Brandon Metz won a Junior Greco-Roman title in Fargo this past summer (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Fall sports have started all throughout the United States, or at least in the vast majority of states. While specialization seems to increasingly be the new normal, there are still many multi-sport athletes who are impact contributors in multiple sports. A number of the nation's top wrestlers will also be making an impact on the gridiron this fall, here are some of their stories.
Patrick Brucki (Carl Sandburg, Ill.)
On the wrestling mat, Brucki is a two-time state medalist, placing third and second at the state tournament this last two seasons. In Fargo this summer, he finished third in Junior freestyle at 195 pounds. Brucki is currently ranked No. 35 overall in the Class of 2017. He started at linebacker as a junior for a perennial state playoff team, and this season will add playing fullback to his duties.
Trent Hillger (Lake Fenton, Mich.)
On the wrestling mat, Hillger has not lost a match since the consolation final at state his freshman season. The last two seasons have been undefeated state championship campaigns, with records of 60-0 and 63-0. He is ranked as the No. 16 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017. On the football field, this athleticism translates in the form of multi-position stardom.
Hillger started at running back as a freshman and sophomore before getting moved to quarterback as a junior, while on the defensive side of the ball it was two years of starting at defensive end before a move to linebacker his junior season. For this coming season, Hillger is slated to start at running back and defensive end.
Dylan Meeks (Dr. Phillips, Fla.)
On the wrestling mat, Meeks advanced to the state final bout at 195 pounds as an eighth grader before winning state titles each of the next three seasons (freshman year at 195, the last two at 220). However, the No. 38 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017 will be a collegiate football player. His two older brothers are currently Division I-A football players (Alton at Northern Illinois, and Colby at Colorado State).
Dylan is going to be a four-year varsity player for a power football program at the linebacker position, and will be entering his third season as a starter. In terms of his football outlook, Meeks is rated as a three-star recruit, and has many offers from "power five" programs.
Brandon Metz (West Fargo, N.D.)
On the wrestling mat, Metz is a three-time state champion and multi-time USA Wrestling All-American. The No. 42 overall prospect in the Class of 2017 has won a pair of titles in Greco-Roman, the first as a Cadet in 2014 and most recently just over a month ago at the Junior level. Metz was also a Junior Greco All-American in 2015, and has earned a pair of All-American finishes in freestyle, as a Cadet in 2014 and at the Junior level last month.
Metz has verbally committed to North Dakota State, where he will be a scholarship wrestler and attempt to walk-on for the five-time defending Division I-AA (FCS) national champions. On the football field, he is a defensive lineman.
Quinn Miller (Archer, Ga.)
On the wrestling mat, Miller is a three-time state finalist, earning his lone state title as a sophomore. He was also runner-up at the NHSCA Junior Nationals this spring in the 220 pound weight class, and is ranked No. 94 overall in the Class of 2017. As a football player, Miller is a three-star rated linebacker with offers from multiple "group of five" football programs in Division I-A.
Mason Parris (Lawrenceburg, Ind.)
On the wrestling mat, Parris has one loss across his two seasons of high school competition, that coming in the state semifinal round as a freshman. The No. 17 overall wrestler in the Class of 2018 was an undefeated state champion during his sophomore season, and also went undefeated at the AAU Scholastic Duals this summer. As a football player, the linebacker was named Defensive MVP in his conference as a sophomore; Parris averaged 13 tackles per game, including two per game for a loss. Even more important, he has over a 4.0 GPA.
Kaleb Romero (Mechanicsburg, Ohio)
On the wrestling mat, Romero is a three-time state champion with 150 wins against just three losses, the last two of them coming in early December of 2014. He is ranked as the No. 12 overall prospect in the Class of 2017. On the football field, Romero will be entering his fourth season as a two-way starter at the quarterback and free safety positions. He was named all-state first team at the QB position during his junior season.
In terms of team success, Romero has been a key part of three straight playoff teams, including a state semi-final run his freshman season before last year's state quarterfinal run. Furthermore, Romero also played baseball as a freshman, where he was a center-fielder with a .430 batting average.
Chase Shiltz (Creston, Iowa)
On the wrestling mat, Shiltz is a three-time state finalist, with state titles in each of the last two seasons. This multi-sport star is ranked No. 70 overall in the Class of 2017, and has verbally committed to North Dakota State for wrestling. As a football player, Shiltz has amassed over 30 touchdowns each of the last two seasons as a running back. Last season, he was top five overall in Iowa both in rushing touchdowns (35) and rushing yards (2,542). Shiltz is also an impact contributor in a third sport, playing both third base and pitcher on the baseball field.
Travis Stefanik (Nazareth, Pa.)
On the wrestling mat, Stefanik placed third in the PIAA big-school state tournament this season, and then built upon that with superlative performances at both the FloNationals and NHSCA Junior Nationals. The No. 55 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017 was champion at the FloNationals and then finish runner-up the following week at NHSCA Juniors.
As a football player, Stefanik will be entering his third year as a quarterback at the varsity level, his second as the full-time starter. Last year, he averaged 200 yards passing a game with 60-plus percent completions, while rushing for another 100 a game and contributing for just over three TD's a game (28 passing, 8 rushing in 11 games). During the senior season, Stefanik will add starting free safety duties to his plate.
Brey Walker (Southmoore, Okla.)
On the wrestling mat, Walker won a state title during his sophomore season. In addition, the No. 13 overall prospect in the Class of 2018 was champion at the NHSCA Sophomore and Freshman Nationals each of the last two seasons. However, his meal ticket in college is going to be football, where the four-star recruit has already committed to Oklahoma. Walker is a physical freak at the offensive tackle position.
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