Losing can be a traumatic experience. Several minutes after
walking off the mat Friday night, Joliet Catholic Academy’s Anthony
McInerney demonstrated the proper perspective.
The
sophomore 195-pounder lost a tough title match, 19-4 by technical fall
in 5:25, to Marist’s Josh Pruitt at the East Suburban Catholic
Conference Wrestling Championships. And as McInerney stepped onto the
medal stand, the encased second-place silver reward in his right hand,
he wasn’t very happy.
But he wasn’t vanquished, either.
“He’s ranked in the state for Class 3A and he has a lot more experience than I have,” McInerney said of Pruitt, slotted 10th
in 3A by Illinois Matmen. “We’ve been going up against state-ranked
guys from 2A and 3A schools the past couple of weeks, and I don’t think
I’m going to face anybody as good as I have.”
What
JCA has as an advantage as the calendar flips from January to February:
being moved down to Class 1A for the state tournament. It meant the
ESCC Championships were more of a training ground than a battleground as
McInerney and senior 182-pounder Nick Collofello each took second
place.
Junior
160-pounder Frank Bruno, who did not wrestle in the finals due to a head
injury, and freshman 113-pounder Cameron Haney also placed fourth. The
Hilltoppers, who are missing five key regulars due to injury, added
Bruno and senior 170-pounder Alex Mantis (strained LCL) to that list on
Friday night.
However,
one of the highlights of the ESCC Championships hosted by Marian
Catholic was McInerney’s performance. He improved his record to 17-11,
winning by a 15-4 major decision in the semifinals.
“We
weren’t expecting this to happen for Anthony as a sophomore,” JCA coach
Cory McLaughlin nodded. “But once he got there to the finals, we said,
‘We might as well try to win it.’ The kid proved he belongs. The kid he
was facing was like Hercules, so this will be a good learning experience
for Anthony.”
“I’m
only a sophomore, so I have two years of varsity left,” McInerney said.
“This should help a lot. Really, it was lot about practicing your moves
for next week because this is the last chance we have to go against
live competition, and I don’t think we’re going to see anything like
that in the regionals.”
A
returning state qualifier from 2A, Collofello fell in the ESCC finals
to Marist’s Ethan Benoit, who’s ranked seventh in 3A by Illinois Matmen.
After a scoreless first, a five-point sequence on a takedown proved to
be Collofello’s undoing. He trailed 8-1 after two periods and dropped a
16-4 decision.
“One
of my downfalls has been guys picking my ankles,” said Collofello, who
lost in double overtime to Benoit earlier this week. “I couldn’t defend
it like I should have, he got that five-point move, and it snowballed
into more. But he’s easily one of the toughest guys I’ll face the rest
of the season.”
“This
is what we needed, this type of competition,” McLaughlin said. “We’re
disappointed, but we wrestled hard against state-ranked guys and we’ll
learn from this. We’re looking forward to next week.”
NOTES:
Marist finished as ESCC champions with 214 points, edging out Notre
Dame with 172.5. JCA ended up seventh with 43 points … Collofello, who
moved his record to 12-2, is ranked ninth at 182 for Class 3A by
Illinois Matmen … For Collofello, Friday also brought good news. A
defensive tackle for the Hilltoppers’
5A state runnersup, he was offered a scholarship to play football at
the University of St. Francis … McLaughlin credited the effort of Haney
at 113 pounds, pointing out that “Cameron had a real tough bracket. He
had lost to every one of the kids he faced in conference, but he beat
the kid from St. Pat’s and got through the wrestlebacks. He’ll grow from
this and get better.” … Liam Hannon (120, shoulder), Braden Lancaster
(132, torn meniscus), Matt Madrigal (195, broken wrist), Lino Bibian
(heavyweight, concussion) and Jake Elliott (145, broken ankle) are
likely lost for the season for JCA due to injuries … Missing almost half
the regular season caught up with Collofello for the first time.
However, he acknowledged that “I’ll definitely work on what needs to
work on and I’ll be ready for regionals, sectionals and state.” … JCA
will wrestle in the 1A regional at Sandwich, facing an eclectic mix that
includes entries from the Chicago Public League plus Immaculate
Conception, Lisle, Plano, Westmont and the host Indians. The Interstate
Eight Conference schools are considered the most formidable.
