Late success lifts Dundee-Crown

Updated: March 23, 2011 9:30AM

Dundee-Crown overtook Crystal Lake South with first-place wins by Alonzo Fuller (145), Carson Tanner (189) and Cody Churkey (215) late in the championship rounds of the Jacobs Class 3A Regional wrestling showcase. The Chargers scored 173.5 points to Crystal Lake South's score of 169. Cary Grove came in third with 155.5.

"Our kids just worked hard," said Chargers Coach Al Zinke. "We lost some matches in the semifinals we didn't think we were going to lose. But our kids fought back. We had some kids, at the end of the day, beat the kid that beat him earlier in the day and that's the difference in the tournament."

Fuller defeated Jake Peters of Crystal Lake South, 8-3, to set up the Chargers move to the top of the score sheet.

"He's a second year wrestler, who's just a natural athlete and a hard working kid," said Zinke.

Tanner won 7-5 over Max Kersten of Cary-Grove and Churkey soundly defeated Jarod Kimble of Rockford Auburn in a fall at 3:34.

"(Kimble) was strong, but that was pretty much all he was working with," said Churkey. "I out-wrestled him. I wanted the pin for the team. It's always great to move on. All I want is to go downstate, place and hopefully be a state champ."

The Chargers placed four wrestlers in third place and six in fourth place.

Huntley placed fifth in the regional with 82.5 points. The Red Raiders had no first place finishers but did place two wrestlers in each second, third, and fourth place brackets. Lucas Rogers (135) lost, 4-3 decision to Cullen Smith of Crystal Lake South, and Josh Symbal (171) lost Collin Hansen of Cary Grove. Symbal lost his third match to Hansen by a close score.

Jacobs finished seventh with 55 points, but had two championship wins by freshman Austin Ryan (103) and Joe Ladick (152). Ladick was awarded the win due to an injury default to Austin Smith of Rockford Boylan.

"I had a feeling (Smith) was hurting," said Ladick. "My two teammates are going to wrestle with me this week. I'm definitely going to work harder this week."

Ryan advanced to the sectionals by defeating Crystal Lake South's Casey Callahan, 4-0, in the 103 pound weight class. Despite Callahan's attempt to play defensive and stay on the bottom, Ryan won the bout 4-0. Ryan is 35-6 in matches this season.

"Ryan just has talent and he's hard working as well," said Jacobs Coach Chris Taylor. "He started in our kid's club. He just continues to progress and his knowledge of the sport is amazing."

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