Wrestling: Minooka edges out Plainfield Central

Updated: December 14, 2011 10:48PM

It’s rare when a coach is thrilled with a loss.

It happens in wrestling when a decided underdog doesn’t get pinned or give up bonus points.

Minooka did not give up bonus points during a Southwest Prairie Conference dual Wednesday at Plainfield Central. The end result was a 29-26 victory.

“That’s what we’ve been about here for the last eight or nine years,” first-year Minooka coach Paige Schoolman said. “It’s about the team. You lose, but you win. Your loss helps us because you stayed off your back.”

Praised for doing just that was Jake Potts at 195 pounds, Eric Velezquez at heavyweight and Shane Mart at 113.

Potts lost 16-2 to Plainfield Central’s Jordan Ellingwood, who is ranked No. 2 in the state. Velezquez lost 4-2 to Mike Farr and Clayton Ledbetter beat Mart 7-2.

“Potts gave up only a major to the best or the second best kid in the state of Illinois,” Schoolman said. “Even though those kids lost, they didn’t give up bonus points.”

“A lot of our guys did great today,” said Jake Residori, Minooka’s 170-pounder. “Not giving up bonus points was huge tonight. Jake Potts had to wrestle Ellingwood. For him to not give up a tech was huge for us and a momentum changer.”

Plainfield Central (6-2, 2-1 in the SPC) also forfeited at 170 and 182 pounds.

“The two forfeits were to their big studs, so that wouldn’t have changed the outcome,” Plainfield Central coach Jim Kappas said. “Right now, they are a better team than us. We’re hoping to get better and build on a few things.”

Plainfield Central’s Nick Nasenbeny wrestled at 120 for the first time this year and beat Dan Ruettiger 1-0 and the Wildcats’ Ryan Holtzrichter beat Jake DeKlerk 3-0 at 138 in a battle of ranked wrestlers.

No. 1 Bob Zabel won by a pin to remain unbeaten at 132.

© 2012 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.