Hopewell Valley Central High School senior Mike Markulec broke the school record for wrestling wins this year. (Photo by Albert Rende.)
Somehow, Mike Markulec always knew he would eventually hit the 100-win milestone as a wrestler at Hopewell Valley High School. The senior had his plan all worked out before he even hit the mat for the first time, although the road to success hasn’t been without some serious obstacles.
Markulec won his 100th match on Dec. 21 and has since broken the school’s win record of 103, set by Jeremy Romano in 1990. He currently has a career record of 117 wins and 19 losses. He joined the varsity team as a freshman, and said he had the entire path to 100 wins broken down, starting with 15 wins in his first season.
He ramped up his ambition after nearly doubling his target that first year.
“I just kind of threw that out after freshman year,” he said. “I had 25 wins. I knew that where I wanted to be as I developed as a wrestler would just come with that.”
He attributes a lot of his early success to his ability to stay calm in tight situations. There were no nerves coming onto the varsity squad as a freshman; he said he got all of that out of the way during football season, where he was also a first-year varsity starter.
“I was so nervous [for football],” he said. “I came in with that experience, being on varsity already freshman year. It was a little odd, but that experience with football, I really wasn’t nervous coming into wrestle.”
That allowed him to focus on other things.
“I just came in wanting to wrestle and compete, which is what coach preaches here,” he said. “We have to compete all six minutes on the mat. My freshman year, I won a lot of close matches. I’ve done that my whole career. It’s allowed me to pick up many wins.”
It’s no surprise for head coach Mario Harpel, who said Markulec has lived by his confident attitude since his first day, when he competed in the 215-lb. weight class. (He’s been at 220 since sophomore year.)
“Mike was very good from day one,” he said. “The fact that he’s breaking some of those records doesn’t surprise me. Mike was always very calm and collected. Very mature and comfortable in a very competitive wrestling environment.”
Markulec is so collected, in fact, that he wrestled all of his junior year with a broken wrist, an injury he sustained during the football season.
Instead of sulking his way through the season, Markulec, whose father is former Hopewell mayor and committeeman Michael Markulec, adapted and worked with the injury. He took fifth in the state meet.
“That really changed my mindset,” he said. “It was about loving wrestling and just wanting to go out there and compete as tough as I can because even though I have a broken wrist, I’m still out there wrestling.”
The technical changes he had to make because of the bone break have stuck with him even into this season.
“I think it really helped me going into this year, being a more competitive wrestler,” he said. “I know how to do moves from both sides. I know how to wrestle in different ways.”
A defensive lineman on the football field, Markulec was also one of the captains of Hopewell’s state champion squad. While he said winning the title was “amazing,” all he could think about was getting back in the gym.
“I’ve always kind of separated them,” he said. “I’m a wrestler first, football player second. I love football. I love playing with my teammates. It was amazing this year winning the championship game, but missing that week of wrestling was tough for me. I wanted to get in the room to work for my eventual goal of being the state champ.”
Could Markulec have two state championships under his belt by the time he graduates? Harpel certainly thinks so.
“Without question,” he said. “He is very, very good. Very accomplished and able to compete at that level. The fact that he was fifth last year certainly sets him up to make a really strong run, to be on top of the podium. That would be very, very cool. I would be very excited for Mark.”
Markulec is currently ranked third in the state, behind Zack Chakonis of Don Bosco Prep and Delsea’s Brian Dobzanski, last year’s state champion. Dobzanski pinned Markulec in the second period of their match at last year’s state tournament.
Is he Markulec’s biggest competition?
“There are great kids throughout the weight class,” he said. “Once you get to the state tournament, every kid is good. There are a lot of great wrestlers in my weight. I just have to go in and compete six minutes. Hopefully I get there.”
Harpel can’t imagine him not getting there.
“For Mike, he’s mentally tough,” he said. “He doesn’t like to lose. He works hard every day. His talent is almost a product of his work ethic. Some kids are just naturally talented. Mike has kind of earned every bit of success that he’s had. It’s a great asset to our team, our program. He’s a great leader. He supports everyone. It’s a big help for us.”
,
