As a freshman Panther in the St. Vincent Pallotti wrestling room, John Chenault saw seniors earning their 100th career-wins and knew he someday would want to be in their shoes. Little did he know, he was going to go more than 50 wins further.
“I didn’t really think I was going to get my 150th,” Chenault said. “When I was a freshman, seniors were just getting their 100th win, but last year when I reached 100 wins I made a new goal to win 150. It feels great and I love it.”
Reaching the milestone in last weekend’s Pallotti Duals, Chenault moved to 22-1 on the 2010-2011 season, seeing his only loss to South Carroll’s Chris Wampler.
“The season has been going great. It is probably the best season I have had in all four years,” Chenault said.
Wampler, a two-time state bronze medalist and three-time state qualifier, also earned his 100th win at the dual-meet tournament.
Claiming a few tournament titles along the way, the three-time MIAA and MIS place-winner has been to the National Preps three times, coming just one win shy of placing in his freshman and junior seasons, and this season has his eyes fixed on a podium position.
“My main goal now is to place at National Preps. I have been there the past three years and haven’t placed yet, and this year I really want to place,” he said. “Right now, there are three people ranked above me in the MIAA, and I think I can beat them. And that is my goal, to go out there and beat everybody.”
Chenault is the first Panther wrestler to reach 150 career wins, and setting school records on the mat is just one of the things the three-sport athlete is doing. Adding letters in cross-country and lacrosse, he is going to end his four years at Pallotti as a 12-time letterman.
So when asked if he would be participating in a sports when he heads to Texas A&M, Corpus Christi, it was almost a sigh of relief as he said, “Nope.”
“I’m just going to relax,” the soon-to-be nursing major said. Chenault’s choice to head down to Texas for his furthered education came after spending a summer working for his grandfather in Southern Texas. “The weather is nice and I just really like it down there.”
Setting goals and conquering them seems to be a hobby of Chenault, so it is only fitting that after reaching 150 wins he made another number his career-goal: 175.
“This is by far my best accomplishment in sports,” he said. “I set a goal, to get 100 wins, my freshman year, and it felt good to get that, so I set a goal to get 150. “Now, the goal is 175.”
Chenault will likely get a shot at reaching 175 career-wins with a successful second half of the season, and high placement in the upcoming Parkdale and St. Michael’s Battle by the Bay tournaments would surely be a start.
“I just have to win every match I can,” Chenault said, as he would be improving on his three second-place finishes at the Battle by the Bay. “It doesn’t matter who it is or what they have done, I just have to go out there and wrestle my best.”
