By Fred Kroner
In an IHSA Class 2A team-dual sectional wrestling match it never led until the 14th – and final – bout was completed, Mahomet-Seymour secured a return trip to the state quarterfinals on Tuesday (Feb. 21) with a pulsating 37-34 triumph over Chatham Glenwood in the Titans’ gymnasium.
M-S fell behind with losses in the first two bouts of a meet that began at 160 pounds, and then rallied to gain ties at 10-10, 16-16, 25-25 and 31-31, but trailed, 34-31, with one match remaining.
M-S’ Tallen Pawlak, who normally weighs in at 145 pounds, bumped up to 152 pounds and clinched the Bulldogs’ state berth with a pin in 2 minutes and 42 seconds.
“We had enough kids do what they needed to do,” M-S coach Rob Ledin said. “To give up the extra bonus points (including four losses by pin) was definitely scary for us.
“The guys kept covering for each other.”
Each school won seven bouts in a rematch between programs that split two regular-season duals. Each of those duals were decided by 14 points.
In the team sectional showdown, the Bulldogs recorded four pins in the match, one technical fall triumph and two major decision victories.
Chatham Glenwood registered four pins, one major decision and two regular decisions.
The Titans had an individual state-placer at 152 pounds (senior Aden Byal), but he competed against M-S at 160 pounds and posted a major decision, which Ledin said, “felt like a win,” because the Bulldogs’ Gage Decker kept the match close for the entire six minutes.
Knowing that Byal was unavailable to wrestle in the meet-ending 152-pound bout made Ledin feel better about advancing Pawlak a weight class to secure the team win.
“They were out of bullets (standout wrestlers),” Ledin said. “A lot of things went the way that we wanted. We knew the matchups we wanted and we got the matchups we wanted.”
Pawlak was in position to be the meet’s hero after backup Kaleb Roberts lost a competitive 3-1 decision at 145 pounds.
Bulldog pinners besides Pawlak were Brennan Houser (182 pounds), Camden Harms (285 pounds) and Donovan Lewis (138 pounds).
The technical fall was courtesy of Reese Wilson (126 pounds), who prevailed 17-0 against an opponent he had lost to previously.
Winning by major decisions were Mateo Casillas (195 pounds) and Caden Hatton (120 pounds).
Hatton was a state-qualifier at 113 pounds, but bumped up to help the team against Chatham Glenwood.
Casillas was matched against the person who placed third at the individual state tournament last week in his weight class.
Chatham Glenwood won three of the first five contested matches. When the Bulldogs’ deficit was at 16-10 going into the 285-pound bout, Ledin was concerned.
“I thought we were in trouble,” he said.
M-S raised its school-record total for dual meet wins in a season to 32. The 32-7 Bulldogs advance to the Class 2A quarterfinals and a 5 p.m. Friday (Feb 24) date with Washington in an Elite Eight matchup.
At last week’s individual wrestling state tournament, Washington had four grapplers in the finals and had champions at 145 pounds and 220 pounds as well as the runner-up at 132 pounds and 170 pounds. The Panthers also had one third-place winner, one fourth-place winner and one sixth-place winner.
M-S’ individual state-placers were state champion Casillas and fifth-place finisher Houser.
Friday’s four quarterfinal team survivors will return to Bloomington’s Grossinger Motors Arena on Saturday (Feb. 25) for the semifinals and finals.
M-S senior Mateo Casillas is one win away from tying the school’s record for career wins, currently held by 1989 graduate Brett Camden at 175. Tuesday’s win was No. 174 for Casillas.
The Bulldogs have a 12-match dual-meet winning streak. M-S and Washington did not wrestle in a dual meet this season.
In the latest Illinois Matmen state rankings, Washington was rated second and M-S third. Holding down the state’s top spot in Class 2A is Joliet Catholic.
