Jeff Chaney
Sports Scene
On any high school wrestling team in the state, Zac Hall would be a leader in the practice room, no matter what the age.
The sophomore 112-pounder won a state championship at 103 pounds last year, and this year he only has one loss – to the Division 1 champion in the state of Ohio.
That’s a resume of a leader.
But in the St. Johns practice room, that kind of resume abounds. In the room, you will find three-time undefeated state champion Taylor Massa and two-time Illinois champion Ben Whitford, who transferred to the school this year, amongst others.
Hall says he likes being surrounded by leaders and talent – he says it brings out the best in him.
“Being in a room with this much is amazing,” Hall said. “To have practice partners like I have, there is nothing better. They constantly push you to be the best. You can’t let up in practice, because nobody does.”
That work ethic has resulted in several individual state championships and two Division 2 team titles.
This year, the Redwings are the third-ranked team in the nation.
Hall may have been the alpha wrestler in the practice room at Ithaca High School, the school district where he grew up. But before his ninth grade year, he and his family made the decision through school of choice to attend St. Johns.
“I’ve been going [to St. Johns] to work out since I was little, so I knew the guys there,” Hall said. The move has gone well, I have fit in well. It’s been fun and exciting, and I don’t regret it at all.”
Zac Hall’s father, Jeff Hall, says the decision to move his son to St. Johns was not an easy one to make. But it was made in the best interest of his son’s future.
“For us to leave Ithaca was a big deal,” Jeff Hall said. “For the first three months his freshman year, we are driving back and forth as a school as choice. Since then we have moved here, so it was a big deal because we knew everyone in Ithaca, but we did it to give him an opportunity.”
That opportunity was in wrestling.
“I will be honest, when we left Ithaca, I coached Zac’s youth football team from third to sixth grade. And from fifth to eighth grade, Zac had over 100 touchdown passes. And Ithaca has won the last two Division 6 state championships in football, so it was tough call in that aspect. But with Zac, we thought his potential was in wrestling, and we thought St. Johns was a better option.”
Like his son, Jeff Hall says the decision has worked out.
“Having so many good partners around has really helped,” Jeff Hall said. “And then wrestling at Fargo and the Super 32 tournaments, putting yourself out there to wrestle the best, has made him better.
Now Zac Hall is ready to win another team title for the Redwings, as well as winning his second individual state title.
“Our goal as a team is to dominate everyone,” Zac Hall said. “My goal is to pin or technical fall everyone at state. I did that all but one match last year.”