Lemont Falls to Crystal Lake Central in IHSA Wrestling Dual Team Quarterfinals

Lemont High School’s wrestling team dropped a 41-23 decision to Crystal Lake Central in a quarterfinal match at the 2015 IHSA Class 2A Wrestling Dual Team State Finals, which were contested at U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington on February 28. Head coach John St. Clair’s team was making its fourth team state finals appearance, and its first since the 2011 season.

Lemont jumped out to a quick 13-0 lead against Crystal Lake Central. Sophomore Jake Kirkman (36-10) got things started with a first period pin. Senior Dimitri Giatras (27-22) followed with a 4-0 win at 160 pounds, and junior John Polk (33-15) took away a 14-4 major decision at 170 pounds.

Crystal Lake Central rattled off 24 straight points to take the lead. Sophomore Mike Lyewski (1-1), senior Jason Koepke (3-11) and junior Pat Flynn (8-28) all lost by fall in the first period of their matches at 182, 195 and 220 pounds, respectively. Koepke and Flynn each lost to foes who won titles at the 2015 IHSA Class 2A Wrestling Individual State Finals a week earlier. Crystal Lake Central also won by forfeit at 285 pounds.

Sophomore Jack Leffler (18-19) got Lemont back in the match with a 12-2 major decision at 106 pounds, but Crystal Lake won by forfeit at 113 pounds to increase its lead to 30-17.

Freshman Gabe Berta (20-19) came up short in a 5-4 decision at 120 pounds, and Crystal Lake Central clinched the match when senior Ryan Glynn (28-15) lost by technical fall at 126 pounds.

Sophomore Damyen Gothard (16-21) earned a 5-3 decision at 132 pounds; sophomore Egan Berta (41-11) fell short in a 4-3 decision at 138 pounds; and senior Jimmy Brennan (32-7) closed his career with a 5-4 win at 145 pounds.

Lemont earned its first team state finals berth in four seasons by beating De La Salle, 42-24, in one of two matches at the IHSA Oak Forest Sectional on February 24.

Lemont won eight matches in the IHSA Sectional contest against De La Salle, including five victories by fall. Flynn, Kirkman, Lyewski, Polk and Gabe Berta all pinned their opponents, while Egan Berta won by technical fall. Glynn won by major decision, while Brennan earned a victory as well. Lyewski’s victory came in his first varsity match.

Brennan, Giatras, Glynn, Kirkman, Polk and Egan Berta all competed at the 2015 IHSA Class 2A Wrestling Individual State Finals from February 19-21. Brennan made his third state finals appearance, while Berta and Kirkman reached the state finals for the second time in as many years.

Lemont won the IHSA St. Laurence Regional on February 7 to earn its team sectional berth, and also advanced 11 wrestlers as individuals to the IHSA De La Salle Sectional. All six of the individual state qualifiers won IHSA Regional crowns, as did Leffler and Gabe Berta.

Wrestling is the seventh Lemont High School sport to be represented in IHSA State Finals competition this year. Senior Kyra Udziela was the individual champion at the IHSA Girls’ Bowling State Finals; the cheerleading squad was fourth at the IHSA Medium Division State Finals; the girls’ cross country team was fourth at the IHSA Class 2A State Finals; the football team was the IHSA Class 6A State Runner-Up; the boys’ golf tied for ninth at the IHSA Class 2A State Finals; freshman Alex Knutte competed at the IHSA Girls’ Swimming State Finals; and six wrestlers competed as individuals at the IHSA Class 2A Individual State Finals.

For more information, contact Director of School & Community Relations Tony Hamilton (tonyh@lemont.k12.il.us) at (630) 243-3280.