Quick Q&A

BEN DONNELLY

WOODBURY • JR.

WRESTLING

Donnelly, a three-sport athlete (football, wrestling, baseball) finished fourth at 132 pounds in the 2013 Class 3A state meet.

Weight this year? Probably 152 pounds, but I might end up at 145. It all depends.

You had to cut a lot of weight last year. Was that tough? It was probably the toughest cut I've ever had. I did a lot of running to sweat it off.

How does cutting weight affect your wrestling? I think I wrestle a little better when I'm not cutting so much. I have a lot more energy.

Did that affect your state meet performance last season? We qualified as a team, too. I had to weigh-in twice. When I wrestled, I felt physically drained. That's one reason why I'm not going to cut so much this year.

As a three-sport athlete, how do you keep up with kids who wrestle year-round? When I'm in the wrestling room, I feel I'm working as hard or harder than everyone else. And playing other sports helps so I don't get burned out. I get excited for the season.

Can you top last season? I'm a kid who doesn't sell himself short. I'm shooting for the stars. I'm going for a state championship. That's what matters.

What was the first thing you did last March when the wrestling season was over? I was on my phone, going through twitter, and I saw an ad for Taco Bell. I went right out and got a bunch.

JIM PAULSEN