GROTON – From taking down foes in football and wrestling to taking opposing pitchers out of the park in baseball, Gavin Englund has a way of making an impact.

The recent Groton graduate has definitely made his mark during his days with the Tigers and still has some unfinished business remaining.

Englund was a mainstay on the line in football, and capped his prep wrestling career by winning the Class B 285-pound state championship this past winter. Now, he is doing his best to help Groton make a return trip to the State B baseball tournament.

Englund, who thinks his best sport is wrestling, is a force at the plate and on the mound for the baseball squad.

A week ago Englund had six hits, including a double and two home runs, drove in six runs, and scored seven runs, and also struck out 12 batters in 10 innings pitched. He followed that up this past week with seven hits, including two doubles, drove in seven runs, and scored six times in three games.

Englund has big goals ahead later this month.

“I’m hoping we can make state this year,” Englund said. “I want to make that final day into the championship game. We were close last year, so hopefully we can get there this year.”

Of all of his past successes, Englund pointed to his wrestling transformation as his greatest accomplishment.

“I went from a 4-16 record as a freshman to a 40-3 state champion as a senior,” he said.

Englund described what took place during those four years in the sport.

“I just had to switch a few things,” Englund said. “I started going to a wrestling club in Brookings, Bergy Elite. I just had to do the little things harder in practice and put in the extra work after too.”

Englund said there are some similarities between wrestling and baseball.

“They say wrestling is an individual sport, but I think it’s a team sport just like baseball,” Englund said. “I mean you’re all supporting each other and come down to duel events for wrestling. And when you’re putting in the extra work for baseball and the extra work for wrestling, you’ll see a good outcome.”

He thinks that high school sports have prepared him well for his next chapter in life.

“I think they are very important,” Englund said. “I think a big reason why I’m so good with people is because of sports and that I have played them my whole life.”

Englund will attend Lake Area in Watertown for Energy Operations this fall. He would like to work on wind turbines or solar panels when he finishes his degree.

“I know there are a lot of wind turbines around here,” Englund said, “and I’ve always wanted to move down south, and there’s plenty of wind turbines and solar panels down there.”