New Trier senior Alec McKenna will be where every Illinois high school wrestler dreams of being on Saturday night — competing for an individual state title.
Sometimes the best laid plans play out just the way you hope they will.
“At the beginning of the season we talked about it as a possibility and as the season went on and I kept winning, I was more offensive and was beating good guys,” McKenna said. “Even the loss I had was a close one so I definitely knew this was possible.”
McKenna improved to 46-1 at 132 pounds with a Class 3A semifinal win on Friday against Marmion’s AJ Jaffe.
The Northwestern recruit faces St. Rita’s Austin O’Connor (47-1) on Saturday night with a state title on the line.
McKenna opened the tournament Thursday with a major decision win, and then won a 3-2 decision in his quarterfinal match against Wheaton North’s Dylan Thurston. McKenna escaped to start the second period and won a second-period scramble to score the lone takedown.
“Last year I lost to [Thurston] in the same round when I had a lead,” McKenna said. “He took fourth and I didn’t place so that was a big one for me.”
In his semifinal, McKenna cradled Jaffe and earned two near-fall points to take a 4-0 lead after a period. He led 6-0 in the third en route to the 8-3 win.
“It feels great. I still don’t really know how to describe it,” McKenna said. “Last year I got way too caught up in everything. This year I’m taking it one match at a time. There’s a lot of pressure but you just can’t focus on where you are and treat it like just another tournament.”
Gary Larsen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.