Elgin senior Walker focused on making state

It comes as little surprise that Elgin senior wrestling standout Terrell Walker broke the school record for takedowns this season.

Takedowns were part of his improvement plan.

"I'm by far better offensively this season," said Walker. "I'm staying aggressive and pushing the pace and wrestling my match. I like to make matches out of reach for people. It's hard to win if you don't get takedowns. I feel takedowns are very important."

Walker's aggressiveness has helped him forge a 34-1 mark heading into tonight's Class AA Naperville North sectional. Walker is looking for his second straight state finals appearance.

A total of 51 area wrestlers will compete for state berths at 4 different sectionals. The top 3 place-finishers in each weight class advance to next weekend's state finals in Champaign at Assembly Hall.

But for Walker, that increase in aggressiveness has an additional origin.

"There is no next year for me," said Walker. "I'm not giving up and I'm not stopping. I wrestle every match like it is my last one. Last year I had one more year. Now, this is it. That's how I see every match this year. It's helped me out a lot."

Elgin coach Anthony Genovesi has seen a definite change in Walker's approach.

"He's continually working at getting better and being aggressive and trying to take it to his opponent," said Genovesi. "He's doing that a lot more this year. Terrell is more offensive-minded this year. Each year he's changed up his offense a little. Now he has a wide variety of takedowns. He's really progressed as an aggressive wrestler."

Walker, ranked eighth in the state at 160 by Illinois Matmen, has lost to only Plainfield North's Cedric Gibson this year (Gibson is ranked seventh). The two could meet again at Naperville North.

"He's a good wrestler," said Walker, who has a 107-22 career varsity record and was a 2007 Daily Herald All-Area selection. "I didn't have so good of a day. He caught me."

Walker, who won an Upstate Eight Conference title for the first time this year, has faced four of the grapplers on his side of the bracket and holds wins over three of them.

"I have to win two matches," said Walker, referring to the amount of victories it will take him to qualify for the state meet. "Just two. That's all I'm thinking about. Going Downstate means everything. It's one thing to go as a junior, but nothing can top your senior year. I think about this every day. I can't believe I'm a senior. These are my last two weeks wrestling."

Walker said he likely will not pursue wrestling beyond high school. He's looking into joining the Air Force.

"I'd like to end this challenge on a good note," said Walker. "It's time for me to take on a new challenge in life and do new things."

That finality has created an even greater sense of urgency for Walker.

"I've got to finish these two weeks," said Walker. "I have to make it out. I just have to. It makes me want it (a state berth) even more. Me not making it to state would be worse than the Patriots not winning the Super Bowl."

Dundee-Crown, which won a regional team championship last week and will compete in the Glenbard North dual team sectional on Feb. 19, qualified an area-high 10 wrestlers for individual sectional competition.

That list includes senior veteran Ryan Horcher, who won a regional crown last week at 152. Horcher is 32-4 this year and will go down in the D-C annals as one of the most prolific winners. He's 134-22 in his career.

"I've changed the mental aspect going into matches," said Horcher, a returning state qualifier. "I'm opening up right away and not letting people stay in matches. I'm trying to go out and get leads and break people mentally."

Horcher isn't worrying about any particular match-ups.

"No matter what, you have to beat good kids to get to state," said Horcher. "That's how it should be and that's how I'm preparing. At this stage of the game everybody is good. I'm going to go out and work my match and leave it all out there."

D-C junior Jack Lewis will be looking for his first trip to state after finishing fourth at sectionals last year. Lewis also nabbed a regional crown last week at 135. He's 29-9 this year and 90-31 in his 3-year career between D-C and Jacobs.

"I've been working hard in practice and I worked hard over the summer," said Lewis. "I've spent a lot of hours in the room. It's a confidence thing. I'm going to work my stuff and work until the last whistle and keep fighting."

D-C senior Mike Lukowski will also be looking for a repeat state trip. He finished fifth in the state last year at 189 pounds en route to being named the honorary co-captain of the Daily Herald's All-Area wrestling team. He's ranked fifth this year in the state.

At Barrington: Cary-Grove, Prairie Ridge and Crystal Lake South wrestlers will compete in the Barrington sectional. Cary-Grove's Paul Rands sports a 34-3 mark and is ranked fourth in the state at 215 pounds. Rands is looking for a repeat state trip. He led the area last year with 42 wins.

Prairie Ridge's Sam Campbell (30-3) is ranked 10th in the state at 160.

At Rock Island: The rest of the area Class AA competitors will head west to the Rock Island sectional.

Burlington Central, the most improved area team this season, won the program's first regional title last week. The Rockets will compete in the Class AA Rochelle dual team sectional Feb. 19. But before Rochelle, Central will have 8 wrestlers competing for individual state berths.

Senior Curt Mastio, ranked 12th in the state at 145, is the area's only undefeated wrestler at 36-0. Mastio, a fourth-place sectional finisher last year, will be looking for his first trip to state, as will junior Kevin Marshall. The 103-pounder won a regional crown last week and is the owner of a 24-4 mark.

"My conditioning has been my biggest improvement," said Marshall. "I've come in at 6:30 in the morning since the beginning of the season and have run stairs and have done that after practice."

Marshall also laid major praise on practice partner and fellow sectional qualifier Shane Burke (30-5 at 112; regional champion).

"I've been wrestling with Shane for two years and he's helped me the most," said Marshall.

Marshall could see Richmond's Mike Heuer in the second round. The series between the two is tied at 1-1 this year.

"I have to make sure I keep my mind in the game," said Marshall.

Huntley qualified 5 wrestlers for the sectional. Senior Tony Benning (36-4 at 189) is in search of his second straight state berth. Benning, Jordan Bakley (36-7) and Brock Larkin (17-9 at 140) all won regional titles last week.

"I've been working a lot on my strength and stamina," said Larkin. "I keep getting stronger and that helps me. I do a lot of stuff off my strength. I'll go for shots and use my strength to get them."

At Plano: St. Edward qualified 4 wrestlers for the Class A Plano sectional, including the vastly improved Will Lytle, who is 26-7 this season at 145 pounds. He has only 1 loss to a Class A wrestler this season.

Lytle, who jumped two weight classes last year, was 14-14 as a junior last year and 11-18 as a sophomore.

"I've been strong with my control on top," said Lytle. "I've been turning guys pretty well. I know how to pin them."

Lytle has pinned 18 of his 26 opponents this year. He's also only been pinned one time in the last 2 years.

"I need to keep working on taking more shots," said Lytle. "The more shots you take, the more you improve your chances of getting a takedown."

On the dual team sectional front, Burlington Central's regional title made the Rockets only the fourth program in area history to advance to the team sectional level under the IHSA's current format. Dundee-Crown leads the way with 9 regional titles. Cary-Grove has 3, while Crystal Lake South has 2.