Despite only wrestling three years, Aberdeen junior Chris Hoffman finished sixth in the state last year and improved to third in last weekend's Class 4A-3A state meet at Cole Field House at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Hoffman (119 pounds) earned third place with a 10-8 overtime victory over Old Mill's Willie Pumphrey. With that win, Hoffman improved his record to 40-2 this season. He won the Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference and Class 4A-3A East regional titles. He's now focusing solely on wrestling after having played baseball and football in the past.
Hoffman, 5-foot-6, is hoping to get a shot at wrestling in college.
When did you begin to wrestle competitively?
I started it my freshman year. I went out a little bit late that year because people were trying to convince me to do it, and I had never wrestled before. And then I finally came out and tried out, and right then I knew this was going to be a good sport for me.
Did you think that you'd ever be able to come this far this fast?
I knew that if I put my head to it that ... anything you think you can reach, you can get it. I'm just working really hard in the off-season and hoping to come back next year and be ready to try and win a state title.
What was it like to come so close to winning a state title this year?
It was really good. The semifinal match between me and Jake Shilling [from La Plata, the eventual champion], it was a really exciting match. He beat me 8-6. I knew he was going to be the guy to beat; he was a top seed. I thought that I had a good shot. I worked hard at it, but I ended up losing. I kept my attitude straight and came back and took third place.
What did you learn from this year's competition?
When you get that far, you've got to learn how to deal with pressure. The pressure is really on you. I kind of just dealt with it. I was just taking one match at a time, and I got used to it as the time went on in the tournament.
What are you looking at for next year?
Next year, I'm looking at [going] all the way with it. I'd really like to win the state championship. I've put a lot of work into this.
Do you miss not playing the other sports and just focusing on wrestling?
I really do. Football and baseball were the two sports I [had] played since I was really little. I got really good at those two sports. When I got into high school, though, I found out that wrestling was my sport. I found out that was my best, and that might be the sport that helps me get into college.
What's on your iPod?
I listen to everything. I listen to rhythm and blues, rock and country. The day of a match, I will listen to the band Bullet For My Valentine. It's motivation music for me.
Who helped you when you first started to wrestle in high school?
I have a really good friend named Brandon Frazier, and the 119-pounder from when [I started], George Lauvach, he graduated two years ago but was a senior, and he said they needed a 103-pounder, and they convinced me to come out. It worked out just fine.
What's your favorite TV show?
I don't really watch TV that much. I would say something on HBO.
Are you going to go to wrestling camp this summer?
The team wants to go to a camp at the University of Maryland this summer, and I'm probably going to do that with them.