Last year, Colton Emmerich was the first wrestler in 50 years to win an individual state championship for Deerfield High School. Head coach Marc Pechter is expecting the next one might come a little bit sooner.
“I think we were able to jump a level as a team,” Pechter said. “They’re improving all the time and approaching the level that you need to compete at the state championship.”
Emmerich, now wrestling at the University of Illinois, was joined in the IHSA 3A state championship tournament by two sophomores who are returning and expected to be near the top of the state leader board once again. Andrew Mehrholz finished third in state last year at 120 pounds. He lost 5-4 in the quarterfinals to eventual state champ Kris Williams from Thornwood and then won four straight matches to finish on the podium. Sage Heller dropped his first match in the 148-pound division to Alton’s Phyllip DeLoach, but finished the season with a 42-10 record.
Emmerich’s win in the 182-pound weight class made him only the second wrestler in Deerfield history to win a state title. Ted Parker won in 1963 at 112 pounds and again in 1964 at 120 pounds.
Despite losing their leader, Pechter is very optimistic about this year’s team.
“We had a great year, one of our best,” he said. “But (this year) we have other guys who are going to fill in quite nicely. We’re looking at having a pretty solid lineup from top to bottom.”
Deerfield has won the Central Suburban League Conference for six years in a row, but Pechter sees plenty of competition for the title this year.
“When you’re talking about our side, the north division, Maine West is always tough and Maine East is really up and coming,” he said. “Niles North had a nice young team last year. They should all be keeping us on our toes.
“Because of our recent success, we feel like we have targets on our backs,” he said. “We feel like people are gunning for us, so we have to be our best day in and day out. We’re going to get everybody’s best all the time.”
Deerfield also has some new faces. Dylan Utterback, who was an Illinois Elementary School Association state champion, was too light to wrestle for the varsity team last year as a freshman. But this year, he’ll be joining the varsity team at 106 pounds. “He’s really been training, and he’s heavy enough now that he’s a solid 106,” Pechter said.
Deerfield also has freshman Kenny Kerstein, another former IESA state champion, who will be wrestling at either 120 or 126 pounds.
“He’s really tough as well,” Pechter said. “I think we can expect good things from both of them.”
Deerfield opens league competition against Maine East on Friday and then has the Hinsdale Central Invitational on Saturday. The first home meet will be against Grant High School on Dec. 11, followed by rival Highland Park at home on Dec. 12. The Central Suburban League Championship will be Jan. 24 at Glenbrook South High School.
“I think we’ve got a strong team this year,” Pechter said. “Hopefully it won’t be another 50 years before we have another state champion.”
