Scouting Fox wrestling
Justin Benjamin (St. Charles East), David Ferrante (Huntley), Joel Mylin and Noah Villarreal (Aurora Christian), Diego Sotelo (Marmion Academy), Trevor Chumbley (Marmion Academy), Nick Termini (Burlington Central) and Christian Olsen from Crystal Lake South all delivered master class efforts last season to claim the top prize at the state tournament last February in Champaign.
Olsen has taken the FVC and state by storm since putting his singlet on for head coach Ross Ryan - collecting a fourth-place medal two years ago as a freshmen, before sweeping aside the competition in class 2A at 113 pounds.
"Simply put (Christian) never stops attacking and trying to score," says Ryan.
Olsen's 125 career takedowns speak to Ryan's statement, as does the 41 pins, and (11) tech-falls he's registered thus far.
"The big difference between his freshman year and last year was his level of confidence and emotional maturity he would reach, but his trust in the coaching staff, and some of the 'off the mat' work he and I did proved to be the X-Factor in his journey to a state title."
"Coach (Ryan) is fantastic, he's always there for you, and he wants the best for everyone in the room," says Olsen, who enters this season with a dazzling 84-4 overall record.
"From the moment I walked into the (room), we both look (up) to the picture of Eric Barone and say 'that can be me up there too,' and it all came true last season."
Barone was the first individual state champion in Gators program history back in 2015, and the current University of Illinois star made what proved to be the biggest impact on Olsen's young career with a phone call prior to the tournament.
"I would struggle with my nerves before big matches, and Eric, who has seen and done it all on the high school and collegiate level, helped me get my mind and body straight, and to never be content, and that long talk about everything with him would end up be just what I needed to hear," said the Gators junior.
Olsen and his teammate Peyton Timmons (34-4), also a two-time state qualifier, will provide Ross and his club with quite the one-two punch at the lower weights for the Gators.
On the other end, 2019 state qualifier Jason Burburijia (285, 26-8) and Shane Moran (152, 24-13) give the club balance, and the chance to improve upon its 16-6-0 overall record from a year ago.