After suffering an upset loss at last year’s Division II district tournament at Akron

After suffering an upset loss at last year’s Division II district tournament at Akron Firestone, Howland wrestler Kyle Leek faced adversity. He managed to rally in the consolation bracket to claim a berth to the state tournament — the last spot.

No doubt, some may have questioned what kind of success he would have in Columbus coming when he was matched up with a district champion from another district.

But he answered all the questions and then some by knocking off projected state champion Jacob Vaughn of St. Francis DeSales in the first round and going on to take second in the state.

Since then, he’s had all the right answers, piling up a 22-1 record as this weekend’s EOWL tournament rolls around and with just four weeks left before state. He’s projected to finish third in the state at 140 pounds in Division II.

He recently took some time to answer a few questions that are a little easier than the ones he has to answer out on the mat.

Q. What do you like most and least about wrestling?

A. “What I like most is staying overnight with the team when we go to out-of-town tournaments,” Leek said. “It’s just something more fun to do; getting able to hang out with my teammates.

“What I like least is when the matches go back and forth and get so stressful. And like if I’m watching a match and someone makes a mistake that I know we’ve gone over in practice and they know not to do. But I just try to encourage them.”

Q. What is your favorite post tournament meal?

A. “Chipotle, for sure,” he said. “They have this chicken burrito that is amazing. You’ve never had it? Oh, it’s huge — I totally recommend it.”

Q. Who is the toughest wrestler you’ve faced in your career?

A. “David Taylor [St. Paris Graham’s three-time state champion]. I wrestled him my freshman year and I threw him once and was beating him, but he came back tech fall me. He’s tough.”

Q. What is the most weight you’ve dropped in 24 hours?

A. “Like 7 pounds — last year for the Howland Invitational. I went from 132 to 125. I just bundled up for practice and lost some there, then ran some and worked out.

Q. What are your hobbies outside of wrestling?

A. “Just hang out with my friends, work out, wrestling in tournaments in the off-season. I also work doing some pressure washing.”

Q. What are your college plans?

A. “It’s up in the air right now. There a bunch of schools that have talked to me, but I’m not sure yet. I’m in the stage of getting accepted at a few. My dream would be Ohio State, but reality might be a small Division I school somewhere.”

Q. Any wrestling superstitions?

A. Not really. Coach [Brian] Earich is big into that stuff. Like you have to have your headgear on at a certain time before you shake his head. And my Mom does, too. Like last year at state, they were sitting up in their seats and I kept winning, so when they got tickets for closer seats for the finals, she wouldn’t move. She sat up in the nosebleed section for the finals.

Q. If you were a pro wrestler, what would your wrestling nickname be?

A. “I’ll have to get back to you on that one. I think my friends could probably help me out with that one.” (Author’s note: I vote for King Kong Kyle or The Leekanator).

Q. It’s overtime and the score is tied – you have to pick bottom or top to win, which do you pick?

A. “I’m more confident with both this year, but I’d pick top. Last year at my go-to match, I had that exact choice and I chose top and rode him out to win.”

XInterview by Vindicator correspondent Eric Hamilton