Jake Lindsey and Providence are climbing faster than most people expected.
When the season began, Lindsey heard the Celtics were too young to make any postseason noise. People told the 106-pound freshman their time would come.
“There was a lot of concern about being all freshmen and sophomores,” said Lindsey, an Oak Forest resident. “People didn’t think we were going to do anything. I wanted that future everyone was talking about to happen now.”
There’s no time like the present. After placing fifth in Class 3A’s individual state tournament, Lindsey jumped to 113 pounds Tuesday night and helped Providence top Edwardsville 31-30 for its first trip to the dual team state tournament since 2008.
Providence advanced to face Grant in a Class 3A state quarterfinal at 11 a.m. Saturday at U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington.
“We wrestled Edwardsville in December and they beat us pretty bad,” Providence coach Keith Healy said of a 53-18 loss. “We got the matches we wanted this time.”
Lindsey and Ben Emery (126) scored major decisions. Other bonus-point winners included John Nowak (182) by pin and Dominic Ferraro (220) by technical fall.
“We weren’t sure how the young kids would respond,” Healy said. “Fifteen of 21 are freshmen and sophomores. You’re just trying to figure out how to teach them. It’s a been a joy to watch them all grow.”
For all of Providence’s youth, the Celtics have handled their postseason emotions with aplomb.
Providence qualified six to last weekend’s individual state tournament in Champaign, garnering medals from Lindsey and fifth-place finisher Cole Smith, a 152-pound sophomore.
“It’s super easy to get nervous down there,” Lindsey said. “You look up in the crowd and it can be hard to get focused. You see all the people and hear all the noise from big matches and it can get scary pretty fast.”
Healy and Lindsey felt the momentum gained at the individual state tourney carried over into the sectional final against Edwardsville.
“It was a huge confidence booster,” Lindsey said. “I really believed in my training and all my coaching.”
Providence isn’t the only Southland team making the trek to Bloomington. Lockport advanced in 3A, and Mount Carmel and Marian Catholic in 2A.
The Caravan and Spartans sit on opposite ends of the 2A bracket, meaning there’s a chance the pair could meet in the state finals.
Mount Carmel, with 13 state qualifiers, is the deepest of the bunch. Marian counters with five state finalists, including three undefeated state champions in Travis Ford-Melton (106), Jose Champagne (160) and Kordell Norfleet (170).
Two Big Ten recruits, Mount Carmel’s Jake Tucker (Michigan State) and Lockport’s Shayne Oster (Northwestern), will look to cap their careers in style.
Others to watch include heavyweights Matthew Reyes of Mount Carmel and Ronald Tucker Jr. of Lockport and Lockport’s Trevell Timmons (152).
Tucker became the state’s first freshman heavyweight to reach Champaign since 2010. Ford-Melton is the Southland’s fourth freshman to win a 106-pound state title since that time.
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Logan Malloy is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.
Dual Team State Tournament
Where: U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington.
When: The semifinals kickoff at 2 p.m. The state finals and third-place matches start at 6 p.m.
Schedule: Class 2A quarterfinals — Washington vs. Cahokia, 9 a.m.; Mount Carmel vs. Antioch, 9 a.m.; Sterling vs. Crystal Lake Central, 11 a.m.; Marian Catholic vs. Springfield, 11 a.m. Class 3A quarterfinals — Lockport vs. Prospect, 9 a.m.; Oak Park-River Forest vs. Hononegah, 9 a.m.; Providence vs. Grant, 11 a.m.; Marmion vs. Montini, 11 a.m.