2022 Wrestling preview: For Midview's Hunter Anderson, big brother is watching

Hunter Anderson has followed the path his older brother Zak laid out throughout his life … starting at the same youth wrestling program, progressing through middle school and joining the Midview program as one of its top competitors. But Hunter is looking to navigate his way to Columbus this season to compete in the Division I state tournament, a feat Zak came heartbreakingly close to several times as a four-time district qualifier for the Middies. "Oh, yeah, (I'd like to make it to state) for him and for my dad," Hunter said. "It would be more of bragging rights for me. I would brag about that forever." The guidance from Zak didn't stop once he graduated and moved on to star at Baldwin Wallace. The Yellow Jackets junior returns to the Middies practice room to help his younger brother and the other Midview wrestlers sharpen their skills for the upcoming season. "It's nice having Zak come in because he's such a positive influence for all the kids," Midview first-year coach Paul Steele said. "Everybody really looks up to him and he has a good way of explaining things to the kids, they just connect with him. Us as older coaches, we know the sport and all the technical aspects, but we sometimes don't speak the same language. And anytime he comes into the room, Hunter's level of intensity and willingness to compete just explodes." Hunter finished as a Division I district alternate as a freshman and upgraded to a district qualifier at 144 pounds last season. His career began in grade school as he followed Zak to Elyria for early practices. "I'd watch him for two hours putting in extra work and then he'd ask me to come down to the basement and mess around with him," Hunter said. "I just love the sport of wrestling and I love my dad and brother for teaching me everything I know about it. "(Zak's) incredible. We wrestle about three days a week. We rode out last weekend and watched him win (a college) tournament and that was honestly awesome for me to watch. He's wrestling a totally different style and I'm trying to get into that style of wrestling." While Hunter hopes to emulate Zak's accomplishments on the mat, he also looks to be a leader in the Midview wrestling room like his older brother was during his high school career. "The team didn't vote (Hunter) in to be a captain this year and I think that kind of stung a little bit," Steele said. "I had a conversation with him and told him, 'You might not be a captain, but you will absolutely, undoubtedly be a leader for us this year.' And he has. He has stepped up and filled that role above and beyond what I expected of him. He works hard every day, gives it everything he has and I think the kids see that." Hunter worked out at Elyria, went to West Shore wrestling club and hit other clubs and open mats to get better. He said the constant work surrounding the wrestling lifestyle nearly became too much for him. "I was wrestling six days a week at the age of 5 and 6," he said. "When I got to eighth grade, I thought about stopping, but I realized how much potential it could have. My brother always talked to me about it. Now I see him going to college, wrestling every day and coming home and telling me how much he loves it. He's glad he stuck with it." Nothing might make Zak happier than seeing Hunter step out of his footprints and earn that state tournament berth. "I believe Hunter feels all that pressure and I think he feels like he has to work hard for the Anderson name," Steele said. "He knows how good Zak was and that it was heartbreaking that he never made it there. But I really feel like Hunter wants to make it there not just for himself or his brother but for the whole family. He's going to take full advantage of these next two years and try to make that happen." Contact Shaun Bennett at (440) 329-7137 or sbennett@chroniclet.com. Like him on Facebook and follow him @ShaunBennettct on Twitter.