Kevin Donahue / Serra High Serra’s Hanna Malak, top, won the West Catholic Athletic League and Central Coast Section titles at 189 pounds. He won his first three matches at the state meet. He set school records for most takedowns in a season as well as a career.

The significance wasn’t lost on either person. Both were in tears. As an owner of a grocery store in San Francisco, Joe doesn’t get to see his son in action too often. He was attending one of Hanna’s competitions for only the second time this season.

“He’s my No. 1 fan even though he’s never there,” Hanna said. “It meant a lot to me that he was there for my final match. He’s one of the hardest working guys I know. His sacrifice is what gets me through school. I owe him a lot.”

Malak, the Daily Journal’s Wrestler of the Year, finished 43-7, winning the West Catholic Athletic League and Central Coast Section titles at 189 pounds before going 3-2 at state. Malak was primed for a state medal before losing a heartbreaking 3-2 decision in his fourth match, then stumbling unexpectedly to the mat and getting pinned in his fifth and final contest.

Malak set school records for single-season (120) and career (258) takedowns while allowing only eight takedowns himself this year. Standing only 5-feet-4, Malak frustrated taller opponents with superior technical skills, a low center of gravity and tremendous power. Able to bench-press 340 pounds and squat 530, Malak combined strength and balance to punish the opposition.

“Hanna didn’t have a tremendous amount of pins in his career, but he beat you with superior conditioning and work ethic,” Padres coach Dan Vogl said. “He has everything you want in a wrestler plus the mental toughness that is required to be great.”

Malak only started wrestling in his freshman year. Growing up with an older brother (Chuck) who wrestled, Malak was around the sport all his life. He called the decision to try out for wrestling “one of the best I’ve ever made,” and that’s saying a lot, because Malak aspires to be great off the mat as well. In addition to his wrestling accomplishments, Malak is the Serra High student body President and a youth minister at St. Timothy Elementary School. On Sundays, Malak helps his dad at the store. Joe works seven days a week, 12 hours a day and takes only a couple of days off the entire year.

“There’s not a whole lot of kids who would do that these days,” Vogl said.

Vogl has such deep respect for Malak that whenever he receives a phone call from his star athlete he answers, “Yeah coach, what do you need?” In his first two years Malak actually wrestled in a higher weight class, at 215 pounds. Never mind the fact that Malak’s natural body weight is around 180. Talk about competing way above your weight. Malak never complained. Besides, he routinely schooled bigger opponents.

“At the time we were building up the program, and the team needed me so I filled the spot,” Malak said. “It was actually a lot of fun, because the 215-pound guys are slower and I could get around them.”

Said Vogl: “I’ve never seen an athlete do as much for his fellow teammates and community than Hanna. He did things that were right for the team, and not necessarily right for him. I’m kind of surprised at times how he makes it through the day because a lot of people lean on him.”

When Malak is having a long day, he thinks about his dad and brother for inspiration. Chuck was diagnosed with leukemia in middle school, and Hanna could only watch as Chuck spent days in the hospital, going through chemotherapy and losing his hair. Chuck’s cancer is in remission, and no one is more appreciative than Hanna.

“Chuck had to get a lot of attention growing up, and it taught me to be independent at an early age,” Malak said. “I can’t say enough about how much I looked up to him and how strong he was.”

Even though wrestling is his best sport, Malak also was the backup center on the football team and throws the shot put on the track and field squad. As if he wasn’t busy enough already.

“Sometimes giving up a little bit of sleep is worth it,” Malak said. “I wish there were more hours in a day but unfortunately there’s not.”

Malak improved every year because he treated every match and practice as if there was no tomorrow. Each offseason Malak would search for open mat nights, where wrestlers from all around the Bay Area would meet and hone their skills. And the best part is Vogl didn’t have to push Malak to be the best.

“As a coach you can only hope kids push themselves to a new level without having to be told so or pushed,” he said. “Hanna did that pretty much his whole career.”