Elgin's Walker claims sectional title at 160

Font Size

Email

Bookmark

Black Text

White Text

NAPERVILLE -- Elgin wrestler Terrell Walker wanted to make it clear Saturday that he wanted a title more than anyone else at the Naperville North Class 2A Sectional.

Walker let the results on the mat make the statement as he scored a 7-3 decision against Batavia's Danny Patterson in the 160-pound championship match.

Next up for Walker is next weekend's State Finals in Champaign.

It was the second straight week Walker defeated Patterson in a title match as the two squared off at the South Elgin Regional.

Knowing he had taken care of business once against the Batavia junior had Walker (37-1) going into this match with more confidence.

"It's my senior year and I wanted it more than anyone," he said. "Last week I kind of clamped up a little big because I was nervous it being my first regional championship. Knowing I clamped up and still beat him, this weekend I came out and opened up and beat him again."

It will be the second appearance at State for Walker, who made it a priority to do well at Naperville North after just missing the cut there with a fourth-place sectional showing as a sophomore.

"This sectional is pretty tough," Walker said. "When I lost here two years ago I was disappointed. I dedicated myself to making it back and dominating. It seems like I got the job done pretty well."

Fall just short was Walker's teammate Robert Hayes, who after wrestling at 189 pounds for most of the season, wrestled up to 215 in the postseason. Hayes suffered a 3-2 loss to Mike Olp of Wheaton-Warrenville South in the third-place match.

"He's a good wrestler and he deserved it," said Hayes, who has wrestled only three years. "All I can say right now is this was a good experience."

Added Elgin coach Anthony Genovesi: "They both wrestled extremely hard. Robert knew he'd have a better chance to make it at 215 and that turned out to be the right decision. He was only a match away. Now Terrell just has to work on improving in every area and take sure he does everything he can do."

Among the 10 Dundee-Crown wrestlers at the sectional, Ryan Horcher was the lone Charger to make it to a championship match. He was pinned in his title contest to Neuqua Valley's Jimmy Duffy.

"Right now he's on another level than I am," Horcher said afterwards. "He's a year-round wrestler. Me being a three-sport athlete, I don't quite have the time he has in it. But I've been making strides and to make it this far against a lot of guys here who are year-round (wrestlers), that's an accomplishment on its own.

"This was my last chance. Basically, all week has been about last chance. I've come up short before, but now I have a chance to go for that medal."

D-C's Mike Lukowski will also go to State after winning the third-place match at 189 against St. Charles East's Adam Schaefer.

Also advancing to State is East's Billy Diamond, who finished second at 171. Diamond lost a 13-3 decision to Neuqua Valley's Chris Spangler.

"He's definitely one of the best opponents I've faced all year," Diamond said of Spangler. "But it definitely makes me feel like I can handle some upper-level guys. I can't pay attention to rankings. I just have to wrestle a smart match."

Just missing trips to State for the Saints were Schaefer and Cody Crawford, who fell 7-0 in his third-place match against Matt Leibforth of Lemont.

Schaefer is a senior, but Crawford, who is only a junior, will have another shot next year.

"Losing a third-place match is always tough," said East coach Steve Smerz, who led 10 wrestlers into the sectional. "But it was nice for the younger kids to get here and learn from the experience.

"A lot of them wrestled well. Early on we lost some close matches, the kind you need to win in a sectional. But the kids will learn from it and hopefully come back next year."