Lemont senior Johnny O’Connor is headed to state for the first time.
There’s a big bonus, too. His younger brother, Noah, will also be there.
“It means a lot,” Johnny said. “It’s really cool that we could do it together and both go down after all the years we’ve practiced together and worked out together.”
Johnny O’Connor (41-5) won the 145-pound title Saturday at the Class 2A Hinsdale South Sectional. Noah O’Connor (35-10), a junior, finished second at 152.
Both qualified for the state meet, to be held Thursday through Saturday at the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center in Champaign.
For Noah, the semifinal round at the sectional, when both brothers won to secure their spot at state, was especially exciting.
“I was watching Johnny’s match beforehand and then I had to go out on another mat for my match,” Noah said. “I finished my match and his went into double overtime, so after I won, I was able to watch the rest of his match. That was really fun.
“It feels good. We’ve put a lot of work in and it feels like we’re getting something out of it.”
Both brothers qualified for the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association state meet in 2020-21 after the Illinois High School Association canceled the postseason due to the pandemic.
This will be their first time competing on the big stage in Champaign.
“These guys both really deserve their success,” Lemont coach Erik Murry said. “They are two of the hardest workers we’ve ever had and they’re great kids. I’m really happy for them.”
The O’Connors have been wrestling for about a decade after joining the sport together.
“It’s been a lot of fun growing through the sport together and pushing each other,” Johnny said. “It really motivates me wrestling against him in practice. If he scores on me, I want to get that next takedown. I don’t want him beating me.”
Noah got used to being the smaller, younger brother. But now he weighs a bit more than Johnny and can certainly hold his own.
“When we were younger, he was a few weight classes above me and I’d watch him wrestle and kind of be inspired by him,” Noah said. “Now that we’re in high school, our weight classes are right next to each other so we’ve been able to wrestle together and improve and work on things with each other.
“I’d say I get the majority of the wins between us now.”
Johnny argues the results are more of a 50-50 split these days.
Either way, though, he could not imagine a better way to end his high school career than wrestling at state with his brother.
“I’m just trying to really enjoy it,” Johnny O’Connor said. “I want to take in every little thing and just feel it.”
Breaking through: After finishing one win short of state last season, Sandburg sophomore Ryan Hinger came through Saturday, clinching his spot with a pin in the blood round and finishing third at 132 in the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional.
“I’m glad that, this year, I got the job done,” Hinger said.
Viking victories: Six of the seven Homewood-Flossmoor wrestlers who competed at Saturday’s Evanston Sectional advanced to the girls state meet, which is set for Feb. 24 and 25 at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.
Defending state champion Attalia Watson-Castro (130) and Ini Odumosu (190) were sectional champions. Alima Toheeb-Lawal (2nd, 145), Jocelyn Williams (2nd, 235), Basirat Sodiq (3rd, 170) and Nina Hamm (4th, 110) also qualified.
Odumosu, who finished fifth at state last season, is determined to go higher up the podium this time around.
“Getting there last year really motivated me,” Odumosu said. “It showed how far I can go and how close I am to doing even bigger things if I just work harder, so that’s what I’ve been doing.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
