Lockport junior Brayden Thompson knew how big of a challenge awaited him at the Powerade Tournament in Pennsylvania.
Thompson’s 172-pound bracket featured six wrestlers ranked in the top 10 in the country. Thompson was seeded sixth. Still, he was confident.
“I always kind of felt like I was going to win that tournament,” he said. “I was telling myself two weeks before that I was going to win it and take out everyone that has beaten me before and come out on top.”
Thompson was right. He beat two wrestlers last week from Pennsylvania, one from Ohio and two from New Jersey to win the prestigious championship.
In his finals match against Daniel Wask from Blair Academy in New Jersey, Thompson won 3-2 in the ultimate tiebreaker, riding out Wask to take the title.
“My top game was huge,” Thompson said. “Winning that, it’s 100% motivating.
“I want to be up there. I want to be No. 1. We’re all on the hunt to be hunted. I want everyone to try to hunt me down. I like that target on my back.”
Thompson (19-0) certainly has that target now. He’s ranked No. 1 in the country at 170 by MatScouts.
Thompson’s final three matches at Powerade were decided by two points or less. He impressed Lockport assistant Jameson Oster, who coached Thompson at the event, with his ability to come through in the clutch.
“He was able to show that he can win close matches in a lot of different ways,” Oster said. “When you’re at the highest level, all the little things are magnified, and he did all the little things.”
Thompson is in his first season at Lockport. As a freshman at Montini in 2020, he finished third in Class 3A at 160 pounds and helped the Broncos win the team state championship.
Thompson’s family moved to Missouri during the coronavirus pandemic, but he did not wrestle there. They moved to Lockport before this school year.
“School has been great,” he said. “My grades have been way better. I love the coaches here and I think our team is the best in Illinois when we have everybody.
“These guys are very welcoming and loving toward me. It’s been a great fit.”
Now, Thompson is on top of national rankings and chasing a state title.
“I want to keep doing what I’m doing,” he said. “I haven’t seen anything wrong with the results yet. Just put my head down, don’t worry about rankings or anything like that. Just keep getting better.”
RedHawks rolling: Marist finished third among 26 teams at DeKalb’s Flavin Invitational, a dual tournament.
The RedHawks beat Yorkville Christian and Deerfield to advance to the championship pool. Marist then defeated Mukwonago of Wisconsin 38-36 but lost to Father Ryan from Tennessee by tiebreaker criteria after tying 33-33 and also fell 33-32 to DeKalb.
“That’s what you’re looking for in a dual tournament on day two,” Marist coach Brendan Heffernan said. “Every match should be close. I can tell kids that every point matters until I’m blue in the face, but the way to learn it is to lose a tied dual meet.”
Marist (15-2) has been led by senior Ghee Rachal and junior Peter Marinopoulos, who are each ranked No. 2 in 3A by the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association at 220 and 195, respectively.
Challenge accepted: Three Southland wrestlers are in the top five in a loaded 126-pound bracket in 3A.
Homewood-Flossmoor’s Vincent Robinson is No. 1, Mount Carmel’s Sergio Lemley is No. 2 and Providence’s Billy Meiszner is No. 5.
Meiszner likes the competition.
“I think it’s more fun and less pressure,” Meiszner said. “There are more opportunities to do something great.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.