LP_022218

38 | February 22, 2018 | The Lockport Legend SPORTS
lockportlegend.com
Molton makes improbable run to state title
Two other LTHS
wrestlers place in
Top 5 at state finals
Steve Millar
Freelance Reporter
Lockport junior Anthony
Molton believed he could be
a state champion wrestler,
but standing in his way in the
Class 3A 120-pound bracket
were two wrestlers ranked
in the top six in the country,
both of whom had already
been state champions.
“I knew how tough of a
bracket it was and that it was
going to be a challenge,”
Molton said.
Molton answered the
challenge in astoundingly
impressive fashion. After
stunning two-time defending
state champion Joey Melendez
of Montini 11-2 in Friday’s
semifinals, he pulled
off a 7-4 overtime win over
Marian Catholic’s Travis
Ford-Melton in Saturday’s
state championship match at
the State Farm Center.
“It wasn’t until this year
that I finally believed in myself,
believed that I could be
a state champion,” Molton
said. “Accomplishing one of
my goals like this is a great
feeling. I know I have to
keep working hard and getting
better, though, so I can
stay on top next year.”
In the championship
match, Molton (46-7) and
Ford-Melton went to overtime
tied 4-4. After there
was no scoring in the first
two overtime periods, Ford-
Melton started the third
period on top and chose to
concede an escape point to
Molton.
That put Molton up 5-4,
and told the Lockport junior
that Ford-Melton, ranked
No. 6 in the nation by Inter-
Mat, was confident he could
take down Molton in the
Please see Wrestling, 35
Lockport’s Anthony Molton (right) wrestles Montini’s Joey Melendez in their Class 3A
120-pound division semifinal match at the IHSA Individual Wrestling State Final Friday,
Feb. 16, at the State Farm Center in Champaign. Chris Johns/Photonews Media
Boys Swimming and Diving
Jack O’Connor, pair of divers qualify for state
Erin Redmond
Freelance Reporter
Home is where the heart is.
The Eagles brought their
heart — and the heat — as
they dominated the Orland
Park Sectional Saturday, Feb.
17, at Sandburg. The hosts
won the meet with a total
score of 302, more than 40
points ahead of runner-up
Stagg (260). Lockport finished
third with 224 points.
Sandburg also qualified for
the state finals in event events
— including three relays —
while the Porters will send
swimmers and divers in four
events.
Eagles’ swimmers Peter
Bukiri and Jacob Simonek
as well as sophomore diver
Cody Thill were the only
ones to qualify individually
for state. Burkiri will represent
the Eagles in two events:
the 200- and 500-yard freestyle
races.
The junior swimmer won
the 200 free with a time of
1:43.54, just ahead of Stagg’s
Sebastian Smolecki, who finished
in 1:43.75 to also punch
his ticket to state.
The gap was much wider in
the 500 free, however. Bukiri
easily cruised to a first place
finish with a time of 4:40.08
— more than 18 seconds faster
than the runner-up.
“We figured that [Bukiri]
would probably be the person
who wins both the 200 freestyle
and the 500 [freestyle],”
Sandburg coach Matthew
Neimeier said. “For those
two events, he went out and
swam extremely well and he
wasn’t completely rested yet,
so that’s exciting for what he
can potentially do at the state
meet and [he’ll] possibly
drop more time.”
Lockport’s Jack O’Connor
also qualified for state in two
events, winning both the 100-
yard backstroke and 200-yard
individual medley.
O’Connor claimed the
100 back title with a time of
52.32, besting the runner-up
from Stagg by .69 seconds.
The Porters’ swimmer
won the 200 IM in a time
of 1:55.07 — a solid four
seconds faster than Stagg’s
James McCallion (1:59.39).
“Going into sectionals, we
knew Jack could make that
qualifying time as he had
earlier in the season,” Lockport
coach Jason Ozbolt said.
“He’s not 100 percent rested
and tapered — we were eyeing
for state — so we’re
looking for some faster times
[at state].”
Sandburg’s Simonek won
and qualified in 100-yard
breaststroke (59.99), which
Neimeier said was even more
impressive given it was his
only event of the day.
“He wasn’t able to shake
those nerves out,” he said.
“He’s been one of the hardest
working people all year,
extremely intense in his
training. He went out and he
swam an exceptional race,
dropped two-and-a-half seconds
from his best time and
had an awesome swim.”
The Eagles’ three relays
will all compete at state and
deservedly so, Neimeier said.
Kyle Fox, the anchor of
team’s 200-yard freestyle,
swam a 20.84 split, which
the Sandburg coach said was
“the fastest swim of his life.”
Still, the team — which also
includes Joey Jenkot, Brenden
Lee and Bukiri — came
up just short, taking second
to Stagg by .19 seconds. The
team’s time of 1:26.95 was
still enough to qualify for
state tournament.
Sandburg took first in the
remaining two relays.
The 200-yard medley relay
of sophomore Sean Harlin,
Carter Thoss, Jenkot and Lee
won with a time of 1:36.45.
The 400 free relay — compromised
of Fox, Lee, Bukiri
and Thoss — won its race
with a time of 3:13.62.
Lockport’s Colin Onak competes in the 100-yard butterfly
Saturday, Feb. 17, during the Sandburg Sectional.
Julie McMann/22nd Century Media
Lockport’s 200 and 400
freestyle relays just missed
the cut, which Ozbolt admitted
was a bit disappointing
for his seniors.
“That said, we can’t really
be too upset,” the Porters
coach said. “Everyone
dropped time, which is always
our goal. Almost everyone
had lifetime bests. Everyone
swam great, it’s just
not quite the way we wanted
it to end.”
Both Sandburg and Lockport
will be represented in the
diving competition, too.
Sandburg’s “extremely
consistent” Thill won the
diving title with a total score
of 454.30, while Lockport
junior Wrigley Fields was
the runner-up with a score of
442.75. Senior Logan Morgan
also made the cut for
state, finishing third with a
score of 397.50.
“I know our diving coach
is very excited to have two
divers qualify,” Ozbolt said.
“... It’s a very good [indication]
for our diving program
moving forward that we’re
moving in the right direction.”
The Eagles and Porters
will now prepare for the state
tournament, slated for Feb.
23 and 24 in Evanston.