MM_022119

mokenamessenger.com sports
the Mokena Messenger | February 21, 2019 | 37
Wrestling
Central, East wrestlers end HS careers on high note
Steve Millar, Freelance Reporter
Lincoln-Way East senior Nick
Mihajlovich (49-5) earned his first
state medal with a fifth-place finish
at 182 pounds.
Mihajlovich ended his Griffins
career in exciting fashion with an
8-4 win over Oak Park-River Forest’s
Daemyen Middlebrooks.
Mihajlovich trailed 3-1 before
scoring on two takedowns and a
near fall in the final minute of the
match.
“It was honestly amazing,” Mihajlovich
said. “I just didn’t want
to go out with loss. My coaches
told me only three guys get to finish
their season with a win, so I
wanted to do that.”
Mihajlovich fell 5-2 to Maine
South’s Jon Halvorsen in the quarterfinals,
but rebounded with two
straight wins to seal his spot on the
podium.
“I could’ve kept thinking about
that loss, but I figured why sit
around and pout about it,” Mihajlovich
said. “I wanted to come
back and finish as high as I could.”
After falling 8-6 to Yorkville’s
Nick Stemmet in the semifinal
wrestlebacks, he bounced back for
the win over Middlebrooks.
Griffins freshman Dominic
Adamo (35-18) went 0-2 and was
pinned in both of his matches, but
his run to get to state was something
to be proud of, according to
East coach Kevin Rockett.
“He had good role models, older
guys around him,” Rockett said.
“He was coachable and he matured
a lot over the last month or so. He
made every kid he faced earn everything
they got against him.
“He was hoping to do better
down here. We weren’t happy just
be down here, so those losses sting,
but it’s motivation going forward. I
think he can have a pretty successful
career.”
Lincoln-Way Central senior Mason
Sargent (36-12) went 0-2 at
195 pounds, but he was thrilled to
end his career with his first state finals
appearance.
“I thought it was really cool just
being able to wrestle here,” Sargent
said. “I think I tensed up under
the lights when it came down to it,
but I had a pretty good season other
than a few lapses, so I’m happy.
“I had a fun year with a great team,
great coaches, great family supporting
me. I can’t ask for much more.”
After falling 5-2 to Maine
South’s Jimmy Bartell in Thursday’s
opening round, Sargent came
back Friday morning to take on
Huntley’s A.J. Henkle.
Henkle took a quick 7-0 lead, but
Sargent battled back to make it 7-4
in the third period before Henkle
pulled away for a 12-5 win.
“I feel like I left it all out there,”
Sargent said. “I got the last takedown.
I was still fighting at the
end.”
Sargent was pinned in both his
matches at the Alton Sectional last
season.
“Last year, I didn’t do good at
all at sectionals,” he said. “So being
able to make it to state this year
was great.
“One of my goals since I started
high school was to place at state
and I fell short, but I still feel like I
did good. I really enjoyed my time
with wrestling, and I feel like it’s
built me up to be a better person.”
Central coach Tyrone Byrd said
Sargent could keep his head held
high.
“He went through a really tough
stretch in January and he was able
to fight through it,” Byrd said. “He
had to get through tough competition
to get here, so there’s a lot to
be proud of.”
RIGHT: Lincoln-Way East ‘s Nick
Mihajlovich (top) ended his high
school wrestling career with a
fifth-place finish at the state final.
Lincoln-Way Central’s Mason Sargent (right) ends his high school wrestling career with his first appearance
at the state final . 22nd Century Media file photos
Visit us online at www.
mokenamessenger.com