Eggert closes in on 400
Last weekend in Moline, Libertyville, led by one of the most well-respected coaches in the sport, captured a fourth-place trophy at the Class AA dual-team state wrestling tournament.
The Wildcats' glorious run to their first team trophy in school history was historic in another way with coach Dale Eggert inching closer to his 400th career win.
It was a 35-23 victory over Granite City in the quarter-finals that would not only book the Cats place atop the podium later that evening, but also give Eggert, a 1974 Libertyville grad, his 398th victory.
"This group (of) guys went were no Libertyville wrestling team has ever gone," said Eggert, himself a two-time state qualifier and runnerup in 1974 at 126 pounds.
"The thing that was so special is what the competition did to the intensity of our guys, and how it brought out the best in all of them,.. at a level that I hadn't seen before and didn't really know they had in them."
It had to be especially rewarding for Eggert and his staff even with six wrestlers with 30 victories or more and two others with 40-plus wins (Matt Bystol at 43 and Trey Ayala 41). This club, unable to match the star-power lineup of the likes of Jack Danilkowicz, Jeff Keske, Dave Paramski, Ted Strychalski, Jon Henslee and others in recent years, still was able to go 22-3 overall with wins over St. Rita, Oak Park, Lyons and North Suburban Conference rival Grant to advance to the state tournament.
"As I talk to so many young coaches every week during tournament, I hear them share a vision for where they see their programs going, always pointing to Dale and Libertyville as the standard of excellence in what they hope to achieve one day," said Mick Torres, District 128 IT-Director and three-time state medalist at Yorkville in the mid-1970s.
"Dale's athletes always come (away) from his program with confidence, character and integrity and in turn, what they give back is always their best effort. Just ask any of the 100-plus former wrestlers that showed up for (Dale) at the Jan. 4 Alumni Night."
Champaign revisited: For state champs Max Nowry (Wheeling, 103) and Mike Lukowski (189) of Dundee-Crown, the feeling of being No. 1 still hasn't worn off for both champions.
But for a handful of others, standing alongside their peers, albeit not at the highest step of the trophy, still had plenty of meaning to their coaches, team, family and friends as well.
Mundelein junior Eduardo Dominquez (112, 41-8) gave the school its first medal in 15 years after all but promising he would before defeating Joe Schwartz of Highland Park during wrestle-backs to stay in the hunt for a state medal.
"Earlier in the year someone had reminded (Eduardo) that he was ranked behind Schwartz in the state," began Mundelein coach Tom Buenik. "I think that really motivated him, and after beating Schwartz (8-7) the pressure was off, he had his medal, and then he went out and dominated (Kent Williams, Mascoutah) to earn his fifth-place medal."
Buenik said when the state brackets came out he was a little worried because the draw had Dominguez on the same side as Nos. 1 and 2 (B.J. Futrell, Keith Surber)
"But we also knew that outside of (Futrell), our schedule and high-level of competition that Eduardo had seen would allow him to be ready and prepared for anything," Buenik said.
Dominguez would get better as the tourney went on, but would need a 7-5 OT win over Steven Murphy of Marian Catholic in his first wrestle-back match to help set up his much awaited bout with Schwartz to take place.
"Even though this was my first time to (state) I still came here (to) win a medal, and that's what I focused on," said Dominguez.
Mikal Johnson's first and only visit proved memorable for the Rolling Meadows senior, who stunned the field at 215 pounds by taking home a third-place medal. It was the first for the program since Northwestern junior James Kohlberg took third in 2005.
Johnson (39-8) would open plenty of eyes and fuel an always eager audience who are ready and willing to test the Assembly Hall decibel level when a big-time thrower like him unloads on an unwilling victim.
Johnson tossed around a helpless Dalton Greenwalt before ending the Dixon senior's hopes of a quarter-final appearance with a 16-5 major decision victory. Then he pinned Morgan Sanden (Deerfield) at 4:55.
After a 7-2 loss in the semi-finals against eventual state runner-up Pat Walker (Glenbard East), Johnson took off after Reggie Reed and pinned the big-man from Bloom at 1:48. That set up Johnson's third-place match with two-time state qualifier Paul Rands of Cary-Grove, who he also mashed 10-4.
"During the last three weeks of the season, Mikal has gotten twice as good," said Meadows head coach Dave Froehlich. "I kind of wish the season went another two weeks longer, because who knows what he might have done."
Froehlich says his star player's success comes from his incredible athletic skill and speed as well as slowly catching up to his peers. Froehlich he believes they have at least 250-plus matches in their career while Johnson barely 75.
"He really smoothed out the rough edges of late and just surprises his opponents with moves and throws they just haven't seen," Froehlich said.
Grayslake Central senior Ryan Lund surprised plenty of observers at 135 en route to his sixth-place finish and the school's first state medal in the sport.
Lund (44-7), who recorded a fall in his state qualifying match at the Barrington sectional to ensure his second trip downstate, won his first 3 matches of the tournament to advance into the semifinals and a guaranteed state medal. Eventual state champ Josh Kratovil (Lincoln-Way Central) sent him into the back-draw for good.
Lund's tactical approach to staying in the championship bracket as long as he could was met as the senior got ahead in his first 3 matches, and stayed ahead. He topped against state-ranked Josh Castellano (Fenton) 10-3 and then took care of talented Wheaton North senior Ryan Earley with a 6-2 decision in the quarterfinals.
"Ryan had a terrific weekend for himself, a weekend that left all of us very proud of him," said Central coach Brent Pitt. "If the 3-class system had been in place this season, he would have been a state champ."
Three-class turbulence: Brent Pitt may be correct in his statement on Ryan Lund. Lakes head coach Curt Onstad could rightly say the same about his best wrestler, Matt Holmes, who at 130 would be right there with Kyle Williams of Mascoutah and Mahomet-Seymour's Lyle Shallenberger if this were the season the IHSA installed its three-class system.
By now, every wrestling fan has weighed-in his or her opinion of moving to three-classes next season. The popular vote among them all seems to be no.
Never mind. Because it's happening.
If the IHSA uses the same class-cut formula used this year in other sports, Class A enrollment will be 0-608, AA 608-1508, and AAA 1508 and above.
That means that this year's AA state champ Montini will be given a bye right into the state final and for the rest of wrestling eternity as the Bulldogs enrollment is 653.
Montini (34-1), which was the four-time A state champion prior to last weekend, outscored potential 2009 AA opponents 551-54.
The talk on most blogs is Montini might petition to move up to AAA, but if it were able to, it would mean every team at the school must follow the move. Nope, not happening.
"Obviously, for us, a young, small program competing against enormous programs, a switch to a 3-class system would benefit us," admitted Pitt, who along with crosstown rival and FVC member Grayslake North would slide down a notch with Lakes of the NSC.
"I don't really know what the (IHSA) is thinking," says Buenik. "We have a pretty smooth system now. It's already very challenging to get downstate.
"The same amount of kids will make it downstate (36) in a 3-class system. Right now 24 advance in Class AA and 12 in Class A.
"I think a lot of people are worried it will be 12-12-12 next year."
Buenik and others were upset with the vote turnout that was reported as only 414 of the 765 member schools responding (54 percent). Just 49 percent of the big schools (potential AAA) voted in favor of a switch, while AA schools voted yes with a resounding 93 percent.
So with this controversial system now set in granite.. how will the IHSA decide to run its state series?
A 12-12-12 system is absurd.
Dozens of talented, well-deserving student-athletes will be on the outside looking in, perhaps many with 40-plus victories. And, this year, as in many others, those who fought back to win qualifying matches in sectionals against rugged competition, will not have that opportunity.
If it were 12 to advance, that would mean 8 sectionals across the state with two from each weight to qualify.
While the IHSA likely has already eliminated a 24-man bracket which currently is in place, perhaps the powers to be might consider a 12-12-16 with 4 super-sized sectionals and four to qualify.
"I know that the IHSA created a third-class for cross country (last) fall and many of the coaches from larger schools felt that plenty of the best runners were not even able to be state qualifiers because of it," said Dave Froehlich, who is also the athletic director at Meadows.
"Most coaches in (that) mid-range (AA) system are probably thrilled with this decision, and I really believe it was that group that pushed the vote hard for change."
"The IHSA has a hard time passing up an opportunity to generate more fan interest and revenue and it all comes down to democratic philosophy.
"I am happy for those who see it as good change, but unhappy if the new structure causes more talented (or better) wrestlers to struggle to ever get downstate any more. It is complicated at best."
Best Champaign quote: And finally, after 853 matches and nearly 30 hours under the big dome, many a statement heard throughout Assembly Hall and down on the floor,. comes perhaps the best from Dundee-Crown senior and fourth-place state medalist Ryan Horcher at 152 when he was lobbed a "how it felt to lose his last high school match of his career" question.
"Obviously it would have been nice to win instead of lose that final match," he said. "But I can tell you, there's a lot of guys up in the stands eating ice cream cones right now who would rather have been down on the mat where I was and competing for a state medal instead."