JWCC Prairie State Profile: Saukees’ Davis keeps focus on task at hand in pursuit of state wrestling berth

The Prairie State Profile will appear each week to highlight an Illinois area student-athlete.

PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Mason Davis refuses to get caught daydreaming.

Sure, his goal is clear cut: Become a state wrestling qualifier.

After that, there’s the hope of wrestling well enough to earn a medal and a spot on the podium at the end of the day. That’s been a lifelong pursuit for the Pittsfield senior, but he’s not allowing himself to envision what it might feel like or look like to be standing there with a medal around his neck.

Such daydreams would be a distraction right now.

“You can’t look too far ahead,” Davis said. “In a match, you can’t look deep into the match because it’s so sudden. Anytime you could get pinned and it could all be over. Basically, I’ve been trying to keep everything in front of me and worry about one thing at a time.

“It would be cool to be on the podium, but I’m not thinking about that until I’m there.”

The chances of that happening are in his favor.

Davis heads to the Class 1A Vandalia Sectional as one of the contenders at 170 pounds. He owns a 27-5 record, a regional championship and a bevy of confidence even while facing a field with three state-ranked wrestlers and one undefeated grappler.

Davis is one of five wrestlers in the field who is receiving honorable mention in the state rankings and he’s prepared for a dogfight in order to advance.

“It’s going to take a good mentality,” Davis said. “I’ve been practicing hard my entire career, and this has been a solid season for me. I have all the tools in my toolbox. Basically, I need to go out there and take it one match at a time and worry about what’s in front of me.”

He needs to wrestle his style, too. Davis beat Auburn’s Joey Burrow with a 16-0 technical fall in the second period of the championship match by dominating when they were on their feet and controlling the match on the mat.

“The ability I have on my feet gives me confidence,” Davis said. “I feel like I can take down anybody in the state because I’ve worked so much on my takedowns and feel that’s a real key part of my wrestling. It’s knowing I can score on anybody.”

Sticking to that game plan is the only way he achieves the ultimate goal of leaving a legacy.

Inside the Pittsfield wrestling room, there is a large board hanging on the wall with the name of every Saukees wrestler who has qualified for the state tournament. It now serves as daily inspiration.

“I grew up around a lot of those guys and they kind of mentored me,” Davis said. “It seems like the end goal. It drives me to be better because I want to be part of that list. Tradition is really important to me. Holding up this streak of excellence within the high school program is important to me.”

Davis embraces that responsibility.

“It seems right to carry that torch,” Davis said.

There’s no other sport he’d want to be the torch bearer for.

“It’s the ability to control every single aspect of it that drew me in,” Davis said. “I was never really big with ball sports because they seemed out of my control. There’s something about wrestling, knowing it’s you and that other guy and it’s about what you do. You can determine your own success. No one else can.”

So much of that is determined before ever stepping on the mat.

“It’s tough to compete with almost anybody in Illinois if you’re not preparing yourself year round by doing some sort of wrestling, some sort of weight training,” Davis said. “You have to stay committed to it.”

That’s a lifestyle he’s embraced.

“It’s completely worth it,” Davis said.