Glenbard West, IC Catholic Prep knocked out in dual team quarterfinals
BLOOMINGTON - Even in defeat, Nick Posegay still had a big smile on his face.
Posegay's Glenbard West wrestling club lost in its Class 3A dual-team quarterfinal Friday night to No. 1 DeKalb 53-18. The loss ended a highly successful 2021-2022 season as well as Posegay's coaching career. He will retire at the end of the school year.
"We got a tough draw in this tournament with a great team, but we wrestled hard, and this team enjoyed a memorable season, ending with our first-ever dual-team tournament appearance in program history," said Posegay, who in his 16 years collected 280 victories.
"(Thirty) state qualifiers in my career, so many great teams and young men who contributed to the program, and what a great way for me to go out this season," Posegay added after his men fell to DeKalb (21-0).
The Hilltoppers (25-6) sent five wrestlers downstate last weekend in Champaign.
"The future is bright here at (West). There's a terrific core coming back, and (Saturday), we have three girls still alive in their first-ever state tournament, so all is well here in Bloomington," Posegay said.
No. 9 IC Catholic (13-6) was stunned in the final match of its Class 1A quarterfinal against Tremont when Bowden Delaney recorded a pin at 126 pounds to give the Turks (27-3) a hard-fought, come-from-behind 39-34 victory.
Next up for Tremont will be Harvard, which beat Sandwich 41-31.
The Knights appeared to be on their way to their first state trophy when state champions Michael Calcago (27-1) and Jaden Mims (32-3) added 10 points to the scoreboard to make the score 33-19. But when the Knights conceded their third forfeit of the match, another loss, followed by a 6-point forfeit from state champion Nick Renteria, it became a 34-33 advantage heading into the final bout of the match.
"Obviously, we're all heartbroken with this loss. (We) all could have wrestled better, but it was a memorable year for this team, and program, and (it's) back into the room tomorrow as we look to get back here next year to be bigger and better than ever before," Renteria said.