The Lyons wrestling team certainly looks a bit different this year.
Gone are four seniors — Elias Garcia, Johnny Mologousis, Zach Villarreal and Tyler Zeman — who combined for nearly 160 wins last season. Mologousis, Villarreal and Zeman all won medals at the Class 3A state meet during their time with the Lions.
On top of the victories and tournament hardware, the now-graduated class of 2017 also was responsible for much of the leadership within the program.
This season, coach Griff Powell will lean heavily on sophomore Jimmy Ruston and senior Domenic Campo, the two returning sectional qualifiers from a year ago.
“That’s a really young team we have out there, you won’t hardly recognize any of them,” Powell said. “We’ve always had a first-rate schedule, so we’re not doing an inexperienced bunch a lot of favors. But it’s a great group that we have this year, and one that will be learning on the fly at times, as it is when you’re in a rebuilding season.”
Ruston and Campo combined for nearly 40 wins last season and gained valuable experience at the Class 3A Downers Grove Sectional, which included many wrestlers who went on to medal at state.
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“I gained a lot of respect and experience just from being around our former teammates,” said Ruston, who won 29 matches last season at 106 pounds. “Coach Powell is the reason for the success of our program, and the support we receive from the alumni when they come back, plus the tradition around here will go a long way in the process of our team getting back to where it’s been.”
Campo claimed the highest finish for Lyons last weekend at the Rex Whitlach Invitational with his seventh-place medal at 126 pounds. He picked up his 11th victory in the process to eclipse his 10 wins last season at 120.
Ruston missed the tournament with an illness.
Campo said he learned plenty of lessons from last year’s senior class.
“Those were four great guys we had here, and it was a big loss when they all graduated, but Jimmy and I learned a lot from them (and) how to be tough, mean and intense on the mat,” he said.
Campo said he plans to attend Iowa next school year to study accounting and film.
As a team, Lyons finished in 19th place at the 24-team invite at Hinsdale Central with 69.5 points. Oak Park-River Forest won the meet with 266.5 points.
Besides Campo, Lyons’ only other medal came at 195 pounds, where junior Drake Barone (11-9) placed eighth.
Senior Reno Sarussi (145 pounds) improved to 12-7 with three victories at the Rex Whitlach Invite. Along with Campo and Ruston, Sarussi is a top returning wrestler from the Lions’ regional lineup from last winter.
Michael Garofola is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press