Rockets, Chargers bow out

ROCHELLE -- Burlington Central's wrestling team is on the brink of the level it wants to be at.

Rockton Hononegah is already there.

In their first Class AA dual team sectional appearance, the young Rockets ran up a very deep, experienced Indians team which was looking for its fourth straight trip to the state meet.

Despite some great individual performances, Hononegah was just too much, downing the Rockets 50-16 in semifinal action at the Class AA Rochelle sectional.

Central, which finished its most successful season under third-year coach Tony Rigitano, ended the year with a 16-8 mark.

"We're talking about building a tradition," Rigitano said. "I'm losing five seniors, it's a great five. No one believed in us but us. The next group of seniors has to build on what this group did."

Senior Drew Halstead (171) ended the Rockets' season on a pretty high note.

Halstead, wrestling in the Rockets final match of the year, quickly pinned the Indians' Tyler Gilles in 1 minute, 3 seconds to finish out his career with a victory. The senior finished his career with a 24-16 mark with the victory.

"I wanted to end it on a high note," Halstead said. "It was great to represent our school. We were in a hole. It was for pride."

Central found itself down quickly.

Hononegah recorded 3 pins and a major decision in the first four matches of the meet to take a 22-0 victory by the time sophomore Shane Burke took the mat at 112 pounds.

Burke put the Rockets on the board with his 12-0 major decision over the Indians' Brett Hedrington (28-6) to bring Central back to 22-4.

Burke's victory gives him some momentum going into the Rockets' off-season, which begins this Saturday.

"It's huge to build off of," Burke said. "We want to be as good or better that (Hononegah). We have to wrestle better next year."

Seniors Garrett Fiorito (119) and Zac Schrieber (125) followed Burke's victory with a pair of decisions. Fiorito (19-19) scored a 7-1 win over Mark Holland (3-11) to bring Central to 22-7. Schrieber the gave the Rockets their closest margin when his 15-12 decision over Tim Pearson (11-5) brought Central within 22-10.

Central then dropped its next six matches, including allowing 3 Hononegah pins.

With six sophomores, 2 freshmen and a junior in the lineup Tuesday night, the Rockets are positive about building the type of success Hononegah has enjoyed in recent seasons.

"They had a great season this year," Indians coach Marty Kaiser said. "They did a tremendous job winning their regional. They have some really good wrestlers."

At Glenbard North: As the clock ticked away the final match of Mike Lukowski's high school wrestling career Tuesday, the Dundee-Crown state champion looked over at Chargers coach Al Zinke and had one thought in his head.

"I was thinking it's sad that it's over, knowing that I don't have another year with him," Lukowski said. "It was an amazing season."

The Chargers lost their Class AA team sectional semifinal to Glenbard North in Carol Stream, and the Panthers went on to win the sectional title by beating Neuqua Valley.

Dundee-Crown (22-4) got wins from Lukowski at 189, Ryan Horcher at 160 and Jeremy Lee at 119 pounds, but Glenbard North (24-4) dominated the rest of the way to a 58-13 win.

"We would have liked to do better as a team, but we had a solid year," said Horcher, who placed fourth in Illinois at 152 pounds Saturday.

"Some of our kids weren't wrestling, and some were hurt, but (Glenbard North) is a great team," Lukowski said. "They're just better than us."

This year's Chargers helped Zinke post a milestone 500th coaching win, advanced 10 wrestlers through the South Elgin individual regional and won a team regional in the process.

"The mainstays of our program have been Ryan Horcher and Mike Lukowski. For four years they've always been there," Zinke said. "Now you're going to look and they'll be gone, and it's going to be hard to replace them."

Lukowski won a state title in Champaign with a 10-3 decision over Collinsville's Ryan Robinson, and he thanked Zinke on Tuesday for getting him there. The senior posted a 43-5 record this season.

"He pushed me, and I'm the type of kid that needs to be pushed," Lukowski said. "I used that in my style on the mat. I tried to push kids and break them."

"I just kept reminding him what his goal was," Zinke said. "Refocus, refocus, refocus -- and he did."

Horcher finished his season with a record of 39-7 and went 4-2 in Champaign in placing fourth. The Chargers had their ups and downs this season, with six starters either quitting or being dismissed, but Zinke's crew kept its shoulder to the wheel throughout.

"He's a phenomenal person," Horcher said. "He's one of those coaches that, when we come back from college, we'll be able to sit and talk to for hours."

-- Gary Larsen