The heartbreak was evident last February, but Tyler Johnson kept his head held high.
Johnson, then a junior at Lockport, watched his undefeated season unravel at the last possible moment — in overtime of the state finals — as he dropped a 3-2 ultimate tiebreaker to Lake Forest’s Regis Durban, a fellow unbeaten who now wrestles at Northwestern.
Immediately after the bout, Johnson showed poise standing through media requests, which is something runner-ups don’t always do. There were no excuses, just a sense of resolve that he’d be back for more.
“That’s how he is,” Lockport coach Josh Oster said. “Teachers like him, kids like him, coaches like him. He goes out and wrestles hard, always shakes hands and doesn’t showboat.”
It was still a ridiculously dominant year. Johnson set the single-season school record for wins (51) and pins (33). Yet the loss lingers.
“Every time before a match or a tournament, I think about that (state finals) match and how embarrassing it was for me, because I know I was capable of winning,” Johnson said. “But you have to leave stuff behind and go for your next goal.”
The next goal was big. Johnson represented Team USA in the Pan American games in Brazil in May. It didn’t matter he’d never wrestled Greco-Roman. He still won gold. He added another first-place finish in freestyle.
And a state title would always be there the following year. That is, until it almost wasn’t.
A month or so after winning dual gold for Team USA, Johnson’s grit was tested again when he tore his ACL during a routine summer practice.
“I was down on myself for a little bit,” Johnson said. “But I had a lot of good people around me. They helped bring my spirits up.”
The North Carolina State recruit decided to attack his rehab in the same fashion he goes at opponents: tirelessly. He made his return to competition in mid-January just seven months after ACL surgery. No surprise, he won that bout, too.
Two weeks after his comeback, Johnson conquered the always rugged SouthWest Suburban tournament, holding a 12-0 record.
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“I feel so much better,” Johnson said. “From way back then to right here, I feel like I’m ready to compete at a high level.”
It will be a tough climb to the top, but the 195-pounder said there are a few positives regarding his late arrival. While his conditioning might not be what it was, he hasn’t taken the same in-season beating a lot of the state’s top upper weights have endured.
With Johnson’s reemergence, Lockport is that much more formidable. The Porters should be favored to advance from the upcoming Bolingbrook Regional after falling short the last two seasons.
“Tyler returning made us stronger. He’s pushing us,” teammate Trevell Timmons said. “If there’s one kid doing good, then the next kid is like, ‘I’ve got to do good, because I don’t want to be on the back of the bus with no trophy.'”
Johnson likely would have set Lockport’s all-time win record if he hadn’t missed the start of the season, but that’s not the goal in mind.
“I want to leave high school as a state champion, and it doesn’t matter if it’s one time or two times,” he said. “All I have right now is one shot.”
His opponent’s will freely admit: A shot from Johnson is hard to stop.
Logan Malloy is a freelance reporter.