Rowland takes the lead at Willowbrook
Danny Rowland is making the most of his new opportunities in his new surroundings at Willowbrook.
The junior, who transferred from Marmion, was a scoring machine Saturday at the Class 3A West Chicago individual wrestling regional en route to the championship at 160 pounds.
Rowland advanced to the finals with a pair of falls, and St. Charles East junior Cameron Carlson could muster only a series of escapes against an even larger number of takedowns and near-falls by the Warriors’ once-beaten standout.
It was a far cry from a year ago, when Rowland watched five of his Marmion teammates win state championships only wishing he had the same opportunity.
“I broke my ankle and missed the whole state meet,” Rowland said.
But Rowland has made the transition to the largest class of the sport with aplomb.
He also has taken away the sting the program felt when two-time state champion Steve Congenie was lost for the year with a torn ACL.
“Steve is still there to lead us,” Rowland said. “I have to lead on the mat.”
“I would have liked to have had them both,” Willowbrook coach Bryan Murphy said. “Any coach would.”
Hail to McHale: Danny McHale personifies the commitment of the Glenbard North program.
Whereas light- and middle-weight underclassmen make contributions throughout wrestling circles on a common basis, McHale had toiled in the JV ranks for the defending dual-meet state champion Panthers for three years.
In his first postseason appearance on Saturday, McHale pinned top-seeded Geneva senior Jake Fields in the opening period to collect the regional championship, one of seven for the team, at heavyweight.
“I wasn’t expecting that at all,” McHale said of his abbreviated triumph. “The only thing that has been holding me back is me — and that has been mental.”
Nowhere is the uniqueness of wrestling on better display than in the postseason, with its separate tournaments to crown individual and team champions.
“We have short-term goals, middle-term goals and long-range goals,” McHale said after the Panthers were in a league of their own at West Chicago. “(Going to team state) is the ultimate goal every year here.”
Svestka’s stellar: Glenbard North snared the majority of the headlines last Saturday at West Chicago, but host wrestler Robert Svestka had nothing but falls, including a stunning pin in the opening minute in the championship match against Glenbard North top seed Cody Brandle at 138 pounds.
In the process the West Chicago junior notched his first career postseason title.
“It was just a lucky throw,” Svestka said of his quick, darting move that subdued his foe. “My expectations for the next two weeks are to qualify for state and hopefully place high.”
Jack Carlson, a 145-pound Glenbard West senior, also captured his first regional title at West Chicago.