DISTRICT NEWS & PR |
Robinson Wins 3rd Place State Medal
February 26, 2009
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Theo Tate
Collinsville Herald
February 26, 2009 |
CHAMPAIGN — No Collinsville wrestler has ever won a state title.
Senior Ryan Robinson was hoping to accomplish that feat over the weekend at the Class 3A state tournament at Assembly Hall.
"I know he likes to win," Collinsville coach Tom Blaha said. "I know he wanted to win and that was his goal."
Robinson didn’t win a state championship, but he earned an all-state medal for the second year in row. Robinson finished third in the 189-pound division.
"I’m glad that I got third, but I’m bummed because I wasn’t in the finals again as I was last year," Robinson said. "You’re definitely bummed when you don’t win it."
Robinson earned third place by beating Wheeling’s Danny Vargas by previous decision in the third-place match. He became the first Collinsville wrestler since Ken Lutz in 1998-99 to earn state medals in back-to-back years.
"When you do medal, it feels pretty nice," Robinson said.
Robinson made his third trip to state. A year ago, he placed second at 189 after losing to Dundee-Crown’s Mike Lukowski in the Class AA championship match.
On Friday, Robinson won back-to-back matches over Chicago St. Patrick’s Joe Rau and Wheeling’s Danny Vargas in the first two rounds. He pinned Rau with 1:08 left in the second period and defeated Vargas 5-2.
On Saturday morning, Robinson lost 10-7 to Chicago De La Salle’s Clayton Kendall in the semifinals. Kendall lost to Aurora West’s Mario Gonzalez in the championship match.
"The only thing he had on me was speed," said Robinson, who qualified for state by placing second at the Class 3A Lincoln-Way Central Sectional. "It sucks that I lost and I’m mad that I wasn’t in shape, but that comes with competition. I didn’t have that much competition this year. If I had more competition, I probably would have been in better shape."
Robinson bounced back by pinning Orland Park’s Joe Schneider with 49 seconds left in the second period of the consolation semifinals. With his second win over Vargas in the third-place match, Robinson finished 43-2.
"To come up here and get two medals says a lot about the kid," Blaha said. "He worked hard and he wrestled in the off-season. I think he owes a lot to his dad for taking him to the off-season tournaments all of the time and making that kid wrestle in the off-season.
"The kid was a pleasure to have around for four years. I think we’re definitely going to miss him in the room. He showed up (for practice) everyday. What more can I say? He won 140 matches for the Collinsville wrestling team, 115 were by fall, which is pretty high up as far the state record goes. He’s a great kid to be around."
Robinson said he enjoyed competing with the Collinsville wrestling program all four years.
"They pushed me and they did what I needed to do," Robinson said. "I did what I needed to do. I wish I would have gone back and changed some things. It was an overall very good experience."
Photo courtesy of John Swistak, Jr., Photographer - Madison County Journals
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