'Top dog' Woodbury wrestler Donnelly wants to end as school's second state champ

Ben Donnelly wants to be remembered as the greatest wrestler in Woodbury history.

A list of state tournament entrants, state place-winners and state champions is etched on the wall of Woodbury's wrestling room.

"When I'm older I want kids to see my name up there and ask, 'Who is Ben Donnelly?' " he said.

Woodbury coach Justin Smith said Donnelly, a senior, has the potential to be the best the school has produced, saying "we'll see" after the season is over.

It's a big year for Donnelly. He's shooting for a sixth consecutive state tournament appearance. He's gunning to become Woodbury's second state champion — the first since 1979 — and trying to break the Woodbury record for career wins.

Donnelly, ranked No. 2 at 152 pounds in Class 3A, entered the season with 177 career victories. His close friend and longtime teammate Justin Herold-Plakut, a 2014 graduate, set the Woodbury record last year with 215 victories.

"Justin is loudmouth about it, and I want to shut him up," Donnelly said. "He thinks he's the top dog, but I'm the top dog."

"It's something he knows he can get," said Smith, who is in his seventh year as coach at Woodbury. "He should do it."

Donnelly began wrestling varsity for Woodbury as a seventh-grader. He started out at 119 pounds, going up against a number of juniors and seniors, but was able to win a section championship right away. Donnelly placed fifth in the state as an eighth-grader, fourth as a sophomore and fourth last year. He also helped Woodbury reach the state tournament as a team for the first time in school history in his sophomore season.

"He's nasty," Smith said. "We saw it in seventh grade. Sometimes he can give another guy too much credit, but he has a will to win that's unmatched."

Donnelly said he loves making his opponent "mentally quit."

"It's such a good feeling to know you broke someone so bad they stop trying," he said.

"I feel like it's my team now," said Donnelly, a two-time team captain. "Now that they're gone, I have the reins of the sleigh and I'm trying to guide it."

Smith said Donnelly's leadership, on and off the mat, is more important than ever.

"He's quiet, but the kids respect him," said Smith, who teaches health and strength and conditioning at Woodbury. "He's smart and he's a good kid. I never have to worry about him."

Donnelly started wrestling in kindergarten. He said he recently watched some old videos of his younger days on the mat. Donnelly said he was "above average" growing up but didn't start "beating up on people" until sixth grade.

"I think that's when I got a temper," he said. "Outside I'm calm and collected, but on the mat it's a release. I can let it all go."

Nothing matters more now than a state championship this season. Woodbury's first state champ in 1979 was Mark Mueller.