CHAMPAIGN — Fans, coaches and event workers alike have recognized the name Casillas at this weekend’s IHSA state wrestling finals. How could they forget Mahomet-Seymour’s Mateo Casillas winning a Class 2A state championship at 195 pounds in 2023?
But this isn’t the same Casillas we’re talking about.
In just his freshman season, Marco Casillas, Mateo’s little brother, has become the highlight of the Bulldogs’ lineup at 175 pounds. Marco won his first two matches on Thursday, the only one of seven M-S state wrestlers to reach Friday’s semifinals before falling to IC Catholic’s Brody Kelly by an 8-2 decision
“Being able to place and just doing the best I can is what I’ve been expecting,” Marco said. “It just gives me more confidence and more belief in my ability to do what I need to do.”
M-S coach Rob Ledin said the key to Marco’s success — he’s 49-4 after Friday night’s semifinal loss — has been his preparation. First of all, it’s been a benefit to have a state champion older brother to lean on.
“No pressure,” Marco said of following up Mateo. “He’s been a good role model, pushing me every day and giving me good advice.”
But it goes much deeper than that. In tournaments leading up to his first high school season, Marco wrestled up age groups, put in quality work in the weight room and constantly surrounded himself with tough competition.
“As a high school coach, you always wonder if the transition is going to happen,” Ledin said. “Luckily, he’s got a family that did the things all along that needed to be done to put him in a position to be successful and get him to that next level. He’s been wrestling older, bigger, wiser kids, and he’s like ‘I’m just going to wrestle.’ It doesn’t faze him, and he doesn’t get caught up in anything. I think he’s the type of kid who’s just going to keep getting better. I don’t think by any means he’s hit his ceiling as a freshman.”
While he won’t wrestle for a state title, Marco has certainly made a statement as a freshman, and he has every intention of improving each year moving forward.
“I just want to be the best I can be and be the best wrestler in the state pound for pound,” Marco said.
***
Three years ago, Emiliano Bedolla hadn’t even started wrestling. Now, he can call himself a state wrestler.
“This is my third year wrestling. It’s my first sport. I just started wrestling and never stopped, and here I am now,” Bedolla said. “I could have done better, but it’s what God wanted. I wish I could have done better, but it’s still pretty cool.”
It wasn’t the greatest showing for the Urbana senior, getting pinned in 66 seconds in the first round of the Class 2A 132-pound bracket on Thursday and then seeing his high school career end with a technical fall in the first round of wrestlebacks on Friday.
Regardless of the result, Bedolla made it to State Farm Center for the first time. He was one of the area’s best wrestlers all season, compiling a record of 36-9, and he finished at the biggest stage the state has to offer.
“I don’t know what to say,” Bedolla said. “It’s thanks to my coaches and my hard work. This is my third year wrestling, and some of these guys have been wrestling since they were kids. I started my sophomore year, and here I am. It’s pretty cool to go out here.”
And he did it as the lone Urbana Tiger in the tournament, showing pride in representing his school and community.
“Urbana has the best coaches in the district,” Bedolla said. “I love Urbana.”
But this isn’t the end of Bedolla’s wrestling journey. Not if he has anything to say about it. He’s committed himself to continue improving, and he’s determined to get to the next level.
“I’ll be back in college,” Bedolla said. “I’m for sure going to go to college and get better. Hopefully next season, I’ll be on a college team.”
***
Unity coach Logan Patton brought seven of his wrestlers with him to the state tournament.
Scratch that. He brought 37.
To clarify, Unity qualified seven wrestlers for state, but Patton’s coaching stretches much farther than Tolono. As far south as Robinson, west as Morton and north as Clifton Central, to be more specific. About 75-80 athletes are part of Patton Trained, a club designed by Patton for anyone simply wanting to improve as a wrestler.
So, if you see Patton coaching up any non-Unity kids in the tunnel under the State Farm Center stands or slapping hands with seemingly half the competitors there, that’s why.
“The tunnel is fantastic. The tunnel is home,” Patton said. “This is the only time I’ve been up in the stands all week, and I’m going right back down. It’s awesome going through the brackets and basically asking these kids what they need from me. They know my Unity guys come first, but I’ll be there if they need me watching or breaking down film. It’s super exciting to see all these guys in the medal rounds, and we’re trying to get as many PT guys on the podium as possible.”
A total of 37 Patton Trained wrestlers qualified for the boys’ individual state finals, with 15 of them making the semifinals in their respective weight classes, and five girls will compete for an individual title next weekend.
Patton said he never imagined it would turn into this big of a club or garner this much respect from around the state. It started in Hoopeston with multi-time state champions Luke Luffman from Urbana and Justin Cardani from Centennial, along with a few others, and it’s done nothing but grow from there.
“I always thought it would be a nice little kickstep for whatever high school I was at, a nice comparable with new training partners and things like that,” Patton said. “I didn’t think it’d turn into the army that it is today by any means. I’m super grateful, and I can’t thank these guys enough because they’re the ones who put in all the work. I’m just trying to steer the bus.”
With all the wrestlers representing Patton Trained at state this weekend, Patton can’t go wrong. In many cases, it doesn’t matter who wins because he’ll win regardless.
“Holden Brazelton wrestled Gianni Panozzo in the first round, and they’re training partners,” Patton said. “Gianni texted me, ‘Sorry, I didn’t do my job at sectionals. We’ve got to make this match happen.’ I said, ‘Either way, I win.’”
发表回复