Athlete of the Week: Coach says Kobey Bosworth is ‘key wrestler’

Many OTHS wrestlers have contributed to the 2015-16 team’s outstanding 19-1 dual meet record and 6-1 mark in Southwestern Conference action. This week’s top athlete — Kobey Bosworth — is one of those major contributors.

Despite a slow start to his season due to a concussion, Bosworth has come on like gang-busters since returning to Coach Glenn Exton’s starting line-up. Filling the 190 lb. weight division, the talented Panther grappler, the son of Mike and Holly Koechner, has been virtually unstoppable over the past three weeks as he prepares for Illinois High School Association’s regional tournament action this week.

In his final week of the regular season, the OTHS junior scored a win to help his team earn a victory over Vandalia. In the Kyle Thrasher tournament hosted by Francis Howell, Bosworth road roughshod over his first opponent to score a technical fall and won a 3-2 decision to advance into the 190 lb. semi-finals before falling to the eventual champion.

“Kobey has been a key wrestler for us since his return to the line-up,” Exton said. “He is a hard worker and is constantly working to improve his strength and technique.”

“Wrestling always provides a challenge, and I enjoy challenges,” Bosworth said. “I started wrestling in junior high because I wanted something else that was a tough sport. Being pushed by my peers, as well as past and present coaches, has helped contribute largely to my success.”

“As Dan Gable once stated, ‘Once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy,’” the OTHS junior standout said. “I approach everything in life expecting to be successful and with discipline to be the best I can be. Wrestling helped me realize that no matter what if you first hard enough you can always come out on top.”

This story was originally published February 2, 2016 at 1:18 PM with the headline "Athlete of the Week: Coach says Kobey Bosworth is ‘key wrestler’."