Libertyville thrives on the mat

The season still has at least two weekends left, but you can chalk already count this as another great season for the Libertyville wrestling program.

The Wildcats will be battling through individual sectional and state meet competition the next two weeks before they face Stevenson in their own team sectional semifinal Feb. 19.

Libertyville has a long and illustrious history with its wrestling program, which is in its 53rd season of competition dating back to 1956.

The program and coach Dale Eggert are closing in on two major milestones as the Wildcats have compiled an all-time record of 698-291 in dual meets for a 71 percent winning percentage.

While the program closes in on 700 victories, Eggert is approaching the 400-win plateau with a record of 396-89-2 for an 82 percent winning percentage in 21 years as head coach.

The Wildcats have reached the Elite Eight dual team tournament four times in school history while they placed fourth in the state under the old scoring format in 1976.

Many of the current Libertyville wrestlers hope to join the long list of individuals who have reached the state meet previously with 135-pound senior Trey Ayala almost certain to make a return trip to the Assembly Hall next weekend.

"We've got a lot of talented guys, it's a senior-led team, our underclassmen have stepped up, and making state as a team is definitely a goal," said Ayala. "I've trained like never before, and my goal is to be on the top of the podium in the end of February."

If Ayala does reach the top of the mountain, he would join Dan Holm (1971), Greg Gulsvig (1976), and Mike Baumann (1991) as the only champions in school history.

Senior Eric Klein (145) is out with an injury, but seniors Ayala, Everett Indart (130), Joey Callen (160), Logan Miller (171), Jake Hogan (215), and Tom Nield (285) have been instrumental in leading the Wildcats this winter.

"I know there are a number of good guys (at sectionals)," Nield said. "I'll definitely have to beat (Steve) Hwang (of Vernon Hills), and he is one of the better guys there along with a guy from McHenry and a guy from Fremd."

Not only are Ayala, Callen, and Nield strong contenders for state, but 103-pound sophomore Matt Bystol is also in the fold at the Barrington sectional.

"I would love to make state, but our sectional is pretty tough so it will be a good challenge to reach state," said Bystol. "As long as we keep our focus and not look ahead I think we can definitely make it to state as a team."

Junior Louis Mazzetta has put together an outstanding season at 112 while junior teammate Shane Michelsen placed fourth in regionals.

Junior Kyle Manolovic was another regional champ for the Cats at 125 while sophomore teammate Nick McDowell reached sectionals at 145. Sophomore Josh Ronne (152) also rose to the occasion to round out the sectional roster.

"I don't recall a year where we've had a really good 103 and 112 in one year and at the top we haven't had a good 215 and 285 in one year," said Eggert, who has coached 15 all-staters and 64 state qualifiers. "We've always had scrappy guys in the middle weights, but it's been the bottom and the top that have made us better than people expected this year."

The Wildcats were not able to add to their 16 North Suburban Conference titles with Grant winning its sixth straight NSC crown two weeks ago.

But Libertyville (19-2) has put together a great campaign starting with a third-place finish in the 32-team Barrington tourney to start the season, a title at the 16-team Lake Park Invite, and a ninth in the powerful Dvorak tourney at Harlem.

The Cats had impressive wins over ranked squads Yorkville and St. Rita, but they could ultimately have to get past seventh-ranked Grant in the team sectional to make a push for their first Final Four appearance ever.

"They have to stay intense and not expect anything handed to them because you can only control your own effort and your competitiveness," said Eggert, who placed second in the state for Libertyville in 1974. "You just want seniors bad because they know the ropes, they can hold their own physically, and you want them on the roster."

Having lost only two regionals since 1986, there have not been many of ups and downs for the Wildcats' program.

The addition of Vernon Hills High School to the district sent key Hawthorne Jr. High graduates away in 2001. But with Highland and Oak Grove's schools joining the IESA, Libertyville's numbers and experience have been more than enough to keep the program rolling along with plenty of success.

It may be tough to match the five individuals the Wildcats sent to state on four occasions, but Eggert can be very proud of his current group of matmen.

"Ayala is definitely thinking all-state and he has to get through sectionals first, but he does have big plans," Eggert said. "Joey Callen has been having a great year and a lot of our guys never wrestled until freshman year but they have made themselves into something."