Evan Onstad won’t look back. The Warren senior had too little time and has too little left. ‘He works with a purpose.’

Many seniors get reflective or nostalgic when facing the final weeks of their high school careers.

Warren’s Evan Onstad is not like most.

“I’m making up for lost time,” he said.

In eighth grade, Onstad suffered a broken arm that derailed his season. After a few practices during his freshman year, he suffered a concussion that sidelined him for that season. During his sophomore year, the season was pushed to spring due to the coronavirus pandemic, and he decided to play baseball for the Blue Devils instead.

Onstad finally got a season on the mat as a junior, finishing with a 17-11 record at 138 pounds, just two victories shy of qualifying for the state meet.

“I was a little surprised Evan did that well as a junior considering he had a three-year layoff from the sport,” Warren coach Brad Janecek said. “Fortunately, a lot of his fundamentals from competing from such a young age stayed with him.”

Onstad began wrestling in third grade, when he was introduced to it by his father Curt, a two-time state qualifier at Grayslake and a national champion in the Marine Corps.

But Onstad knew it wasn’t going to be easy to get back into the groove.

“Everything was just back to the basics for me that season,” he said. “I did all right, but I knew I could do a lot better with a little more time. This season I’m a lot more confident in what I’m doing.”

Onstad (16-3) doesn’t have much time left in his high school career, but he’s taking advantage of the little that remains. He has recorded several top finishes in prestigious invitationals — including a title at Downers Grove South and second place at Neuqua Valley, helping the Blue Devils get second in both events.

“I only have a couple of weeks left to get ready for my final regionals, sectionals and, I hope, state,” he said. “It just feels like I should have more time.”

He’s competing at 138 again.

“I feel really strong at that weight,” he said. “I don’t have to cut weight during the season, so that’s a big advantage for me.”

Onstad does bulk up during the spring and summer months while catching for Warren’s baseball team.

“I don’t mind putting on some weight then because catchers are not supposed to be fast,” he joked.

When Onstad chose baseball over wrestling during his sophomore year, many people — including his father — thought baseball would be his chosen path in college. Not so, Onstad said.

“Since missing those three years, I really found out how much I love wrestling, so that would be great if I could do it in college,” he said.

Janecek said Onstad is working hard in the wrestling room to improve his techniques.

“He works with a purpose knowing that this is his senior year,” Janecek said. “I think he will be peaking at the right time in February.”

Janecek likes Warren’s chances in February too.

“It would be great if we can get 14 wrestlers into the (Barrington) individual sectional,” he said. “If that happens, we can maybe qualify for the sectional as a team too.”

Onstad said a successful postseason for the Blue Devils would cap off his abbreviated high school career.

“There is a lot of camaraderie on our team this season,” he said. “Everyone is pulling for each other and helping each other finish off the season strong. I really don’t want this season to end.”

Darren Day is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.