BLOOMINGTON — Yorkville junior Luke Chrisse felt a surge through his body.
A single moment crystallized how far he had come.
“I felt so ecstatic,” he said. “It was just such a great experience — something I’d never felt before.”
For Chrisse, his win by pin in the second period Saturday over Libertyville’s Erich Walldorf at 215 pounds punctuated a 36-20 semifinal victory for the Foxes in the Class 3A dual team state meet at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.
That qualified Yorkville (22-5) for its first-ever state final in the largest class against Mount Carmel.
Freshman Daniel Martino won by forfeit at 120 for the Foxes in a 59-6 setback to the Caravan. In the third-place match, St. Charles East (23-1) defeated Libertyville 37-22.
The Saints’ quest for back-to-back team titles ended with the narrow 35-30 loss against Mount Carmel in the semifinals.
Indiana-bound senior Tyler Guerra (46-2), a two-time state finisher, was not available to compete after suffering an injury at the individual state meet.
The Saints juggled their lineup and lost some valuable points, according to senior Ben Davino.
“It just showed what kind of depth we had because we still brought it to Mount Carmel,” said Davino, a four-time state champion who finished the season 54-0 at 132. “We still have guys who compete at the top level.
“I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world.”
The Foxes, meanwhile, produced their best finish as a Class 3A program, improving on last season’s fourth-place showing. The lopsided loss could not remote the luster.
“We all have things we have to get better at,” Chrisse said. “Now, we just have to focus on that, try to improve and go even farther next year.”
Yorkville won two Class A state championships in 1993 and 1994 and finished as the runner-up in Class 2A in 2009 and 2012.
“We just never gave up,” Chrisse said. “We put forth our hardest effort. I was just glad I could be the guy who got the pin and punched our ticket.”
Chrisse (38-18) finished fifth at 190 in the individual state meet. His rise from anonymity at the start of the winter was one of the surprise stories for the Foxes’ standout run.
Ryder Janeczko, a junior who wrestled at 157, said the reason was obvious.
“Luke Chrisse is evidence that putting in the work pays off,” Janeczko said. “He started off the season on the junior varsity and he ended up placing at state.
“He wasn’t even sure he’d be able to find a spot on the varsity.”
Chrisse was one of five individuals who placed at state, becoming a key contributor.
“He set his goals and put the work in,” Janeczko said. “He’s a hard worker, in and out of the wrestling room.”
Chrisse credited his offseason conditioning program for that improvement.
“I bulked up, but I never really lost my speed or quickness,” he said. “I feel like that’s helped me out a lot. Being able to move a little quicker was a big difference.”
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Chrisse combines size, quickness and a natural toughness.
He had to go through his own initiation process growing up.
“My dad Greg wrestled when he was younger,” Chrisse said. “He introduced me to the sport at a very young age.
“I remember not really liking it at first, even hating the first couple of years, but I slowly started to like it as I got better.”
In the space of a week, he earned all-state recognition and received a second-place team medal.
“Honestly, it’s all been like a dream,” Chrisse said. “I am still trying to wrap my head around it.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Beacon-News.
