CHAMPAIGN — After winning his third straight state championship, Mount Carmel junior Seth Mendoza took time to soak in the moment Saturday night.
But Mendoza’s quest to go 4-for-4 was not far from his mind.
“Three is kind of a weird — well, I don’t want to say weird, but interesting feeling,” Mendoza said. “When you get your first, you’re not really looking toward your fourth. It’s just one at a time.
“That’s what I’m kind of thinking now. I got the third and it’s awesome. It’s a great feeling in the moment, but you can’t sit on it. You have to get right back to work.”
Mendoza got his work done at the State Farm Center, beating Marist’s Michael Esteban by a 13-5 major decision in the 126-pound championship match of the Class 3A individual state meet.
Joliet Catholic heavyweight Dillan Johnson became a four-time state champion, while Mendoza’s teammate Colin Kelly (175) won his second title for the Caravan. Marist’s Will Denny (150) also became a champion in Class 3A, while St. Rita’s Sean Larkin (144) won a Class 2A state title.
Johnson and St. Charles East’s Ben Davino, who also became a four-time state champion by winning Saturday at 132, gave Mendoza (42-2) some inspiration.
“There are so many great four-timers,” Mendoza said. “I remember seeing (St. Rita’s) Austin O’Connor win his fourth here when I was younger. The wrestlers in my school, the Williams brothers, two four-timers (Joe and TJ) and one two-timer (Steve).
“In one of our gyms, we have the Ring of Champions, and it has all the names of all the state champions, so that’s just something to look forward to. Not only seeing all my teammates winning championships, but everybody in the past, just makes me want to achieve it even more.”
Johnson (39-1) was typically dominant in becoming a four-time champ.
The Wisconsin football and wrestling recruit pinned all four of his opponents at state in the first period, finishing off Hinsdale Central’s Marko Ivanisevic in the final seconds of the championship match.
Johnson showed rare emotion after his final victory, leaping into the arms of Joliet Catholic coach Ryan Cumbee.
“It’s the last one,” Johnson said. “Why not celebrate the last one, you know? It’s the last time I’ll be here, so you’ve got to enjoy it.”
In other championship matches, Kelly (43-1) beat Marist’s Ricky Ericksen by a 16-1 technical fall, Denny (42-4) topped Barrington’s Rhenzo Augusto with a 15-7 major decision and Larkin (22-2) pulled off a 9-7 thriller against downstate Washington’s Peyton Cox.
Esteban, Ericksen, Joliet Catholic’s Jason Hampton (120), Lockport’s Justin Wardlow (138) and Mount Carmel’s Eddie Enright (157) were runners-up.
Kelly, meanwhile, was back on top of the podium. After winning a state championship as a sophomore, he came up just short last season with a runner-up finish.
Kelly, also Wisconsin recruit, said getting in a car accident earlier this winter, which fortunately resulted in no injuries, gave him a new perspective.
“It kind of opened my eyes to not worry about the small things and enjoy every moment, enjoy every day,” Kelly said. “Every day truly is a blessing. You never know.
“The next day you could just not wake up. It sounds hard to say that, but it’s the truth of the matter. I just try to enjoy every day.”
Kelly, who said a car spun out and hit the car he was driving on a snowy night this winter, felt like he put less pressure on himself this time around at state.
“Last year, it was getting too caught up in the moment, acting like the state finals were the end of the world,” he said. “Like if I didn’t win, I wouldn’t wake up the next day.
“It’s realizing that it’s a big tournament but it’s also a small thing at the same time. Just enjoy it and let it fly.”
