A.J. Epenesa: The epitomy of an athlete, competitor in football, basketball and track and field

(This is the first of three stories on Riverbender.com/Edglentoday.com Athletes of the Year: Edwardsville’s A.J. Epenesa, Alton’s LaJarvia Brown and Calhoun’s Grace Baalman).

EDWARDSVILLE - Without a doubt, hands down one of the Riverbender.com/Edglentoday.com Athletes of the Year has to be Edwardsville’s three-sport mega star A.J. Epenesa.

Epenesa earned All-State status in football, basketball and track over the past year. He was a key for the football Tigers at his defensive end position this past year. Edwardsville’s varsity boys finished 10-2 overall.

Epenesa was one of the nation’s top football recruits and has made a decision to attend the University of Iowa. He brought home first place in the discus in the IHSA Class 3A State Track and Field Meet. He broke the state meet record with a toss of 205 feet, 11 inches. Epenesa’s throw broke the old mark of 205-8 set by Roselle Lake Park’s Dan Block in 2009.

Epenesa dominated the state discus field, with his best throw some 25 feet ahead of any of the others in the event. Epenesa broke Edwardsville High School’s school record in the shot put with a throw of 60-4.5. He held the mark with a previous throw of 58-3.

At the state track and field meet with an interview with EdGlenToday.com/Riverbender.com, he said he has decided he will participate in track and field and throw the discus at Iowa. He also said the more he competes in the track and field weight events, the more he enjoys them.

In his last Collinsville Holiday Tourney game against Belleville Althoff, he topped 1,000 points for his high school basketball career.

These are A.J.’s own words in a post-game interview after the Belleville Althoff-Edwardsville Collinsville Holiday Tourney game:

MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT: "Probably defeating (Oak Park-River Forest) in the football season (in the first round of the Class 8A football playoffs); it was a game-winning field goal to win the game and I had my best game of the season, with nine solos (tackles). There were so many things I can't really name them all, but we just come out here and work hard."

HOPES FOR 2017 UNTIL GRADUATION: "I hope my team continues to stay together and work hard in everything we do, and if we do that, we can be successful in any sport we have here in Edwardsville."

FEELINGS AFTER WINNING THE STATE 3A DISCUS TITLE: "It was pretty awesome. I didn't expect anything less; we'd been working real hard and I'd been throwing some pretty good throws. It just comes down to me doing what I do."

JUGGLING THREE SPORTS AND ACADEMICS: "My parents keep me level-headed and they help guide me through everything. They've been a huge impact on everything I do. I always look to them for guidance and they help with everything."

ON BEING COACHED BY MATT MARTIN AND MIKE WALDO: "They've influenced me to be the man I am today and doing what I do. The make me love the sports I play even more."

Brent Feeney also contributed to this story.

Brent Feeney also contributed to this story

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