St. Charles East senior Tyler Guerra loves manufacturing a conflict.
The fun part, for him, is working through the particulars and learning how to transcend any obstacles or limitations in his way.
“It’s just something I was born with,” he said. “Even when I was little, everything was a competition with my friends — like who could do the perfect back flip off a trampoline.
“Now, I love to fish, surf or snowboard. It doesn’t matter what kind of sport or competition it might be, I very much love to challenge myself.”
His larger objective was animated by a particular pursuit that guided his career ambition.
“I’ve always dreamed of wrestling in the Big Ten,” Guerra said.
Last month, Guerra took a dramatic forward in that regard by committing to Indiana. With that under his belt, he’s ready to embark on the next adventure.
Guerra, who has a 119-14 career record, wants to finish one run higher on the state podium. Two years as a sophomore, he went 36-6 and finished third at 132 in Class 3A.
Last season, Guerra advanced to the 138-pound state championship. He lost a narrow decision to Rich Township’s Nasir Bailey, a four-time state champion.
Overall, Guerra ended up with a 48-7 record, helping the Saints capture the Class 3A dual team state championship.
This season, Guerra (35-1) is again at the top of his class. He won the 138-pound championship Saturday in the Illini Classic at Lincoln-Way Central.
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The setbacks have been rare but illuminating.
“As I have learned from my losses, I’m able to get better,” he said. “That’s helped me compete against some of the top kids in the country.
“I like to wrestle and not put pressure on myself or the record. I’ve had some close matches, but I hate close matches. I try to make everything work for me.”
Senior Ben Davino, the three-time state champion who wrestles at 132, said Guerra’s freewheeling and unorthodox style best suits his talent and personality.
“Tyler is a very crafty wrestler who uses a lot of positions that are very comfortable to his advantage,” Davino said. “He knows how to score from those positions, and it throws a lot of the top guys he goes against through a loop.”
St. Charles East had three individual state champions last season with Davino, sophomore Dom Munaretto and senior Jayden Colon.
Guerra commands respect for his poise, skill and toughness.
“He has a lot of moves, and he is great from top to bottom,” Munaretto said. “He has great body control and footwork. He is always under control and never panics.”
Growing up, Guerra said wrestling held a secondary status to football, his original passion.
Wrestling offered a sideways path.
“A lot of my football friends also wrestled,” he said. “I thought I should try it, and everything clicked for me. I was very good at it.
“By the time I got to seventh grade, a lot of the football guys were suddenly much bigger than me and I didn’t want to risk injury. I started wrestling full time.”
At 5-foot-8, Guerra is wiry, quick and heady. His cerebral side also stands out.
“Tyler is also a very smart wrestler with a lot of mat sense and good technique, which is essential to be as good as he is,” Davino said.
Guerra also is a natural extrovert with an open and friendly personality.
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The drive to express himself through competition creates its own reward system. At heart, a thrill seeker gravitates toward direct engagement.
“I love the one-on-one aspect of wrestling,” Guerra said. “It’s something that kind of drew my attention from the beginning.
“I love being in control of myself because I don’t always know what I’m capable of. It’s a great feeling.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.