Athlete Spotlight: James Wood Wrestler Hunter Bentley

Posted: January 6, 2015

James Wood High School 16-year-old junior

Sport: Wrestling

Weight class: 182 pounds

Parents: Connor and Karyn Bentley

Hometown: Winchester

What do you love about wrestling: I love the competitive part of it and how you’re out on the mat by yourself. It’s a team sport, but you can’t put your excuses on anyone else if you lose. And when you get your hand raised, it’s only you.

Biggest strength and weakness in wrestling: [Strength], my heart. I’m not the most technical, but I hate losing more than anything. I won’t give up. [Weakness], my length. (Bentley is 6 feet, 3 inches tall.) Shorter guys can be hard to match up with sometimes.

Funniest person on the team: [Senior] Jimmy Woznak. His dances moves are funny. He’s always dancing.

Prematch routine/ritual: I listen to listen to music a lot — hard rock, classic rock — and I try and sit and focus on my match, calm myself down.

Most memorable moment in wrestling: Taking fourth at [the Walters/Copp Holiday Invitational Dec. 29-30 at James Wood]. That’s my best tournament finish in high school. It just felt good to start winning some matches. I’m better this year than the other two years. (Bentley has a record of 22-3 for the season.)

Most embarrassing moment in wrestling: I got a concussion from falling walking up the stairs after a match. That happened freshman year.

Favorite athlete: [UFC fighter] Jon Jones. He’s a crazy athlete. He’s really long like me, so it’s cool to see him do good. And he’s got crazy heart. He never gives up.

Favorite sports team: Washington Capitals

Three people you can have dinner with, dead or alive: Jones. George Washington; he’s the first president, and I’d like to ask him what he thinks of the country today. And my great grandma Hope; she died when I was a baby, so I’d like to get to know her better.

Most interesting person you follow on social media: [Actor] Will Ferrell, just because he puts a lot of funny stuff out there.

Favorite thing to do in town: I like going to Buffalo Wild Wings with my friends.

Best live sporting event you’ve been to: I saw the Capitals play the Devils two years ago [at the Verizon Center]. That was my first Capitals game and the first sports game I ever went to. It was neck-and-neck, and then the Capitals scored late and won. On the way out, everyone was honking their horns. It was pretty cool.

Plans after high school: I want to join the military and go into the Marines. My dad was a Marine, and he inspires me.

— Compiled by Robert Niedzwiecki