BLOOMINGTON — Just how good is the cream of the SouthWest Suburban Conference?
Four of its teams won regionals and three — Sandburg, Lockport and Lincoln-Way Central — advanced to Saturday’s Class 3A state quarterfinals at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.
Sandburg took second and Lockport finished fourth, and while Lincoln-Way Central was ousted by Sandburg in the quarterfinals, the Knights returned to Bloomington for the third straight year, tops in 3A along with back-to-back champion Oak Park-River Forest and Marmion.
“I think it’s going to start becoming a habit,” Lincoln-Way Central senior Sean Kelly said. “It’s disappointing we didn’t get a state trophy again this year, but that’s how it is.”
Kelly has been part of all three trips to state, but his last might be the sweetest after the Knights “were kind of iffy” about advancing.
“I don’t think we have the elite — we didn’t think we’re going down to get 10 placers,” Central coach Jason DePolo said. “They’re not those kids. They’re the team kids. They just want to look back and look at the other 13 guys see them do well.”
Central — like Sandburg and Lockport — should have another strong team in 2015-16, though the Eagles might be the best of the bunch once again.
Sandburg’s 23-wrestler roster featured just two seniors: state-placer Tom Slattery (160) and Matt Frostman (220).
“We’re going to be tough,” Slattery said. “I think we’ll give Oak Park-River Forest a run for their money next year.”
SSC steps up
Led by a third-place finish from Oak Forest and a 2A state quarterfinal berth from Lemont, the South Suburban Conference added to the fun.
“Wrestling doesn’t look fun, but wrestlers are a certain breed,” Oak Forest state medalist Patrick Kristin said. “The type of kids that are wrestlers in the South Suburbs — even in the whole country — you can only describe them as wrestlers.”
Kristin and Lincoln-Way Central’s Kelly both credited their coaching staffs for bringing a positive atmosphere to practice every day.
“The bond that we have with our coaches is awesome,” Kelly said. “I love being around this group and being around the coaches. They make it really fun.”
While Oak Forest’s deep postseason run didn’t come as a surprise due to its senior-laden lineup, Lemont had been relatively quiet after making state from 2009-2011.
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“Hopefully having some success like this will get some more kids involved and help keep Lemont kids in Lemont,” Indians coach John St. Clair said. “That’s very important to me to help rebuild the program to where it was.”
Lemont fell to Crystal Lake Central 41-23 in the quarterfinals but is set to return state qualifiers Egan Berta (41-11) and Jake Kirkman (36-10).
Oak Forest is slated to graduate nine of 10 state qualifiers, including three-time state champion Danny Swan.
Logan Malloy is a freelance writer.