‘We’re always competing’: Piontkowski twins thriving for Olentangy boys wrestling
Saturday, January 20, 2024
By Michael Rich
mrich@cbussports.com
Olentangy’s Nick Piontkowski (left) and brother Jake Piontkowski, both juniors, hope to contend at the state wrestling meet this March at Ohio State. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Whether it’s a race to the front seat of the car, battling on board game nights or scrambling at an Olentangy boys wrestling practice, Nick and Jake Piontkowski are always competing with each other.
Even through the competitions, the junior twins are always there for each other. That was particularly evident last season when Jake helped Nick rehab a torn labrum in his left shoulder and Nick helped Jake find his confidence.
Both feed off the desire to win.
“I just think with the way both of us are, we’re just naturally-born competitors,” Jake said. “Racing out to the car to see who gets the front seat – it’s just the little things like that we’re always (do). I hate to lose. I can’t stand it. Even if it’s simple games in the wrestling room or athletic competitions, it drives me nuts. That’s just something that’s always been with – the constant desire to win.”
The Piontkowski’s competitive nature was one of the first things first-year coach Matt White noticed when he took over the program.
“I’ve been around very few guys that have the desire and competitiveness that they do,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter what it is. … It could be a simple drill in practice or a game or a match – they have the passion to want to win. It could be the mundane thing, but they’re going to turn it into a competition. They both want to win. Everyone wants to win and they say they want to win – but these guys really mean it.”
Nick suffered a shoulder injury during practice when he was working with 2019 graduate Jacob Sherman.
“We were just rolling around in the room a little bit and then he caught me and ripped my arm out,” he said. “My first thought was, ‘Oh shoot, am I going to be done for the season?’
Olentangy’s Nick Piontkowski (left) wrestles Henry Wilson of Thomas Worthington at 132 pounds Jan. 18 at Olentangy. Photo: John Hulkenberg
“I love to compete. Even when we’re playing board games at home with my family – we’re always competing. So, (being done for the season) was my biggest fear. A couple of months later, I found out through the MRI that I had torn my labrum. That was tough to hear.”
Opting to not have surgery, Nick rehabbed the injury with Jake helping him work through it. It wasn’t easy.
“It took me five months of physical therapy – doing stuff at home on my own – just to get to the point where I could drill a little bit in practice,” Nick said. “Then it was probably another three months where I was able to get back to practice and roll around with my brother at a higher level. It was just a grind.”
Nick wears a shoulder brace now, which puts a target on the injury.
“That’s one of the things that my brother and I really practice – staying out of those positions,” Nick said. “As soon as I get there, I’ve got to fight as hard as I can. The second I get there, another season could be gone like that.
“(Jake has been) my biggest supporter. I’ve been wrestling since kindergarten and to lose a season like that is one of the hardest things I’ve had to go through. I’ve had conversations with him every day, just trying to get through this and look at the positives. The hours we spent every single day downstairs in our basement just practicing to help me get to a level that I can compete at and just get back to normal.”
As a sophomore, Jake qualified for the state tournament, going 1-2 at 126 pounds before falling to Miamisburg’s Jayden Cochran 5-4 to finish 41-12.
Nick was there for Jake throughout the season to offer advice and encouragement.
“Nick has really helped me out with (my confidence),” Jake said. “We talked constantly about confidence and how to work through certain (situations) and having confidence to hit certain moves.”
Olentangy’s Jake Piontkowski during his match with Dean Poppy of Thomas Worthington at 138 pounds Jan. 18 at Olentangy. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Confidence was the main thing holding Jake back. But he found it wrestling for Team SHUTT in the offseason.
“I got invited to wrestle with Team Shutt and I felt like that’s where it really clicked for me,” Jake said. “After the state tournament, I felt like there was a piece of me missing and it was confidence. I spent the entire offseason just working and trying to perfect my craft.
“(With Team SHUTT), I felt like I had something to prove and as I kept wrestling those matches, I felt my confidence just grow and grow. I realized if I can hang with these guys, I can go out and compete with the best of the best.”
The two are thriving this season. Nick took first place at 132 and Jake also won at 144 when the Braves finished second with 228 points to Springboro (294) at Beavercreek’s Coach Bulugaris Classic on Jan. 6.
Jake got his 100th victory while finishing second at the Mason Comet Invitational on Jan. 13 and is 29-3 on the season after the Braves’ 66-15 win over Thomas Worthington on Jan. 18 to move to 2-0 in the OCC-Cardinal Division.
“His mindset is just way different,” Nick said. “He didn’t fully believe in himself. He had a lot of success wrestling (with Team SHUTT) in the offseason and I think that really showed him that (he’s) the real deal (and) he can compete with these high-level guys. He’s continued to grow throughout the season.”
Nick, who is 28-7, finished third at Mason where the Braves scored 154 points to end up behind champion Dublin Coffman (322.5) and Indianapolis (Indiana) Cathedral (270).
Olentangy had nine placers at the event with heavyweight Daniel Stephens also finishing second.
“I knew the program I was taking over was going to be really solid,” White said. “I don’t think we realized it was going to be this solid this fast based on some of their tournament results from last year. But we’ve got a lot of great pieces across the entire lineup. They’re doing really well.”
Jake also won the Medina Invitational on Dec. 29 and the Olentangy Invitational on Dec. 9, both at 144.
“I’ve had to put in three times the amount of work to get even close to where he’s at,” Nick said. “He’s had a year ahead of me to get better. He’s been our best wrestler on the team this entire year.”
