McIntyre, Valentino leading St. Viator's surge
St. Viator's wrestling team had an easy time of it Monday in Arlington Heights, but fans of Lions wrestling know it wasn't too long ago when it was their club on the short end of some long nights.
Joe McIntyre and James Valentino have been key figures in the Lions' transformation, coincidentally when the program announced the arrival of Jason Churak as coach three years ago. McIntyre and Valentino are key reasons behind the swift turnaround, but they give the credit to another individual.
"It's coach (Churak), for sure," said McIntyre, a senior who's reached 20 wins for a third consecutive season and is well on his way to eclipsing the 28 victories he earned a year ago. "Coach cares about every single one of us and he wants all of us to succeed."
The Lions (17-11-0) rolled over IC Catholic Prep, Joliet Catholic and Roosevelt by a combined 210-12 inside Cahill Gymnasium to end their regular season.
"Joe is right," said Valentino, who figures to be in the thick of the heavyweight division title race in next week's East Suburban Catholic Conference tournament. "Coach (Churak) has made his commitment to us a full-time thing - meaning off-season work, lifting, encouraging us to get to camps and doing all of the little things. And it's made a difference for Joe and myself and all the other guys as well."
Valentino burst onto the scene as a freshman in dazzling fashion, going 29-9, while just missing out on a spot in the state tournament. Last season, things were different for the soft-spoken Lions big man as he captured a regional crown and a week later qualified downstate, where he went 2-2.
"It was great to make it downstate, but I was disappointed in myself for not going further," said Valentino. "My last match was winnable, and it was that loss which has helped provide the motivation to get me back downstate and on the medal stand on that final day down there."
Churak appreciates the no-nonsense effort he's getting from Valentino.
"James is a terrific leader for our team and program, but he's not a rah-rah type of guy," Churak said. "Instead he leads by example, plus he has a high work rate and desire to get better, which he showed during the off-season by going to clinics and working and training against college wrestlers."
Valentino is No. 5 in the Illinois Matmen Class 2A state rankings. McIntyre, who will compete at 182 at the ESCC's and beyond, is an honorable mention wrestler at 170.
"I feel really good at 182, and feel like that's the weight for me, and where I can be at my best for the most important part of the season," said McIntyre, the Lions' captain.
"Joe has come a long way quickly, but the biggest change in him is he's grown up and matured, and it shows in the way he handles himself and with his poise and make-up, in and out of the room, which made him an easy choice to be our captain," said Churak.
The three-year veteran went 28-14 in his sophomore season, which ended at the Wauconda regionals, just one win away from advancing into the sectional tournament.
McIntyre has had back-to-back runner-up finishes at the ESCC tournament, his first coming at the expense of Peter Andreotti (Marist), who would later finish third overall at the state tournament.
Last year, McIntyre dropped a heartbreaker to Cody Sawyer of Grayslake North in his state-qualifying bout.
"That was a tough one for me, too, just like James at state last year, but it was exactly what I needed to get me to make a total commitment to improving during the off-season," McIntyre said. "And right now, with us heading into the final few weeks of the season, I feel like I'm right where I need to be to compete at a high level."