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Article Source Written By: By Jean Ann Miller / The Courier

For the past 25 years coach Al Dawson has stressed the importance of never giving up. Dawson, who coaches wrestling at Lincoln Junior High School was honored Friday with a wrestling tournament named after him. Dawson thanked those who have shared the love of the sport as well as those who have supported the program.

“I started in this sports as a freshman in 1975. I am pleased to announce this is my 45th year involved with this sport,” said Dawson who was met with applause.

In the past 25 years he has coached 57 state qualifiers, two state champs and four state runner ups.

“In a basketball town, I am pleased with the accomplishments of the program,” he continued.

The first Dawson Dual welcomed eight teams to the meet with competitiors traveling from Seneca and Morris, Illinois.

Article Source Written By: Colin Likas Jan 6, 2020

Now in the midst of his 14th season in the charge of the Bulldogs’ program — capturing Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association Hall of Fame status in the process — he offers insight on his program and more:

Your boys closed 2019 on a challenging note.

The Granite City tournament (on Dec. 28), that’s probably the toughest tournament on our schedule. … Missouri schools are at the Granite City tournament, so you’ve got some nationally-ranked type schools that are there. So that made it real difficult. We had four guys medal, top eight, and then we had three others in the top 10.

How would you compare this roster to others you’ve had recently?

We have 29 guys on our roster. Maybe for the area that’s pretty good. For us, that’s actually down, second year in a row. We were in the 30s. I’ve been as high as almost 50 since I’ve been here. The numbers have declined as of late. Wrestling is a hard sport, so it takes a lot of dedication. … I feel pretty good about our lineup. I think we’ve got some guys that are kind of learning their way, filling holes in our varsity, and hopefully by the end (of the regular season) they’ll be ready to go for that regional tournament. The guys that are pretty much mainstays for our lineup, they’re doing really well.

Who are some of those guys?

Seth Buchanan has been our top wrestler at heavyweight, doing really well leading our team. Placed first at Hinsdale South and third at Granite City. … Daniel Renshaw won on criteria to get into the top bracket and out of his pool (in Granite City’s 220 field). … Mateo Casillas, freshman at 195, a man’s weight, really is learning as he goes. But he’s such a good athlete and such a competitor.

You’ve accomplished a lot in your time with the Bulldogs. Any one favorite moment?

It would definitely be hard to nail down just one team or one thing. Every year it’s a little different, every year a different dynamic. … It’s been pretty special. As you said, since I’ve been here I’ve had a lot of personal accolades, which is a result of having some great kids do some great things. … Being able to walk as a grand marshal (at the IHSA state finals) a couple years ago, that was pretty special. Standing in the tunnel and being overcome with emotion and asking for Kleenex and thinking, “This is something.”

Colin Likas is prep sports coordinator at The News-Gazette. His email is clikas@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@clikasNG).

Article Source Written By: Colin Likas Jan 6, 2020

CHAMPAIGN — Roger Edwards could have been one of the first Centennial wrestlers to fill the void left by Justin Cardani.

When the now-Illinois sophomore graduated a Charger in 2018 — a pair of IHSA state championships in tow — the door was open for guys like Edwards to maintain and build upon Cardani’s historic efforts.

Considering Edwards already possessed two sectional berths in as many high school campaigns, it wasn’t a stretch to see Edwards making his way to state as a junior.

But while Centennial teammates Cam Nesbitt and Dontaice Roberson racked up five wins at the Twin City Meet on Dec. 21, 2018, Edwards was in pain.

Physical agony. The result of a dislocated left thumb in his first match of the night.

“I found out that even after injuries, even after you suffer them, as long as you work hard, you can get where you want to go,” Edwards said after posting a 1-1 record at last month’s Unity triangular with the Rockets and Danville. “Although I didn’t qualify for state after that, I still had that fire to come back and try to succeed.”

Edwards missed four weeks on the mat, courtesy his balky thumb.

He returned, however, to snag his third sectional trip, this one at 132 pounds after the previous efforts at 113 as a freshman and 132 as a sophomore.

Now, Edwards is a 145-pounder as a senior.“Roger’s at the right weight this season,” Chargers coach Ed Mears said. “He’s not cutting a ton of weight, and he’ll be fine.”

Edwards entered 2020 a modest 10-5, earning fifth place in the Lincoln Holiday Tournament’s 145 bracket to close out the previous calendar year.

Even if he’s not experiencing overwhelming success at this time, Edwards has seen gains.

“I’ve gotten stronger, and I’ve noticed that, over time, it’s just coming easier,” Edwards said. “… Especially when you are getting stronger, pounding the weights, and it shows.”

Before even entering his 12th-grade stint, Edwards used his final prep offseason to improve his chances of advancing to State Farm Center in February.

He attended an Urbana-based camp operated by Purler Wrestling Academy, which boasts on its website that it averages “over 125 state medalists each year” from its student body.

“It was … ran by someone who was a training partner with Jordan Burroughs, actually,” said Edwards, referencing a one-time Olympic and four-time world champion grappler in Burroughs. “He showed us a lot of stuff. It was a five-day camp. It was a nice workout. I enjoyed it.”

Edwards hit another snag, though, as Centennial’s practices got underway.

A bout with bronchitis had Edwards sidelined for part of November, making the early-December triangular at Tolono — the Chargers’ first duals of the 2019-2020 season — a good test for Edwards.

“I’m working on getting my endurance up,” Edwards said.

Another focal point for Edwards is “getting out on bottom” — escaping when his opponent holds dominant position on top. Mears agrees with that assessment.

“He’s got to win the third period,” Mears said. “He’s got to have the lungs. He’s got to work a little bit more on the bottom, but he looks very confident on his feet right now.”

Slipping out from bottom position could be a bit easier for Edwards moving forward thanks to his choice of training partner.

Junior Ryan Vasey is Centennial’s starting 170-pounder, and he also placed fifth at the Lincoln showcase.

“I like working with people heavier than me,” Edwards said, “so then, when I go out there, people will feel lighter than what I’m used to.”

Edwards’ motivation is straightforward at this stage. He owns one last shot at grabbing a state spot before exhausting his high school eligibility.

Beyond that, Edwards also has altered his mindset when it comes to other aspects of the sport.

“My past few seasons, I was always worried. I’m not trying to hurt an opponent,” Edwards said. “But, over time, you know if you’re doing everything right, it’s not going to happen. You won’t hurt anyone.

“As long as I come in and do what I’m supposed to do, and do it correctly and do it quick, then it’ll work out in my favor.”

Edwards and his Charger friends are less than two months from the start of the IHSA postseason schedule, with the Class 2A state tournament slated for Feb. 20-22.

Mears has high hopes for one of his three upperclassmen.

“He’s been a three-time sectional qualifier,” Mears said. “There’s only one more step.”

And Edwards maintains confidence that he can climb that one last step.

“I know for a fact I could be a (state) placer,” Edwards said. “I’ve just got to work on all the little things. That’s all I’m focused on for right now.”

Colin Likas is prep sports coordinator at The News-Gazette. His email is clikas@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@clikasNG).

Article Source Written By: KEVIN MCGAVIN – NAPERVILLE SUN |JAN 07, 2020 | 2:28 PM

Antonio Torres is not about to get ahead of himself as the wrestling season progresses in January.

“I am just going to take it one step at a time: regional, sectional and then state,” Torres said.

But the Waubonsie Valley sophomore has lived up to his high expectations so far.

Torres was a DuPage Valley Conference champion as a freshman, though he fell short of reaching the Class 3A state meet at the tough Bolingbrook Sectional in February.

“Antonio is a special case,” Waubonsie Valley coach Brad Caldwell said. “He came in with a lot of accolades from the kids club and that type of thing. I would love to have 15 of him. If we had 15 of him, we would be unstoppable.”

But Torres’ ambitions are only increasing as the season comes to its tipping point.

Torres is ranked third at 170 pounds in the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association’s poll.

“It does put a little bit of extra pressure on me,” Torres said. “You have a target on your head, especially when you’re so young.”

Torres’ only losses this season have come during intense competitions during invitationals at Barrington, Rockford East and Wheaton Warrenville South.

The loss at Wheaton Warrenville South came when he could not answer the bell in the championship match against Evanston’s Ricardo Salinas due to an injury.

Caldwell marvels about Torres’ physical prowess.

“I jokingly call him a freak,” Caldwell said. “He is kind of like a cat. You can throw him up in any position, and he will land on his feet. He’s got great hips. He’s got great quickness, great body awareness.”

Torres tries not to be too critical.

“So far, I think I am doing well,” Torres said. “There are always things you can improve on. If you work hard in the practice room, it transfers over to the mat.”

“I need to be better on my top,” he added. “That’s what I am going to be focusing on until the regional.”

Champion also prepares for regional: Naperville North coach Tom Champion would be the first to admit his team is far from a finished product.

“We are still a team that has only two seniors on any given night,” Champion said Saturday afternoon at the Margaret Flott Invitational at Kaneland. ”We can use January to improve and perfect. We will use 2020 to start peaking for the regional in four weeks.”

The Huskies are led by seniors Evan Demari and Cosmo Champion at 113 pounds and 132 pounds, respectively.

Dane Tsao bears watching at 195 pounds.

“He’s our best chance to get out of the sectional,” Tom Champion said of Tsao.

Millington has surprises in store: Waubonsie Valley senior Charlie Millington had a peculiar reply when asked Monday how many times he has wrestled at heavyweight this season.

“None — not one match,” Millington said.

The Warriors’ only returning state qualifier as a heavyweight, Millington has been wrestling at 220 pounds.

“(220) is pretty challenging, so I think that has prepared me for the next step,” he said.

But Millington more than likely will return to 285 pounds for the state series.

“He is pretty athletic and quick for a big guy,” Caldwell said.

Kevin McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.

Article Source Written By: Scott Marion, smarion@edwpub.net

EDWARDSVILLE – Whether it’s pinning a wrestling opponent or acing a test, Metro-East Lutheran senior Timmy Lott has shown he can accomplish plenty on his own.

But whenever a teammate or classmate needs some help, Lott is ready to lend a hand.

“We’ve always had a kind, giving family and my aunt always did her best to make sure that I had the best education possible,” said Lott, who Lives in Centreville with his aunt, Eugeni Lott. “I can do what I want as long as I have good grades. She made sure that I had manners before going out anywhere.”

Lott, who wrestles at 220 pounds for MELHS, was also a four-year starter in football. This fall, he was an offensive and defensive lineman for the Metro football team, which posted a 5-5 record and hosted a playoff game during its first season in the Illinois 8-Man Football Association.

But Lott’s contributions to his school go beyond sports.

MELHS sponsors the Serve Awards, which are nominated by faculty members and voted on every two to three weeks. There are three categories – athletics, academics and service. Lott is a multiple winner of the athletics award but has also won several times in the service category.

“The service category is the hardest one to nail down because a lot of kids do things for service organizations and we never hear about it,” MELHS coach Tim Muther said. “But Timmy has won the service award because he has helped people with different projects just out of the goodness of his heart. He’s not in Kiwanis or FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) or any organization like that, but his individual effort has been noted.”

Lott appreciates receiving the awards, but for him, it’s not about getting recognition.

It’s about doing the right thing.

“For the athletic Serve Award, it’s making sure that you do your best and try to improve with every game you play,” Lott said. “For the service award, it’s about having a serving heart and trying to do all I can for people. If somebody is moving something in the hallway, I ask if I can help them move it.

“There’s a lady who always works in concessions and whenever she’s around, I want to help do whatever she needs. It’s been four years of that and kindness accumulates.”

Doing the right thing has always been important for Lott, who attended Katie Harper Wright Elementary School in East St. Louis for six years and went to Mason-Clark Middle School in East St. Louis for sixth grade.

Looking for a better learning environment, he moved to Unity Lutheran Christian Elementary School in East St. Louis for seventh and eighth grade.

“That kind of set me on the path to Metro-East Lutheran and I love the student body here,” Lott said. “There are a lot of people that make every day a fun day to be there.”

To Muther, Lott is a natural leader, even if his leadership style is low-key.

“He’s the captain of our wrestling team and he was also a captain for the football team,” Muther said. “He’s super quiet but he’s come out of his shell.”

On a wrestling team that has only seven wrestlers — half of the 14 weight classes – Lott provides plenty of points for the Knights, but also sets an example for younger teammates.

Lott wrestled his first two years at Metro but sat out his junior year to concentrate on conditioning for football, where he was an offensive and defensive lineman.

“The good thing about wrestling is that it’s a sport that is drilled into your head, so a lot of it came back pretty quickly,” Lott said. “If I had to do it over again, I would have wrestled last season.”

After graduating from MELHS next spring, Lott will be looking for the next challenge in his life.

That challenge could be joining the Marines.

“I’m looking at the military in general, but the Marines are the ones I’m leaning toward the most,” Lott said. “I like the extreme physicality and I’m very much into being on my feet and working. It’s not sedentary and you’re always doing something.”

Beyond the Marines, Lott’s career plans could include the field of biology.

“I’m interested in working with animals or something like that,” Lott said. “That’s a part of me that just kind of came out of nowhere.”

Athletically, Lott still has some unfinished business on the wrestling mat. He has been one of Metro’s most consistent performers, with a 15-5 record heading into this week.

A Class 1A state qualifier as a sophomore in 2018, Lott hopes to end his high school career by qualifying for the state meet.

“I want to be the most fluid, active wrestler I can possibly be,” Lott said. “I want to be technically sound and physically sound.”

Reach reporter Scott Marion at smarion@edwpub.net

Article Source Written By: Matt Coss

OCK ISLAND — When Eli Loyd took down Jack Patting with less than 20 seconds left Saturday afternoon to snatch the lead, the Alleman junior wrestler was in a precarious position.

“There is a little bit of panic that goes into your head,” Patting admitted, “but you’ve got to keep wrestling.”

Patting’s perseverance paid off.

The 152-pounder reversed Loyd and then was awarded two back points out of a scramble in the closing seconds for a 5-3 win at the Muddy Water Duals contested at Augustana College’s Carver Center.

It was the second consecutive year Patting beat the Pleasant Valley senior, who captured a Class 3A state title in Iowa last season and is ranked No. 1 at that weight class this winter.

Patting pinned Loyd with a headlock last year in the second period. This time, it required all six minutes.

“Everybody said last year I caught him and it was kind of a freak move,” Patting said. “To beat him on my own terms was nice.”

Patting, who finished the day 5-0, was named Illinois’ Most Outstanding Wrestler for the second straight year.

Iowa claimed 14 of the 25 duals, but Illinois retained bragging rights with a 955-909 advantage in total dual team points.

Davenport Assumption edged Geneseo 36-30 in the final round to finish the day as the lone unbeaten at 5-0. It was Geneseo’s first loss in 14 duals this season.

“It is almost good to lose because you look back more at what you need to work on,” Geneseo 120-pounder Cade Hornback said. “(Assumption) beat us technically. We conditioned harder than them. We should have fought a little bit harder to get that win.”

Geneseo trounced Davenport West 65-6, Davenport Central 62-18 and Davenport North 59-13.

It used the strength of its lower weights — Carson Raya (106), Anthony Montez (113), Hornback and Luke Henkhaus (126) — to slip past Pleasant Valley 37-25.

Montez, Hornback and Henkhaus were a collective 15-0 with six pins, three technical falls and a major decision.

“They train well together, a very good group in the room,” Geneseo coach Jon Murray said. “We’re always happy to have our little string through those weight classes.”

That stretch triggered Geneseo to a 21-20 lead over Assumption. Bruce Moore (152) squared the dual with a 4-2 decision win.

Assumption’s Eli McCracken (160) and Logan Schimanski (170) pulled out decisions at the last two weights to secure it.

“We had a shot at it,” Murray said. “We have to be on physically, technically and mentally. There are a lot of components to it. We didn’t put it all together the way we needed to come out with a win.”

A big turning point came at 195. Assumption’s Aiden Morgan led just 1-0 before he put Eli Allen on his back for a fall in 5 minutes, 49 seconds.

“Huge,” Murray said. “That was like a nine-point swing in their favor. We need to learn how to contain that and finish on the right side of those.

“I’d rather have that kind of thing happen now than when it really matters later in the season.”

Rock Island finished with a 3-2 mark. It beat Davenport Central, Davenport West and Davenport North, but fell to Assumption and PV.

Manny Limon (120) posted a 5-0 mark for the Rocks.

United Township did not win any of its five duals, but heavyweight Simon Wilson was 5-0 with four first-period pins and a forfeit.

Gage Mowry (126) and David Dierickx (138) joined Patting with undefeated performances for the Pioneers, who collected two dual victories.

Patting, a two-time state place winner, said the win over Loyd was a nice boost moving forward.

“You’ve got to think big picture,” Patting said. “The end goal isn’t to win this match against him. The end goal is to win a state title.

“However, (Eli) and I are kind of buddies. It was the last time we’ll wrestle each other in high school so that was a lot of fun.”