Minooka ends Waubonsie Valley's run

It was a great season for the Waubonsie Valley wrestling team with an Upstate Eight Conference title, a regional title and three wrestlers qualifying for the state individual meet held last week.

It is, however, a young team that's still in need of experience, and it learned Tuesday night at the Class 3A Oswego East dual team sectional what it will need to do to progress further next season.

Minooka jumped out to a 24-0 lead en route to earning its fifth straight trip to the dual team state finals with a 48-9 win over the Warriors.

The Indians face Marmion in the state quarterfinals at 11 a.m. Saturday in Bloomington. Minooka won the dual team state title in 2010.

Of the 21 wrestlers who Waubonsie coach Brad Caldwell put on his sectional roster, only seven were seniors.

“This was a lesson on what it means to get to the next step. We wanted to do better. It was kind of an eye-opening experience. Hopefully, next year we get back here,” Caldwell said. “We have a lot of young kids and hopefully guys see what coming together as a team did and come back stronger next year.”

Junior Jimmy Davis, one of the three Waubonsie wrestlers to compete in Champaign last weekend, broke the 24-0 shutout with a fall in 1:54. He finished the season 42-6.

Waubonsie ended the evening on a positive note as senior Anthony Touchstone prevailed 7-3 at 220. He won a match at individual state competition

“I pretty much went for it as hard as I could the whole time,” he said. “I wanted to leave it out there my last match of my senior season.”

Waubonsie was aiming for its first trip to the dual team state finals since 1997. Touchstone said it was a tough way to end the season, but the Warriors can learn from it.

“I think (what returning team members) get out of it is learning to be more prepared to do whatever it takes to get that last takedown, to take that next step.”