Athlete of the Week: Titans’ Hovis in search of fourth state title

The first time Quentin Hovis walked into the wrestling building at Poway High after transferring, one thing he noticed was the honor list of state champions on the wall above the workout mat.

Hovis entered the building with an impressive resume already.

The 5-foot-10 grappler is already a state champion, a three-time state champion at Seton Catholic Prep in Chandler, Ariz.

“I’ve never been in a wrestling room like Poway,’’ Hovis said. “I’ve seen some colleges with rooms like this.

“It’s definitely not like my old room at Seton Catholic. It was about the size of the side room the freshmen use here.

“I know I’m the new kid here, but I really want my name on the wall as a Poway state champion.’’

Hovis’ roots in sports date back to his time in judo years ago when the family was living on Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands.

The San Diego native lived in paradise until the family relocated to Arizona when Hovis was 10.

Reluctantly, Hovis made the decision to move into wrestling and leave judo behind.

“I went back and forth between the two sports, but I couldn’t get to college on a judo scholarship,’’ Hovis said. “Every now and then, a judo move will come out and everyone starts laughing.’’

Had the wrestling program at Seton Catholic not fallen apart when the coach resigned, Hovis would not have become a Titan in search of state title No. 4.

While most of his former teammates moved on to other Chandler-area high schools, he went west.

“It was a little rough to say goodbye to my former friends and teammates,’’ Hovis said. “I knew Poway was a good program. I had wrestled Poway guys over the years.’’

Hovis remembered wrestling Scott Kiyono, who is now a teammate at Poway, when he was still in Arizona.

According to Hovis, he won two of his three matches against Kiyono.

“We remembered each other,’’ Hovis said, laughing. “I saw a few photos of the two of us at age 12.’’

Since then, Hovis became a state champion.

“I was a little surprised to get that medal freshman year,’’ Hovis said. “Sophomore year I came to the state finals to win it.

“Last year there was a lot more pressure. It keeps building. I had a real big target on my back.’’

That target, even though he changed states, has gotten even bigger at Poway.

“Quentin could be a state champion from anywhere and be a stud,’’ Poway coach Wayne Branstetter said. “He’s legit. He’s competed at the highest levels.

“You know within five minutes on the mat that he’s a stud. He’s not intimidated by anything or anyone.’’

Hovis presently is ranked No. 1 in the state at 152 pounds.

Thanks to a 5-2 win over David Carr of Massillon Perry in the finals of the prestigious Walsh Ironman Invitational at Walsh Jesuit High in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Hovis is now ranked No. 1 in the nation.

“The game plan is still the same,’’ Hovis said. “Win the state title.’’

Next season, Hovis will continue wrestling at the Naval Academy to continue the family tradition.

“My grandparents were in the Navy and I’ve run into so many former Navy guys since we moved here,’’ Hovis added.

Monahan is a freelance writer.