Last season, the wrestling team dominated on the mats, beating Yorkville in a 59-6 blowout to secure the program’s 5th state championship. Now the team looks to win consecutive state titles for the first time since the ’93 -’94 seasons.
The program has some returning starters but also has a heavy underclassmen presence compared to years past. They are excited to start the season strong on November 30th at the Minooka Invitational meet. Additionally at the beginning of December, they will compete in the Ironman and Dan Gable Donnybrook invitational meets, which are two of the biggest national wrestling events.
As the team ramps up their training and practices, all wrestlers have had the same goals in mind.
“It was our first week of practice last week, and it was a focus on repeating winning state this year,” varsity head coach Alex Tsirtsis said. “We’re not quite as deep as we were last year, so I think it’s a good challenge for us to have.”
His coaching approach from last year’s dominant season will remain the same this winter.
“I think [we] just have to have a sense of urgency every single day to keep getting better,” he said. “As long as we do that, in three and a half months from now, I think we can make the gains we need in order to repeat.”
Coach Tsirtsis has been with the wrestling program since the 2015-16 season. Before coaching, he was a four-time state champion at Griffith High School in Indiana, and an All-American at the University of Iowa. He has led the Caravan to two state championships and a state runner-up.
Assistant coach Jack Mulay ’17 also envisions winning state, but wants to prepare the wrestlers for their future as well.
“I want these guys to really push themselves and become as ready as they can be for the next level,” Coach Mulay said. “If they can come together and accomplish team state, then that’s a huge exclamation point, but progressing to get the best out of them every day is really my goal.”
Coach Mulay wrestled four years at MC and received an athletic scholarship to continue at Bucknell University. This is now his third year with the program as an assistant coach.
With the departure of leaders like Colin Kelly, Eddie Enright, Damian Resendez, and Rylan Breen, the new seniors will have to step up.
“I just always try to show the right thing to do, whether it’s in practice or aside from [practice],” senior and three-time state champion Seth Mendoza said. “I always want to see everyone else succeed, so I try to lead just by [my actions] since others watch me.”
Senior Jairo Acuña will be taking on a similar role.
“I’ve been trying to get everyone tied in,” Acuña said. “I want everyone on the team to be able to show that we have each other’s back. Also, a lot of times I am a silent leader. I think I just work hard and try to lead by example.”
Mendoza and Acuña will be accompanied by other seniors, such as Kavel Moore, Kevin Kalchbrenner, and Leonard Siegal. Their role will be especially vital due to the fact that almost half of the lineup will be underclassmen.
Aside from winning state, the guys also want to do well individually at the upcoming Donnybrook and Ironman invitationals.
“They’re insanely hard tournaments, and the best teams in the country are there,” Acuña said. “This year I’m looking to get my name right on the top and [help my team win.]
Mendoza will only be wrestling in the Ironman, and is eyeing to finally place first.
“I’ve taken fifth, seventh, and then third last year, so winning would mean a lot,” he said. “That would be my biggest goal.”
While the squad has very high expectations, they are ultimately in the character-building business, too.
“Wrestling is an important part of who I am,” Coach Mulay said. “The values that have been instilled through the wrestling team have all been instilled since I’ve been a wrestler here and continue to be instilled through the program that we have.”
