Sports
Athlete of the Week: Kalvin Hill
Four games into his final prep football campaign, Minooka player already has rushed for nearly 700 yards and nine touchdowns.
Minooka High School’s Kalvin Hill only stands 5-foot-8.
He plays much bigger.
Hill's athletic prowess could put his name among an elite group of athletes to wear Indian orange and black.
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A year ago, Hill rushed for 1,300 yards and 19 touchdowns for the Class 7A quarterfinalists and captured the 160-pound Class 3A individual title at the state wrestling meet in February.
That set the stage for a big senior season and so far, Hill has not disappointed.
Find out what's happening in Channahon-Minookawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Four games into his final prep football campaign, he already has rushed for nearly 700 yards and nine touchdowns. Both lead the Southwest Prairie Conference and have earned Hill the first-ever Channahon-Minooka-Shorewood Patch Athlete of the Week.
You had a great junior year in football and wrestling. What will it take to duplicate or surpass what you did a year ago? It will take a lot of hard work, just like it took to get there, and a lot of improvement as the competition improves.
What was it like last year in football for the team to get so close to advancing to the semifinals, only to lose 21-17 to Belleville East? It was another experience for me to learn from. It helped me become more determined as an individual and as a team to want to get back in the spot we were and make it even farther this year.
What do you remember most about that game? The thing I most remember about the game was the final drive we had to make to win the game, and we fell short losing 21-17.
What sport to you like better, football or wrestling? I love them both. I love football because of the team aspect and I love wrestling because of the individual aspect.
What will it take for you to win another state wrestling title? It will take a lot of extra work during the season besides practicing to stay at the top and win another title. I know a lot of kids are looking out for me and preparing to wrestle me, so I have to work harder and prepare myself for a year of tough competition.
Who are your favorite athletes? Walter Payton, Anthony Robles, Randy Moss, Peyton Manning, Adrian Peterson.
What are your goals for the 2011 season? My goals for the season are to help my football team make it past the state quarterfinals this year and maybe even to the championship game. Also, another big goal is helping my wrestling team make it back to the state finals and winning another individual state title.
