GL_020719

46 | February 7, 2019 | The glenview lantern sports
glenviewlantern.com
Loyola, South wrestlers ready for sectional test
Gary Larsen
Freelance Reporter
At every regional each
year, the biggest heartbreak
occurs on the
third-place mat, since the
winner advances to the
sectional while the loser’s
season is over.
At this year’s Class 3A
Fremd Regional on Saturday,
Feb. 2, Loyola’s Sam
Schierloh provided one of
the high-drama moments
of the tournament.
Tied 6-6 against Prospect’s
Sam Hwang, Schierloh
rode Hwang with
time running out in the
match. With mere seconds
remaining, Schierloh
turned Hwang and earned
two back points and an
8-6 win, sending him to
next week’s Barrington
sectional.
“I was tired and I knew
it was tied,” Schierloh
said. “I feel like I finally
overpowered him. I could
feel that he was tired.”
Schierloh took his junior
year off of wrestling
to focus on football. His
win over Hwang improved
his record to 21-5
in his comeback season on
the mat.
“It feels good,” Schierloh
said. “I missed (wrestling)
last year. After a
year off, conditioning
was tough and it took a
little while but now I feel
great. Now I’ll go out
there at sectional and do
whatever I can to make it
downstate.”
Loyola senior Aidan
McKeag was a sectional
qualifier his freshman and
sophomore years before
failing to advance last
season as a junior.
Second-seeded McKeag
guaranteed himself
a third career sectional
Online content
For the photo gallery
from this meet, visit
GlenviewLantern.com.
berth with a semifinal
pin of Glenbrook North’s
Sam Ryabov. “I was not
going to lose,” McKeag
said.
McKeag lost by fall
on the title mat at 132 to
top-seeded Chad Vilchez
of Prospect. McKeag
earned the first takedown
against Vilchez and has
expanded his offense this
season.
McKeag pinned both
of his regional opponents
to reach the title
mat.
“Last year I based a lot
of my wrestling with just
a fireman’s (carry) and
when that didn’t work, I
didn’t really have much
else to do,” McKeag said.
“This year I’ve worked a
lot on ankle picks and different
moves. I’ll spend
the next week working on
what I do best to get ready
for the sectional.”
The Ramblers’ Josh
Kreutz (220) had a sectional
berth within reach
but his season ended
on the third-place mat
when he lost by fall to
Prospect’s Caleb Smith.
“I’m kind of sad that
Josh Kruetz got taken out.
That hurts,” McKeag said.
“But now Sam and I just
have to keep going.”
Glenbrook South saw
two wrestlers earn sectional
advancement in
Will Collins (138) and
Cam Mercer (195).
Fourth-seeded Mercer
reached the title mat with
a semifinal pin of topseeded
Schierloh, before
placing second to New
Trier’s Tyler Janczak.
Loyola Academy wrestler Aidan McKeag wrestles during the team’s IHSA regional on Saturday, Feb. 2, in Palatine.
Photos by Gary Larsen/22nd Century Media
Glenbrook South’s Cam Mercer prepares to make a move.
“Cam lost to (Schierloh)
earlier in the year
so that was good to see,”
Glenbrook South coach
Pat Castillo said. “He was
down, won a little scramble
and came out on top,
and got the fall.”
Collins gave up a late
escape and lost 4-3 to
Wheeling’s John Quintero.
But the freshman
dominated his two consolation
round matches,
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