ROCHELLE — Justin Hernandez thought his wrestling career may have been over after suffering a tough loss during the IHSA Class 2A Individual Sectional this past season.

While Hernandez was unable to achieve his goal of qualifying for the IHSA Class 2A Individual State Championships this year, the Rochelle senior graduate still amassed 41 victories while helping the Hubs advance to the IHSA Class 2A Team State Championships and place fourth. Hernandez now has a new goal, which he will try to accomplish when he joins the Lincoln College wrestling program this coming school year.

“I’m looking forward to trying to become an All-American in college,” Hernandez said. “That’s my ultimate goal… That final loss at sectionals was tough and I thought my wrestling career was over. I didn’t want to wrestle, but I realized that I had to put the loss behind me and that I wanted to continue wrestling. I’m more excited to wrestle in college now and I think I’ll be more motivated to push further.”

Hernandez (41-8 at 132 pounds this past season) was one of three 40-match winners on the Hubs, who qualified eight wrestlers for the sectional tournament this year and advanced four grapplers to the state championships. Hernandez ended his four-year high school career with 130 victories, going 35-9 in 2017 and 27-10 in 2016 and 2015.

A three-time captain with the Rochelle program, Hernandez won both the Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference Championship and the IHSA Class 2A Belvidere Individual Regional Championship at 132 pounds this year. Hernandez played an integral role in helping the Hubs win back-to-back IHSA Class 2A Individual Regional titles in 2017 and 2018, the first two regional titles in school history.

“Coach [Richard] Harvey and my dad have really helped me,” Hernandez said. “My mom, my dad and my family have always been there for me, and I knew I could always go to Mr. Harvey when I needed him. He knows when I’m shaken up and he knows how to help me get under control.”

Hernandez said he plans to study history at Lincoln College in order to pursue his goal of becoming a history teacher. The former Hub is eager to start his college career with the Lynx, and he’s looking forward to the opportunity to continue competing in the sport he’s done for nearly his whole life.

“Their coach has consistently talked to me and we talk all the time to make sure I’m up to date with everything,” Hernandez said. “They have less kids in the mat room than other schools and it’s a better situation financially for me… After taking U.S. History my junior year and taking Government my senior year, I learned that I really like history and I feel like history comes to me easily.”