Ezra Avery is trying to qualify for his first Class 3A state wrestling meet instead of attending it as a spectator.
The 182-pound Lyons wrestler came up short in the sectional the past two years and was unable to reach the state individual meet in Champaign.
His last chance is Saturday, Feb. 13 at the Batavia Sectional. He needs to finish in the top four to advance to the state meet, which begins Feb. 19 at the State Farm Center.
Avery, a LaGrange Park resident, has attended the state meet the last few years to cheer on his Lyons teammates who advanced. But the memories he wants to have are not from the stands, but on the mat.
There is one reason why he enjoyed the cheap seats at least once.
“The Grand March in such a huge stadium was awe-inspiring,” Avery said.
Avery wrestled at 170 earlier in the season and is currently ranked No. 11 there by illinoismatmen. He struggled to maintain his weight in that class and since December has been trying to put on pounds to match up better at 182.
He faces a difficult route out of the Batavia Sectional.
Avery (32-8) will take on Plainfield South junior Troy Fugger (23-17) in the first round, with the winner advancing to compete against No. 1-ranked Nathan Traxler (39-2) of Marmion in the quarterfinals. The three top ranked Class 3A wrestlers at 182 are at Batavia and all three won their regionals.
Jack Jessen (45-1) of Willowbrook and Patrick Brucki (41-1) of Sandburg are placed in the opposite bracket from Avery. The other wrestler to earn a first-round bye is Argo junior Dave Cushing (26-13).
Jessen beat Avery 17-5 in the Downers Grove South Regional final.
Ezra Avery followed his older brothers Ben and Noah into wrestling, starting in the second grade with the Lyons feeder program under club coach Mark King. While Ezra Avery’s brothers quit the sport once they reached high school, he hopes to continue wrestling in college, perhaps at a Division III school.
“I always like wrestling as a whole. It was a great family experience,” Ezra Avery said. “You get with a team and it’s good to be part of a team. You might come up short, but you strive personally. It’s a great sport.”
Avery is one of seven sectional qualifiers for Lyons, which finished second (168.5) behind Montini for the regional title.
“Ezra has been great all season,” Lyons coach Griff Powell said. “I expect him to be in the hunt for the medal stand at Champaign. In the last two years, his road has come up too short. But this is his year; this is his senior year.”
Twitter @geomwilcox
