Ross 220-pound senior Frank Heimkreiter enters the sectional tournament this weekend with a 30-4 record and clinched the Rams’ come-from-behind win against second-ranked Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy Saturday in the Division II state team quarterfinals.

The JournalNews recently sat down with Heimkreiter.

Question: What was the experience like Saturday at the state team tournament?

Answer: It was great. It was good getting the butterflies out on a big stage. It sucks it is my senior year, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Being known as one of the best eight teams in Ohio … it was a great experience.

Q: You have a lot of seniors on the team. How cool was it to share everything with kids you have competed with since you were little kids?

A: Well, Coach (Rich) Dunn was actually our youth wrestling coach as well, so we have all known him as long as we have known each other. We have a good number of seniors on our varsity team, and we have all been wrestling together since at least middle school. We went to the middle school state tournament together … we know each other like brothers. We are close like a family, which is nice. To knock off the No. 2 team was an incredible feeling. I can’t believe the feeling it was.

Q: This was actually your first state tournament. Did it seem weird you haven’t been there before?

A: Last year I was doing really well and got a high ankle sprain in my (first) go-to match and then wrestled — basically — on one foot in my last go-to match. It hurt when you get that close. I have been preparing for it big time this year. I am taping both ankles before every match. I got a whole checklist I am going through just to make sure nothing happens this year.

Q: How did the end of last season add to the fire to get there this year?

A: I was so close; I should’ve done it last year. That is the goal I set in my head and I am going to go for it. I got a feeling for it (at the state team tournament). It pushes me harder; I lay awake at night thinking about it. I got to go and place this year.

Q: Think you will miss wrestling next year? (Heimkreiter has signed with Saginaw Valley State to play football)

A: They have a club team, so I might hop in there and roll around some. If I accomplish everything I have set for myself, I think I will be OK. You know, overall, when I was younger I thought my focus would be on football, not really wrestling. I wasn’t going to wrestle, but the coaches talked me back into it. I don’t know what I would do without wrestling. I really have to thank Brian Sawyers because he talked me back into wrestling.