CHAMPAIGN — St. Rita senior Sean Larkin watched his older brothers, Marty and Pat, have success wrestling for the Mustangs. Marty is now continuing his career at Michigan State.
But Sean took the family legacy to a whole new level Saturday night. And the Larkins have a state champion.
“I have bragging rights over my brothers now — 100%” Sean said.
Larkin rallied at the State Farm Center to knock off downstate Washington’s Peyton Cox 9-7 in the 144-pound championship match of the Class 2A individual state meet.
Each of the last two seasons, Larkin qualified for state but did not make the podium, falling one win short last winter.
“When we came back last year after losing in the blood round, I talked to my coaches and we said, ‘Whatever it takes to get on the podium,’” Larkin said. “We worked day and night.”
Instead of just making the podium, Larkin (22-2) ascended all the way to the top to become St. Rita’s first state champion since four-time champ Austin O’Connor won his final title in 2017.
Larkin trailed Cox 6-1 after one period of the championship match but came all the way back.
“I just took it one takedown at a time,” he said, pointing out about the second period that “I just wanted to get the first points.
“I knew once I put him down he wasn’t going to get back up, because when I’m on top, that’s where I’m going to score all my points.”
Battling back is nothing new for Larkin. He sprained the MCL in his left knee in his second match of the season but rehabbed hard to get ready to close his senior season strong.
“I was out until about Christmas, like a month or two,” he said. “I came back slowly. I lost two of my matches right away because I didn’t have the gas tank. Now, I’m back to normal.
“I had to go to rehab after every practice. It was just long. But I just dreamed of this. I knew I wanted it. It feels amazing. It really does.”
Denny’s dedication
Marist junior Will Denny has a tattoo on his right side with a date: September 1, 2020. That’s the day his grandpa, Mike Bernard, died.
“I know he’s always there by my side at every meet,” Denny said. “He always pushed me for better, told me never to be satisfied. That’s the biggest thing. I know he’s with me and he’s proud.”
There was a lot to be proud of Saturday night as Denny (42-4) beat Barrington’s Rhenzo Augusto by a 15-7 major decision in the Class 3A championship match at 150 pounds.
Denny, a North Carolina State recruit, is Marist’s first state champion since Jake Ford in 2015.
After finishing fourth at state last season, Denny went to work on becoming more technical.
“I figured out how to wrestle,” Denny said. “It sounds crazy to say, but that was the biggest thing.”
On the podium
Sandburg’s Rocco Hayes (3A, 106), Marist’s Donavon Allen (3A, 138), Mount Carmel’s Rylan Breen (3A, 190), St. Rita’s Jack Hogan (2A, 106) and De La Salle’s Jeremiah Lawrence (1A, 106) and Josue Hernandez (1A, 175) were third-place finishers.
Taking fourth were Mount Carmel’s Evan Stanley (3A, 132) and Sandburg’s Ryan Hinger (3A, 138).
Joliet Catholic’s Max Cumbee (3A, 113) and Luke Hamiti (3A, 157), Lincoln-Way West’s Luke Siwinski (3A, 138), Lemont’s Noah O’Connor (2A, 150) and Alex Pasquale (2A, 285) and De La Salle’s David McCarthy (1A, 285) finished fifth.
Coming in sixth were Mount Carmel’s Justin Williamson (3A, 113) and Damian Resendez (3A, 138), Andrew’s Max Siegel (3A, 126), Joliet Catholic’s Max Corral (3A, 165) and Nico Ronchetti (3A, 190), Providence’s Tommy Banas (2A, 126), Oak Forest’s Austin Perez (2A, 138) and Brother Rice’s Dan Costello (2A, 175).
