BLOOMINGTON — After winning an individual state championship last season, Joliet Catholic senior Shay Korhorn fell short of the podium this year.
Korhorn got his redemption Saturday night and helped the Hilltoppers make history in the process.
“It’s one of the greatest feelings in my life,” Korhorn said. “Last year, I won the state title for myself, but this is 21 times better.”
Korhorn couldn’t have done much better, with his pin of Deerfield’s Luke Reddy at 120 pounds clinching a 39-33 win for Joliet Catholic in the Class 2A dual team state championship match at Grossinger Motors Arena.
It was the first team state title in wrestling for the Hilltoppers.
“It’s just knowing everyone’s hard work went into this — their blood, sweat and tears,” Korhorn said. “I couldn’t have done it without my coaches and my teammates. It was amazing.”
Korhorn’s win gave Joliet Catholic (17-1) an insurmountable 39-15 lead, allowing the Hilltoppers to forfeit the final three matches with the championship sealed.
“There could not have been a better kid to finish that dual off,” Joliet Catholic coach Ryan Cumbee said. “Shay works his tail off day in and day out.
“While he fell short of his individual goal, he found a way to contribute to his team winning a state championship.”
Korhorn’s individual championship came in June at the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association state meet.
He hoped to add his first Illinois High School Association state title but said he would take the team state championship anytime instead.
“I was down,” Korhorn said. “I was sad that I lost at state. But this is so much better. Doing it with my team means everything to me.”
In his career, Korhorn has seen the program grow at a rapid rate.
This weekend, the Hilltoppers made their first appearance at dual team state — and made their first state trophy the biggest one.
More Top Picks Best Reading Glasses With Anti Glare Coating
“My freshman and sophomore years, we couldn’t even fill the entire lineup,” Korhorn said. “Now, we’ve made all this history. It just means the world to me.”
Also gaining some redemption was Ryan Cumbee’s son Connor, who beat Deerfield’s Stamos Tsakiris 7-6 at 152.
Connor Cumbee fell one win shot of qualifying for individual state, losing in the wrestlebacks at the sectional. Tsakiris took home a sixth-place individual medal.
“Losing in the blood round, I mentally broke after that,” Connor Cumbee said. “I cried for a while. It was just hard for me. This whole week, I knew it was going to be us and Deerfield. I knew I was going to have Stamos, who placed at state.
“I knew I could show I belonged there.”
Connor Cumbee was thrilled to make history with his dad at a school he grew up considering a rival.
“I’ll never forget when he told me he was taking over at JCA,” Connor Cumbee said. “My mom’s family are Providence people. I grew up bleeding green and gold.
“I stuck on that train with him and said, ‘All right, let’s do it at JCA.’ It feels pretty good now.”
Hunter Powell (220), Dillan Johnson (heavyweight) and Noah Avina (106) had pins for the Hilltoppers.
Mason Alessio (145), Owen Gerdes (195) and Gylon Sims (113) also had victories.
Powell’s pin of Max Drumke sparked a run of three straight pins for the Hilltoppers, who won six consecutive matches after trailing 15-7.
It was a big result for Powell, who had wrestled sparingly this season and entered with just a 6-5 record.
“Someone had to set the tone,” Powell said. “I was nervous at first, but after going to state for football, I knew you couldn’t let the nerves beat you mentally.
“I had to go out there like any other match, get my six points, and history set itself.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.