State title satisfying for Libertyville's Knudten

CHAMPAIGN - Josh Knudten delivered a scintillating performance to bring home the first state wrestling title since 1991 for Libertyville when the Wildcats' senior settled a tense 182-pound contest with a takedown near the edge in overtime to defeat No. 1 Bradley Gillum 3-1 Saturday night at State Farm Arena.

The Michigan-bound Knudten (39-3) defended brilliantly when Gillum, the reigning state champ, had a chance to finish, only to have the Wildcats' star turn away the SIU-Edwardsville recruit and nationally-ranked Gillum (30-3).

"Josh was in a few tight spots during that match and defended all of them really well but on the flip side he had his chances along the way. But in the end, it was his will to win, dedication, desire, and a belief in himself that ended this match in his favor," said coach Dale Eggert after the victory gave the program its fourth state title in its history.

"To be the guy to give coach Eggert and our program its first title in 31 years makes me feel really good right now. Coach has been the best thing to happen to me, both as a wrestler and a person," said Knudten, who drew back even at 1-1 with a second period escape then defended another shot from Gillum with 30 seconds remaining before his winning takedown.

"I've been working really hard to get to this day and right now it feels about as good as it can be."

It looked as if Grayslake Central would be returning home with a state title or two when the Rams sent a trio into the finals. However, when the dust settled on the 84th annual state tournament coach Matt Joseph and his club came away empty-handed.

"It was a heartbreaking night to say the least," said Joseph, who watched Anthony Alanis (106, 48-5), Aaron Cramer (170, 47-2) and Matty Jens (47-3) all in position to lift a championship trophy until each saw their opportunity dashed in the closing moments of their respective bouts.

"There were a couple of calls that we thought could have gone our way and each of the guys we wrestled had very good game plans in place so it was really tough to see their season and night end the way it did. But the good news is all three will be back next season with the motivation to get back in the final, and win next time."

Caelan Riley, the classy Libertyville senior, would end a magnificent career when he claimed the third-place trophy at 120, which is the second state medal for The Citadel-bound Wildcats star.

"Everyone who comes down here wants to be in the Saturday night final, but when that wasn't able to happen for me I had to turn my effort toward coming back to win a third-place medal," said Riley, who rebounded nicely following a 7-4 loss in his Friday night semifinal with Sammie Hayes (14-1) from Sandburg.

"If I had to do it over, I should have pushed the pace more against Sammie, but that's the way the sport goes sometime."

Riley's teammate, Austin Gomez (35-11), ended a magical three-week run with a third-place finish at 170 to give the Wildcats' program its 40th state medal.

"I am not surprised at all of Austin's success down here. He's a great athlete, a great partner in the room and easily capable of doing just about anything out there, "said Knudten.

Justin Warmowski (22-5), who missed considerable time this season with a high ankle sprain, would show his stuff once again in the state field when the Grant senior collected a third-place medal at 160. Warmowski would navigate through a high profile group, defeating Jared Gumila (Plainfield North, 48-6) in the quarterfinals, taking eventual state runner-up Colin Kelly to the brink in the semifinals before sending off a pair of terrific opponents to earn the 48th state medal in program history.

"I always expected to make it downstate, and have a chance at winning a state title, but considering my injury and all I feel really proud of my finish down here," said Warmowski, now a two-time state medal winner.

With an eye on engineering school at either Illinois, Iowa or Purdue next fall, Round Lake senior Aidan McCain (39-13) became the first Panther since 1996 to earn a medal.

"It feels really good to win a state medal for myself and the program" said McCain, who was just 6-8 a year ago. "For me, it was all about working as hard as I could to get myself back to a place where I am at this weekend, so I am really happy with my fifth-place finish."

Mundelein junior Bryce Durlacher hopes next season will end with a stop atop the podium.

"It was a great experience and it felt really good to come back from my loss to (Jameson) Garcia (Marmion Academy, eventual state champion) in the quarters to bring back a state medal," said Durlacher (40-4), who finished fourth overall at 113.

His brother Dane, a two-time state medalist and currently on the Illinois roster was in the audience cheering on his younger sibling.

Stevenson's Lorenzo Frezza (41-2) would finish third overall at 126 and Cole Rhemrev (40-2) fifth when he closed out a superb career with a pin to claim his second state medal in four state visits.

Frezza was unable to get past state runner-up Vincent Robinson of Homewood-Flossmoor, sending the Patriots' sophomore into wrestlebacks, where he won his last two to collect his first state medal in three tries.

"I went back to the hotel after my 8-5 loss to Robinson and it was clear I didn't finish the shots that I had and let him get out to a lead that was difficult to come back from against such a great opponent," said Frezza.

"We've seen days like this down here before. This tournament can be very unforgiving at times but it's life, and the sport. But I can tell you I am very proud of both Cole and Lorenzo, who are first and foremost two wonderful young men," said Patriots coach Shane Cook.

Antioch claimed two state medals. Sophomore Edgar Albino (120, 41-2) and junior Caleb Nobling (138, 39-7) both earned third-place medals.

"I had a great start to the tournament with a fall, then ran into a great opponent, who overpowered me to send me into wrestlebacks, but it feels good to work my way back to get a state medal," said Nobling, a three-time state qualifier, and now two-time state medal winner.

"Edgar has the potential to win a state title before he's through here at Antioch," coach Wilber Borrero said of Albino, who came into the weekend undefeated before suffering his lone two losses of the season.