Downsizing: Hawks’ junior drops weight, adds victories

Less has proven to be more for Brandon Sklavanitis.

The Oregon wrestler had a successful campaign by anyone’s standards a year ago as a sophomore. He went 30-8 competing at 171 pounds, but came up short of his ultimate goal – a state tournament berth.

He made the semifinals at the Oregon Sectional, then ran into problems. He lost by technical fall to Dakota’s Jake Apple, then was pinned by Rockford Lutheran’s Michael Andrukaitis in a wrestleback. Apple won the state title, beating Andrukaitis in the semifinals on his way.

To compete at that elite level, Sklavanitis decided a change was in order.

A gym rat when it comes to sports, Sklavanitis knew working hard to improve was a given. He decided he also needed to drop down a weight class, to 160.

“I just thought my body size isn’t big enough for 171,” Sklavanitis said. “Last year made me realize that. I weighed in at 165 for sectionals, and they were just a lot bigger than me. I didn’t have the physical capability to keep up with them.”

Sklavanitis (34-2), a starting fullback and linebacker for the Oregon football team, carried a few extra pounds early in the wrestling season and had to compete at 170 for a bit. He was beaten by last year’s third-place finisher at 160 pounds, Dan Stott of Harvard, in the season-opener, but has lost only once since.

That was to Jackson Fox, a top-ranked wrestler from Wisconsin, in the finals of a tournament at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater around Christmas. Sklavanitis is currently ranked fourth by Illinois Matmen.

His top wins in Illinois have been against Riverdale’s T.J. Lowe, both in a dual and the Orion Tournament, and against Newman’s Brian Bahrs. Lowe is ranked fifth at 160, while Bahrs is third at 152.

“It makes me realize I should be able to compete at that level,” Sklavanitis said.

Sklavanitis is always on the go when it comes to sports. He undergoes year-round speed training to improve himself for football. After the high school wrestling season is completed, he competes for the Attrition Wrestling Club in Rockford. His teammates and training partners include Apple; Winnebago’s Trace Engelkes, No. 1 at 160 pounds; and Harvard’s Nathan Cowan, No. 4 at 182 pounds.