CHAMPAIGN, ILL. — Ryan Robinson made Collinsville history Saturday night when he became the first wrestler to earn a second-place medal in the Illinois Class AA state individual wrestling tournament at Assembly Hall.
Collinsville had not won a state wrestling medal since 1999, but the school won two Saturday. Heavyweight Andy Springer finished sixth.
Robinson, a 189-pound junior, and Springer join Kenny Lutz (1998 and 1999), Mike DeLisle (1994) and Mike Kleb (1982) as Kahoks medal winners.
Robinson advanced to the final before losing 10-3 to Mike Lukowski (42-5) of Carpentersville Dundee-Crown. He finished with a 28-2 record.
He and coach Tom Blaha were both unavailable for comment afterward because Robinson, who got kneed in the face on a takedown at the end of the first period, was taken to a local hospital to be checked for a possible concussion. He was complaining of neck pain and tingling in his left arm.
"It's a shame," said assistant coach T.J. Slay. "He was just outstanding. To end like this is kind of disappointing."
Springer finished sixth after losing 3-1 to Jordan Walsh of McHenry.
"I'm not feeling bad because I wrestled my hardest and gave it everything I had," he said. "That was my goal this year was to win a medal. But I was hoping to place a little bit higher."
The medals won by Robinson and Springer are a school record for the most won in one day.
"It just shows the program is moving along and making great improvement," Slay said. "Our kids are wrestling tough and believing, and they're doing what we need to do."
Three area wrestlers earned third-place medals — Chris Williams (103) of Civic Memorial, Keith Surber (112) of O'Fallon and Kyle Williams (130) of Mascoutah. Kyle's younger brother, junior Kent Williams (112), finished sixth after losing 12-6 to Eduardo Dominguez of Mundlein.
Chris Williams tied a state record for quickest pin in his weight class when he beat Terry Murphy of Proviso East in 35 seconds.
Williams (41-4), a freshman, fell behind 2-0 when Murphy took him down in the first five seconds. But Williams then used a tuck and roll move he had been practicing all season.
"I've been working on it since the very first day of practice," he said. "When it works, it's a great move because people don't expect it. It looks like they're getting ready to take you down, and you put them on their back and pin 'em."
Surber, a sophomore ranked No. 2 in the state, overcame a 6-0 deficit to beat Jameson Oster of Lockport 11-6 to end the season at 44-2.
"I knew as soon as I got on top I would be fine," Surber said. "When I got down by a little bit, I knew if I didn't get going I was going to lose. So I figured it was time to get to work."
Kyle Williams, who won a state championship at 103 in North Dakota in 2005, said he wanted to end his high school career on a positive note.
"I went out there and wanted to win my last senior match," said Williams (42-3), who outpointed Mark Marianovich of Chicago Heights Marian 9-2.
kroberts@post-dispatch.com | 618-257-0745
