Congenie ruled out for season
The Willowbrook wrestling team received a crippling blow last week with the news that two-time reigning state champion Steve Congenie would be lost for the season.
The Cornell-bound senior, an undefeated Class 3A champion two years ago at 152 pounds and once-beaten last season at 171 pounds, suffered a torn ACL to his left knee over the summer. He and Willowbrook coach Bryan Murphy were optimistic a return by the individual state series was in the cards.
It was determined last week, however, that the injury would not heal in a sufficient time manner to defend his state titles.
“It’s horrible,” Murphy said. “He is having a rough time of it (emotionally). He knows better times are coming. I told him to go win a national title.”
Congenie actually hurt his right knee the preceding off-season, only to come back with a vengeance; a controversial disqualification was his lone loss the last two years.
“He actually didn’t get beat on the mat since his freshman year,” Murphy said. “Boy, that was a challenge to get him ready last year. I’m sure there are a lot of happy guys (in his 195-pound weight class).”
Some good news for Willowbrook:Dan Rowland has eased the loss of Congenie for the Warriors this winter. The junior transfer from Marmion is the third-ranked Class 3A wrestler in the state after posting wins in 24 of his first 26 matches at 160 pounds this season. #147;If we#146;re surprised about anything, it#146;s the two losses,#148; Murphy said. Rowland survived a treacherous route to the Sycamore Invitational title over the weekend, overcoming highly-regard Willie Anaya (second ranked at 170 pounds for Downers Grove South) and No. 2 rated Justin Valencia of Granite City in the semifinals and finals, respectively.#147;Danny is an attacker,#148; Murphy said. #147;Danny was doing most of the chasing (against Anaya and Valencia). These guys are trying to slow the pace down. Our goal is to get him in the best shape possible. I believe he#146;ll be in the (individual state) finals.#148; Staying home:Marmion crowned five individual champions last season at the Class 2A finals, but Rowland was one of five significant losses for the Cadets.Rowland is one of three Marmion athletes who transferred to their hometown public school districts. Jered Cortez is top-ranked and undefeated for defending Class 3A champion Glenbard North at 120 pounds. Eddie Gonzalez has also had an immediate impact at upstart Metea Valley. #147;Eddie has been doing great,#148; Metea Valley coach Claudio Torres said of his sophomore 145-pounder, who opened the season with a victory at the prestigious Conant tournament. Gonzalez has lost only once, in the championship at Palatine over the holidays, in compiling 25 victories. #147;He seems to be a lot more relaxed,#148; Torres said. #147;He is doing really well in the classroom, and I think that has made him more focused. He doesn#146;t have to worry about grades or anything like that.#148;The Mustangs have more than doubled their dual-meet wins from their inaugural varsity campaign a year ago, now up to eight wins.#147;We have wrestled five state-ranked programs,#148; Torres said. The undefeateds:Steve Holland was in a slightly depressed state when discussing his season outlook in November. #147;Injuries are killing me,#148; the Wheaton North coach said. But the Falcons have been the surprise of the DuPage Valley Conference; Wheaton North has a showdown with Glenbard North on Friday in Carol Stream. Both teams will enter with a 5-0 league record.#147;They#146;re getting healthy,#148; Holland said of the Panthers, led by Cortez and fellow No. 1 ranked 152-pounder Brian Murphy. #147;They#146;re very dangerous. They#146;re well-coached as always, and they are the class of the league.#148; Wheaton North also has an athlete making state-wide headlines in senior Mike Swider. The 220-pounder has yet to taste defeat this season, with invitational titles from Fenton and Dvorak. #147;(Swider) wasn#146;t happy with where he finished last year (at the state meet),#148; Holland said. #147;He was one and done. He has seen the best of the best (in off-season training).#148; The Falcons recently welcomed back captain Elan Ramos, the emotional leader of the program who missed the entire 2011 portion of the schedule. #147;He is starting from scratch,#148; Holland said of his 132-pounder. #147;He might be able to surprise some people.#148;Big match this week: Lake Park is the only school to vanquish Neuqua Valley in the last six years of the Upstate Eight Conference. With the league splitting into two divisions, the regular-season champion is determined solely by dual results. The conference will have a single-division tournament in the coming weeks to determine the 14 individual champions.Neuqua Valley is undefeated in the Valley Division with matches remaining with Lake Park on Thursday and South Elgin. Junior heavyweight Andrew Geers leads the Wildcats, who are both balanced and talented at the upper weights.#147;It#146;s not a very good match-up for us,#148; Lake Park coach Todd Raymond said. #147;It#146;s one of the strongest groups of kids we#146;ve had at those weights,#148; Neuqua Valley coach Mick Ruettiger said. Lake Park senior Blake Santi is the second-rated 138-pounder in the state in Class 3A.