CHAMPAIGN — Brother Rice sophomore Bobby Conway knew how big of an underdog he was going into the Class 2A 126-pound state championship match against Triad’s Colby Crouch.
Embracing a nothing-to-lose attitude, Conway put on a show for the crowd as the biggest surprise state champion of the season when Crouch couldn’t finish the match due to injury.
“All the pressure was on him,” Conway said of the undefeated returning champ. “There was no pressure on me. I just blew everybody out of the water even getting into the finals.
“Now that just happened? Nobody expected that. If you would have bet on me, you would have won so much money.”
Conway joined a trio of Joliet Catholic wrestlers as Class 2A state champions from the Southland on Saturday night at the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center.
Junior Dillan Johnson (285) and senior Gylon Sims (120) became three-time champions for the Hilltoppers, while senior Mason Alessio (160) won his first title.
Conway (23-1) ultimately got his championship via injury default but did plenty to show he belonged at the top of the podium.
For two highly entertaining periods, he and Crouch took turns nearly pinning each other, with both piling up points. Crouch led 15-13 when he appeared to injure his knee on a Conway takedown at the end of the second period. Crouch was unable to continue.
“I just kept pushing forward,” Conway said. “I wasn’t going to stop. I knew if my confidence went out the window, I was going to lose that match. I just kept wrestling hard. I didn’t look back.
“Unfortunately, he got hurt, but I think I had him in the third either way.”
After going 1-2 at state as a freshman last season, Conway came into this season believing he could beat anybody.
“I think my mentality was the biggest thing this year,” Conway said. “I’m not stronger than (Crouch). He’s stronger than me. Everybody I’ve wrestled here has been stronger than me. I’m just faster.
“That kid is insane. But as long as you’re confident and have energy, you can beat anybody.”
Johnson (43-0) beat Aurora Christian’s Braden Hunter 8-2 to remain perfect in his high school career.
He still has not given up a takedown and is ranked No. 1 in the nation. Those are incredibly high standards to live up to, but Johnson said he blocks it out.
“I just forget about it,” he said. “I focus on what I’m going to do and what my takedowns are going to be. Being ranked No. 1 just motivated me to keep working hard.”
Sims (41-6) got an overtime takedown for a dramatic 5-3 win over Aurora Christian’s Josh Vazquez, winning his third straight state championship after taking second as a freshman.
“I gave up my first takedown of the whole tournament, and going into overtime, I knew it was my last year and I can’t go out like that,” Sims said. “I thought about my training for my whole year.
“I put in so much blood, sweat and tears. I refused to let that go to waste by being lazy on the mat and not coming out with what I deserved.”
Joliet Catholic’s Jake Hamiti (138) and Nico Ronchetti (182) finished as runners-up.
After taking second last season, Alessio put himself in the company of both Johnson and Sims after watching them win so many titles.
Alessio (43-3) pinned Dunlap’s Nick Mueller just 78 seconds into their championship match.
“It’s hard to kind of stay with them,” Alessio said of Johnson and Sims. “But it’s always a motivation to work harder.
“This feels amazing. It hasn’t really hit me yet. Once it does, it’s going to feel a lot better. I’m a state champion for the rest of my life.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
