Dieruff ’s Villanueva never flinched despite repeated adversity
Jerry Villanueva and other Dieruff students taking advanced honors courses received an opportunity two years ago from Lehigh Carbon Community College.
“It was a new program through a grant,” he said. “We were the guinea pigs, but it was something I saw that could help me in the future. I was already taking college courses, so why not take it to the next level.”
Villanueva is getting the maximum out of it. The senior will earn his associate’s degree in May in general studies.
“I worked so hard,” he said. “I crushed it the first semester, proved that I belonged.”
The 18-year-old Allentown resident has been putting in the time the last four years in the wrestling room but has little to show for his dedication aside from the battle scars. Injuries and COVID-19 have limited his competition time during the high school season and offseason the last two years.
The Huskies’ 152-pounder has one more chance to crush it at the District 11 Class 3A tournament Saturday and Sunday at Parkland High School. Villanueva is the sixth seed. He faces Nazareth sophomore Noah Okamoto in Saturday’s first round at noon.
The double-elimination tournament concludes Sunday with finals and consolation finals at 3:15. The top three in each weight class advance to the Northeast Regional event Feb. 27, at Charles Chrin Community Center in Palmer Township.
“Every time he’s worked hard for something, his injuries or COVID have taken it away from him,” Dieruff coach Jordan Glykas said. “It’s been hard, but he’s pushing the last few weeks and he’s going into districts feeling confident and ready to let it go.”
Villanueva began wrestling in middle school in the Allentown intramural program, which practiced for a few weeks before a season-ending quad match.
His uncle, Johnny Villanueva, wrestled at Dieruff. He convinced his nephew to give the sport a serious try as a freshman.
Villanueva signed up, showed up and became enamored.
“I remember falling in love with it,” he said, “the atmosphere, the crazy sweat, the aching, every part of the sport.”
Success was still limited. Villanueva got an eye-opening
realization after winning one of five matches in his first varsity tournament. He lost eight matches in a row at one point, six by pin, and finished his freshman season with a 10-20 record.
Instead of quitting, he stepped up his commitment. He went to offseason tournaments and clubs for workouts.
He opened his sophomore season with three consecutive wins at the Pope John Paul Invitational. He started 9-4 before suffering a shoulder injury.
Villanueva worked his way back in time for the district tournament, but lost his two matches by a combined six points.
It was back to the drawing board, but a finger injury all but eliminated his offseason in which he planned a full slate of freestyle competitions.
Villanueva’s junior year started with promise before the shoulder injury returned. It was worse this time. He tried to wrestle through it, but eventually had to shut it down for the season.
The COVID-19 pandemic struck at the end of the 201920 season. It wiped out another offseason schedule filled with more freestyle events and his goal of qualifying for Fargo’s national tournament.
It was another blow to Villanueva’s
desire to get better, but his effort never wavered.
“He’s mentally tough,” Glykas said. “Nothing really gets him to the point when he doesn’t believe he can do something.”
COVID-19 restrictions canceled most of Dieruff ’s 202021 schedule. It also kept Villanueva and his teammates out of the practice room for weeks at a time. Then the senior and his family tested positive for the virus, forcing him to miss another couple of weeks.
But he returned to the mat for two duals and preparation for his last chance at the postseason. The son of Jerry and Elizabeth Villanueva put in the work. He found support and encouragement throughout his up-anddown career from Glykas and his staff, plus 2020 Dieruff graduates Karam Chakif and Isaac Kassis.
He is forever appreciative, but is ready to see the fruits of his labor.
“I’m very thankful for the opportunity to wrestle at districts,” he said. “I haven’t had an honest chance since my sophomore year. I feel like I’m miles ahead of the person I was then. My shoulder has been pretty good. I’ve just been trying to get better in all aspects.”
Since finishing his sophomore year, Villanueva took steps to improve his future. He is three months away from a high school diploma and an associate’s degree from LCCC. He signed up to join the Marines this summer.
“I want to do something meaningful in my life,” he said. “It’s time to move on, better myself.”
Villanueva knows the next time he steps on the mat could be his last. He’s not ready for that moment to come this weekend.
He remembered taking a probability and statistics class at LCCC. Math is not his strength, but he welcomed the challenge.
“It was a course of adversity for me,” Villanueva said. “But I kept studying. I always like those pieces of adversity. How I’ve dealt with it has shaped me through these last few years.
“I hold myself accountable. If I’m going to do something, I”m going to do my best or there’s no point in doing it.”
Villanueva may not be the best in his weight class when this weekend’s tournament is over, but he can look in the mirror knowing he gave wrestling — like academics — everything he had.