No shame in 2nd for CL Central

Crystal Lake Central's Austin Marsden (top) pins Sycamore's Joe Dougherty during the 189-pound match of the IHSA Class 2A Dual Team State Tournament quarterfinals Saturday at U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington. (Beck Diefenbach - Shaw Suburban Media)

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BLOOMINGTON – Crystal Lake Central’s seven wrestlers who qualified for the IHSA Individual State Tournament last weekend won 18 matches against three teams Saturday at the IHSA Class 2A Dual Team State Tournament.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, those were the only wins they got at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.

Central defeated Sycamore, 39-32, and Lemont, 39-36, to get to the title match against Montini. The Broncos won the final, 47-19.

Central coach Justin Lehr called Montini the best team in the state regardless of class.

“They’re better than any team in here,” Lehr said. “They’re tough.”

Four Central wrestlers won three matches – Trevor Jauch (125 pounds), Christian Malouf (135/140), Austin Marsden (189) and Gage Harrah (215).

Marsden had three pins and was pleased two of them came quickly.

“I got two first-period pins,” Marsden said. “I never get those.”

Harrah had pins against Sycamore and Lemont but could not get Montini’s Zech Tredenick onto his back for any length of time and settled for an 8-0 major decision. Last weekend, in the individual state consolation semifinals in Champaign, Harrah pinned Tredenick in the first period.

“[Tredenick] definitely went in there with the mentality to not get pinned,” Harrah said. “I had him on his back, I just couldn’t climb up fast enough.”

Getting to the finals was not easy for the Tigers. Against Sycamore and Lemont, Central won seven of 14 matches in each dual.

In the quarterfinals, Central defeated Sycamore, 39-32, but was up only 33-32 going into the last match at 140. Malouf pinned Shane Lay in 1:44 to get the win for the Tigers.

Malouf, a senior, had three pins and said it was a great way to finish the season.

“I wanted to come in here and win the last three matches of my high school career,” Malouf said.

The semifinals held the same scenario. With the Tigers trailing Lemont, 36-35, heading into the last match, this time it was Taylor Servant who was called on for the deciding win. Servant defeated Eric Kirkman by major decision, 13-1, at 145.

Servant, a senior, said it was the first time he has needed to win to earn a team victory.

“I was so nervous,” Servant said. “My knees were a little weak.”

In the first period, Servant got a takedown and back points to go up, 4-0, and relieve some of the tension.

“I kind of got rid of my nerves when I got him on his back,” Servant said.

Lehr said having good wrestlers is something he never takes for granted.

“It was just a great year,” Lehr said. “You wish every coach could experience it.”