Comeback kids: Oak Park rallies to win title

Minooka heavyweight Cody Jones (right) won his match to help the Indians take an early 16-8 lead, but Oak Park rallied to win the Class 3A dual-team wrestling state title 33-30.
(John Patsch/Herald News)

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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Oak Park coach Mike Powell stated from 125-to-160 the Huskies were as strong as any team in country.

That was evident as the Huskies defeated Minooka 33-30 Saturday night to capture the Class 3A dual team wrestling state championship at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.

A Leo Ruettiger (103) decision, Bobby Zabel (112) pin and Joeie Ruettiger’s major at 119, gave Minooka (23-3) a 16-8 lead.

‘‘I had a knot in my stomach,’’ Powell confessed.

It didn’t last long.

Chris Dardanes (125) put Minooka’s Brian Bokoski to his back at 5:41 and the Huskies bench erupted.

‘‘He was controlling the tie and I had trouble getting my offense going,’’ Chris Dardanes said. ‘‘I just found a way to turn him; I had an underhook in and ran it hard putting him to his back.’’

Nick Dardanes (130) followed with a major and Ellis Coleman (135) added a pin 3:51 into his match moving Oak Park ahead 24-16. Minooka’s Marcus Rangel (140) got a major, but Dan Martin (145), wrestling with a torn LCL, posted a decision.

Ryan Warczynski’s major (152) brought the Indians to 27-24. But freshman Sammy Brooks (160) closed the deal with a pin midway through the first period.

‘‘I used a ball-and-chain-stack,’’ Brooks said. ‘‘It’s a move Ellis showed me. I felt like I was in a zone; all my moves were working.’’

A celebration of heavy bear hugs ensued after the Huskies forfeited the final weight. ‘‘Coach Powell told us [before the match] meet we deserve this trophy, but it’s not going to be handed to us,’’ Brooks said.

The match went according to script for Oak Park (24-0).

‘‘We wanted to close at 152 and have Brooks at 160,’’ Powell said. ‘‘It went pretty much how I thought it would. Our seniors won this for us; they gave us tremendous leadership all year. We won matched up well. Our strength is the same as theirs, but our heavy hitters came up big and we stayed away from bonus points in our loses.’’

It’s an incredible story considering the Huskies had less than five wins twice when Powell was an assistant in 2001 and ’02.

‘‘I had no doubt Mike could do this, that’s why we wanted him to get the job,’’ said former Oak Park coach Niall Collins, who watched with fellow former coach Norm Parker. ‘‘He has incredible energy. He hired a great staff and has worked 24/7. It’s a wonderful night.’’