Totino-Grace Wrestler Seeks 4th Title, Competitive Edge
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- All he wants to do is win his fourth straight state wrestling title. That's life for Totino-Grace stand out Lance Benick, who will wrestle at Arizona State next season.
But he's not just a wrestler, he's a very well-rounded athlete. Benick is the athlete every school wants.
He played receiver on the football team until this season, when they needed him to play quarterback on their state runner-up team.
"Playing for Totino-Grace I've kind of moved around a little bit. I've been a running back and a tight end. My senior year we needed a quarterback and I've played it a little. It's always been my secondary position," Benick said.
It's not the only sport he thrives in. As a child, he found a fondness for the wrestling mat.
"I started wrestling actually when I was 3. My brother started when he was 5 and my parents dragged me there. I was always a little 'devil child' they said and I just started wrestling on a mat. I've just done it ever since," Benick said.
What has evolved has been amazing: Three state championships, because he loves the life of competing.
"I tell you what, he likes the competition so he wants to wrestle competition," Totino-Grace wrestling coach Doug Svihel said. "He's going to go all around the country to find it, in tournaments he's going to try to find it."
"I think it's tough. It's not like most sports," Benick said. "You're going to come in here every practice and you're going to get dog tired. You're just all sweaty."
The only thing he didn't accomplish was a state football title, coming inches away when his team went for a two-point conversion in the Prep Bowl against Eden Prairie. But the point is they went for the win.
"I'm happy we went for the win," Benick said. "Obviously it sucks that we didn't get it, but I'm happy we went for the win and didn't just go for the tie and go to overtime. I'm happy we went for it."