Jackson wrestler heads to state meet without his father

The heart of a champion may be hard to measure and fully comprehend, but it apparently can be passed on to the next generation.

Levi Hobeck will be one of nine Jackson athletes who will compete at the state wrestling championships that begin Thursday in Columbia, Mo.

It remains to be seen how the 140-pound junior will fare in the grueling competition that requires four straight victories against the toughest competition in Missouri to capture a state title.

But for Hobeck to reach his first state meet has been a battle reserved for champions. He's been wrestling a situation that far outweighs his 140-pound frame, and a situation that is difficult on any person, let alone a 17-year-old.

Hobeck's father, Ron, a deputy with the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff Department, suffered a stroke while on duty Jan. 10. He has been a patient at Southeast Missouri Hospital since.

Jackson state qualifiers Levi Hobeck, top, and Blake Hooe work together during practice Tuesday at Jackson High School.

Ron, 46, has his own place in Jackson's rich wrestling history. He is one of 11 Missouri state champions to wrestle for the Indians, having won the 185-pound title as a senior in 1982 when the Indians placed second as a team. Ron also was an all-state football player at Jackson.

Hobeck's stroke not only shook the world of his family -- wife Lisa, Levi and younger brothers Preston, 13, and Joey, 5 -- but was shocking news for the Jackson community.

"Ron was a state champion at Jackson and Ron does so much with the youth program here in Jackson on a wrestling note and football note," Jackson wrestling coach Steve Wachter said. "So he's very important to a lot of our kids and to our community and to the coaching staff.

"It was really a big shock and Levi is very important to his team members. He's very likable and his teammates really like him. So yeah, it was a big thing for our team.

"And boy [Levi[']s] just done a tremendous job staying focused on doing his job because it's what his dad would want him to do. He knew his dad would want him to stay focused on his wrestling and take care of business, and that's what he did."

Levi has soldiered on with his father and biggest fan on the sideline. He's managed to stay the course on a season that saw him win the 145-pound championship at the Tiger Classic before Christmas. He finished third at last week's district meet to push his record to 39-10 as he's kept himself immersed in the reprieve that wrestling provides.

It hasn't been easy, with some moments harder to bear than others.

"During the week, when I have nothing going on, just practice, it doesn't really affect me," Hobeck said. "Then whenever you get ready for a tournament, like when I leave I always tell my mom bye, I'll see her in the next few days or something. And you just know that you can't really say bye to him cause he's at the hospital.

"And you're wrestling and you look up in the stands and you don't see him. That's kind of hard to deal with. You kind of wish he'd be there, but he can't."

An uncle also is missing in the stands. Junior teammate Jordan Reisenbichler is Levi's cousin. Reisenbichler's mother, Debbie Reisenbichler, records all the matches so Ron can view them later at the hospital.

"I'll go over there and we'll watch them together," Levi said. "And if there's a meet or something coming, he's always interested and has a comment."

And the former state champion usually has words of advice.

"He always tells Levi he needs to wrestle more aggressive," Lisa said with a laugh.

Levi said he was particularly eager for his dad to get the news about the district meet.

"I like to see them all go [to state] of course, but it was really special for him, to me, for his family," Wachter said. "Because it's a great thing for his father, you know, to go through what he's gone through, and a great thing for him to stay focused."

Lisa Hobeck said her husband has been "really improving" and could be released from the hospital as early as Thursday. While Ron cannot make the trip to Columbia, Lisa said she plans to attend.

"It makes me realize that something can happen and you can lose it all," Levi said. "And it makes you appreciate wrestling more. It kind of makes me enjoy it while it's there.

"And I think him being in the hospital has changed the relationship between us. I think we care more about each other and not taking it for granted."