Class of 1997

Lon Gerrish

Glenbrook North High School

Coach

Lon wrestled at Glenbrook North for Hall of Famers Chuck Hansen and Walt Sherman. He won 107 matches during his high school career and twice finished third in the sectional - in the days only two advanced to the state tournament. After finishing second in the Junior National freestyle tournament as a senior, he wrestled for four years at Northern Illinois University for Hall of Famer Don Flavin, and captained the team as a senior there.

Since assuming the head coaching position in 1982, Lon has developed Sandwich High School into one of the state's elite Class A programs. His teams have an overall dual-meet record of 332-54-1 and won 12 Interstate 8 Conference titles and ten team regional titles. His teams have placed in the dual-team state tournament five times: third in 1985 and 1989, second in 1996, and champions in 1991 and again this year, 1997.He has produced 65 individual state qualifiers, 25 placewinners, and 10 champions.

Lon was voted Class A Coach 9f the Year by the IWCOA in 1991 and 1996 and was voted Interstate 8 Coach of the Year six times. In 1994, the IWCOA honored Lon as its Man of the Year for his years of service on the IWCOA Executive Committee and as a fund-raiser for the organization.