BY DAN STICKRADT
CORRESPONDENT
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
Instagram: stickradtdan
AUBURN HILLS — A third straight unbeaten season is in the record books for Lake Fenton’s Trent Hilger.
The heavyweight Mr. Wrestling finalist is bowing out of the prep scene a three-time state champion and a Wisconsin-bound athlete as part of his fine career on the high school scene.
A two-sport star circling between wrestling and football, Hilger capped the final weekend of the Michigan prep season with three pins and a technical fall in just 3:15 over Luke Tromp of Lake Odessa Lakewood in the Division 3 285-pound finals at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
He finished the season 57-0 and has not lost a match since the state tournament his freshman year when he was wrestling at 171.
“I lost here as a freshman, but I still finished fourth,” recalled Hilger. “I learned from that.”
Hillger was Division 3 state champion at 215 back in 2015 and captured the D-3 285-pound crown as a junior. He is 238-5 for his stellar career.
“It doesn’t matter who is out there on the mat. I just go out there and try to win,” noted Hilger. “Sure, it’s nice to get pins. But on this stage, you are not going for team points. You just go out there and try to win a state title.”
Hillger is currently ranked in the top 10 in the nation by two different publications — coming in at No. 3 by intermat.com and No. 4 by FloWrestling.com. He has selected to compete for Team USA at the Dapper Dan / Pittsburgh Classic March 25 in Pennsylvania.
“It’s sad that this is coming to an end,” said Hilger. “I’m happy to finish up a three-time state champion and look forward to wrestling at Wisconsin. This has been (a great experience). I couldn’t have asked for too much better of a high school career competing for Lake Fenton, in both wrestling and football. I have awesome memories.”