Holmes, Carlson look to cap campaigns with state titles
Two Lake County area individuals will be going for the gold this weekend when the Class 2A high school wrestling state meet gets under way this morning at the Assembly Hall in Champaign.
Top-ranked 135-pounder Matt Holmes (40-4) of Lakes and No. 1-ranked 152-pounder Scott Carlson (39-3) of Wauconda both have a great chance of reaching the top of the podium, but they will need to be at their best in the 12-man bracket to reach that elusive goal.
Class 2A first-round matches begin at 11 a.m., with quarterfinal matches slated for 6 p.m.
On Saturday, Class 2A semifinals start at 9:30 a.m. with third- and fifth-place matches at 3 p.m. The Grand March is at 6:30 p.m. followed immediately by championship bouts in all three classes.
Carlson went 1-2 in his first appearance downstate last winter, but he has emerged as an elite wrestler this season.
"I just have to go 100 percent every match and it is all mental in my mind," said Carlson, who has not committed to a college yet. "It is everyone's goal to win state, and hopefully I can do it to end my senior year."
Carlson would join Tom Piotrowski as the only state wrestling champions in Wauconda history. Piotrowski reached the top of the mountain for the Bulldogs at the 1984 state meet.
"(Carlson) has been ranked No. 1 for a long time, and he knows a lot of people expect him to do quite well," said Wauconda coach Tom Nance. "I don't think he will have any trouble being focused, and he has been in dozens of high-stakes tournaments like this before."
Holmes is also a very battle-tested wrestler headed into the final weekend of his senior year, but he will have company downstate with 160-pound junior teammate Phil Cappitelli also qualifying for the state meet with a third-place finish at the Fenton sectional last weekend.
Holmes was also 1-2 in his first state meet appearance in 2008, but he should advance much further into the tournament after defeating second-ranked Kyle Logsdon of Rockford East at sectionals.
"It's going to be tough competition no matter who it is, and they're all going to be gunning for that title," said Holmes. "I have to have good defense, but I have to be aggressive and make the opponent wrestle my match and there is no reason I shouldn't win state."
Lakes coach Curt Onstad is definitely a believer in Holmes, who had some growing pains as a junior last season.
"I always thought he could win a state title," Onstad said. "I know he has the ability to, and mentally this year I think he has it.
"I know Cappitelli is expecting to do well and get a medal, and, technically, he is one of the best guys I've ever coached."
Vernon Hills shined at sectionals. The Cougars have sophomore 119-pounder Gideon Yim, junior 140-pounder Joe Brignon and senior 130-pounder Edgar Cuevas all heading south to compete in the 2A state meet.
"We brought 11 kids to sectionals, but we've never had more than one make state in a year," said Vernon Hills coach Jerry Miceli. "There are only 12 kids in each weight class down there and we came out of the toughest sectional so I think they have a legitimate chance for a medal."
Antioch senior Tom Gerstner (34-7 at 171) was the seventh and final Lake County individual to earn a berth to state out of Fenton after placing second at sectionals. The fourth-ranked Gerstner is also a serious medal contender.