Prospect, Antioch move on to dual-team state semifinals
BLOOMINGTON - Coach Dan Keller's Prospect wrestling team continued its postseason success with a hard-fought, and well-deserved 35-30 victory over Moline (16-5-0) to advance into the Class 3A dual-team state semifinals against No. 3 Mt. Carmel (17-4) Saturday morning at Grossinger Motors Arena.
The win will give the Knights (25-7-0) their first state trophy in program history after three previous trips here.
"These guys wrestle for each other every time they go out there. They compete hard for six minutes, believe in each other, and have done everything we've asked of them during a long, long season," said an emotional Keller.
The Knights will have their hands full with Mt. Carmel, which boast four state champions and another three state medal winners, all of whom were in the Caravan lineup when they defeated Libertyville 46-27 Friday.
"That is a terrific team we wrestled tonight, but we did a great job, winning six matches and doing all we could against a team that may end up being the state 3A champion tomorrow night," said Libertyville (15-6-0) coach Dale Eggert.
"You never know what your team will be. But that win over Stevenson in the first week of the season told me we could have something here this season, and with two great seniors, Josh Knudten (41-3) and Caelen Riley (42-5) being great team leaders and a group that worked hard all season long, we were able to win a tough regional, then beat Huntley the other night to get us downstate.
"We are losing a lot, but we have a strong group of sophomores and three returning state qualifiers to build around next season."
No. 15 Antioch (23-4-0) proved to have far too much firepower for Chatham-Glenwood (14-7-0) and with its 41-34 win, coach Wilbur Borreros' club has earned its fourth Class 2A dual-team state trophy, and a chance to upset No. 1 Joliet Catholic Academy Saturday morning.
"It's going to be a real challenge tomorrow against Joliet, but I know the guys will come out ready and willing so we'll see how it goes," said Borrero, who led his 2020 team to a fourth-place finish.
Borrero, who came into this weekend with 380 career victories, watched his club build a 29-4 advantage after the first seven weights before Chatham-Glenwood roared back to close to within 29-22- before Gavin Hanrahan (106) then third-place medal winner Edgar Albino (43-2) closed the match when each pinned their opponent.
"We knew what weights they would be tough at, and on the flip side we knew what our strength would be against them so it was just a matter of going out and winning the matches we should then getting a couple of wins here and there to get the win," said Borrero.