweight, he moves pretty well on his feet.”
Mt. Lebanon has had plenty of heavyweight wrestlers, who were light on their feet. Most notable was Kurt Angle. He won the 1987 Pennsylvania state wrestling championship as a senior before winning Olympic gold in 1996 and forging a successful professional career. Angle, like Hoaglund, also excelled in football, earning all-state acclaim as a linebacker.
“I’ve heard a lot of talk about (Angle) and he sounds amazing and part of me wants to be like that but I just want to be me. That would be fine to get as close as I can. I know I’d like to win a state gold medal and if I work hard enough, I can get there. But, it’s going to take a lot of work to get there,” Hoaglund concluded. “If it happens though, that would be cool.”
Who is he: Mt. Lebanon High School junior who placed fifth in the Powerade Wrestling Tournament.
Age: 17
Birthdate: Sept. 21
Parents: Rob and Tracy
Siblings: Rob and Amy
Sports: Wrestling & football
GPA 4.0
College choices so far: Hoping for Brown, Case Western, and a few others
Major: Business or Computer Sciences
Color: Blue
Food: Chicken Tenders
Beverage: Chocolate Milk
Movie: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Song: “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zepplin
Restaurant: Cafe io on Beverly Road
BooK: Harry Potter
Dream destination: Boston
Dream car/vehicle: Prius
Favorite athlete: Kyle Snyder
Hero: My brother
Who would you like to have dinner with and why? Matt Damon because I like his movies and he seems like a cool guy
People might be surprised to know this about you? Before I wrestled I was on the swim team!
Favorite Christmas present? A Mt. Lebanon wrestling sweatshirt from my girlfriend
What has sports taught you and prepared you for life? It’s taught me to work hard for goals and persist through tough hardships
In 15 years, I will: “Hopefully own my own ice cream shop.”