Lyons senior Johnny Mologousis entered the state wrestling tournament in Champaign unbeaten and top-ranked in Class 3A. He also entered not feeling his best.
“I was sick all week,” Mologousis said. “In between matches, I was going back to the hotel and throwing up. It was just an unlucky thing to happen.”
Mologousis managed to win his first three matches inside the State Farm Center to reach the title mat at 170 pounds before losing Saturday by 9-4 decision to Mount Carmel’s David Riojas.
“I thought I could fight through anything for six minutes, but it was tough,” Mologousis said. “I tried to fight through it but going against a good wrestler like (Riojas), you have to have all your weapons.
“But I’m regret-free because even though I was sick, I gave it whatever I had. I left it all out there.”
Mologousis’ runner-up finish capped an outstanding career at Lyons. He was a four-time state qualifier, placed second in Class 3A twice and leaves the Lions’ program with a varsity record of 159-27.
His 159 career wins ties Mologousis for second all-time in program history with former Lion Pat Castillo (2000-03).
“Everyone at LT has been tremendous, and it’s been easy to look at the big picture and look at the career I’ve had,” said Mologousis, an Illinois wrestling recruit. “It’s a career a lot of people don’t get to have. Even though I didn’t get to accomplish my ultimate goal, it’s been an amazing career.”
Mologousis, Zach Villarreal, Elias Garcia, and Tyler Zeman were all four-year varsity starters for coach Griff Powell.
Villarreal placed third at 126 pounds in Champaign, and Garcia placed sixth at 132. Zeman didn’t qualify to wrestle downstate this year but placed sixth at 132 last season.
Villarreal, who placed sixth at 120 two seasons ago, had to beat Libertyville’s Danny Pucino in a quarterfinal match in order to guarantee himself a second state medal.
“I was terrified,” Villarreal said. “I beat (Pucino) earlier in the season and being the favorite is actually scarier down there than being the underdog. You’re expected to win and if you don’t, it’s brutal.”
Villarreal pinned Pucino 57 seconds into the match.
“I was screaming and jumping around as soon as the ref slapped the mat,” Villarreal said.
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Villarreal lost his semifinal match but won his consolation semifinal to reach the third-place mat, where he pinned Marmion’s Trevor Chumbley near the end of the first period.
Garcia was a state qualifier last year but did not place. This year, his 11-7 win over Hononegah’s Aaron Leppert in a consolation quarterfinal match guaranteed him a place on the awards stand.
“I was really happy for (Garcia),” Mologousis said. “Now me, Zach, Tyler (Zeman) and Elias have all been on that (awards) stand. I’m glad Elias got paid off for all his hard work.”
All Lions present were happy to see Garcia get his place medal.
“I was probably more excited for Elias when he won than I was when I placed,” Villarreal said. “The security guard was yelling at me to sit down during that match. The whole team was there so we had like 30 guys in the stands yelling for him.”
Villarreal and Mologousis both reflected on the end of their wrestling careers at Lyons.
“Everyone at the school roots for you. People were handing me clippings from the newspaper in the hallway,” Mologousis said. “Coach Powell and all the coaches, and the alumni that come back and help out — it’s been great to wrestle for that program.”
“He’s the best coach I’ve ever had,” Villarreal said of Powell. “He’s been coaching me since I was in fifth grade, and I don’t know what I would have done without him. No matter what, he’s always been there for us.”
Nazareth, St. Joseph notes
Nazareth freshman Alex Carrillo (132 pounds in Class 2A) and St. Joseph senior Jose Sanchez (285 pounds in Class 1A) competed at the state wrestling tournament but did not medal.
Gary Larsen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press