When freshman Charlie Strezo cracked Lincoln-Way West’s varsity lineup, it meant that he would have one season to spend as a teammate with his older brother, Jack, who is a senior.
Charlie is savoring that time together and getting plenty of motivation.
“It’s awesome getting to be a part of this team with him,” Charlie said. “Jack qualified for state last year and those are big steps to follow in. It’s fun to have something to try to chase and look forward to trying to do those things myself.”
Charlie took the first step toward doing just that Saturday, winning the 120-pound championship at the Class 3A Rich Township Regional and helping lift the Warriors to the team title in Richton Park.
Max Herman at 165 pounds was also a champion for Lincoln-Way West, which advanced 10 wrestlers to the Edwardsville Sectional. Jack Strezo was the runner-up at 144.
The Warriors scored 191.5 points to edge district rivals Lincoln-Way Central (180.5) and Lincoln-Way East (172) and advanced to take on Edwardsville in a dual team sectional Thursday, with the site and time to be determined.
“It’s a great feeling to be a regional champ,” Charlie Strezo said. “Getting a bye at sectionals is awesome. The team getting first and getting a chance to try to qualify for team state, it feels great.”
Lincoln-Way East’s Dino Dajani (113), Kaidge Richardson (144), Max Mularz (157) and Justin Powers (215), Homewood-Flossmoor’s Chazz Robinson (126), Ethan Hamilton (132) and Henry Maier (150), Lincoln-Way Central’s Jalen Byrd (175), Evan Vogt (190) and Aiden Hennings (285) and Andrew’s Nadeem Haleem (138) were also regional champs.
Charlie Strezo (24-18), meanwhile, came through in overtime in his championship match against Andrew’s Mason Rohe, the top seed. Strezo produced a takedown for the 4-1 win.
In the big moment in front of a packed gym, the freshman was ready.
“I just kept my eyes on the mat,” he said. “I feel like looking around at the big crowd throws me off. I just keep my eyes on my opponent and stay focused. I was able to pull it off.”
Lincoln-Way West coach Brian Glynn sees Strezo peaking at the right time after an up-and-down freshman season.
“Charlie loves wrestling,” Glynn said. “He’s had some losses, but I think as a freshman, the tough schedule we face really helped him. He lost to a lot of really good wrestlers and learned from it.
“Now, his confidence is pretty high.”
At the same, Jack Strezo looked on with plenty of pride in his younger brother.
“Freshman year, getting first at regionals, it’s great,” Jack said. “It’s going to set him up to have a good seed at sectionals and be in a good position to try to make it to state. It’s exciting.”
Jack actually missed the last two weeks with a shoulder injury. Glynn confirmed his status for the regional was in doubt in the days leading up to it.
Jack returned, though, and finished second.
“It’s bearable,” Jack said of the injury. “Initially, I was pretty scared that I wouldn’t be able to come back, but I was pretty confident in the last week that I’d be ready.
“It means everything to me to be out here for my last year.”
Charlie and Jack have an older brother, Kenny, who also wrestled at Lincoln-Way West. There’s always been some friendly competition in their house, but that has shifted form recently.
“When we were younger and closer in weight, Charlie and I would wrestle more,” Jack said. “Now I’m quite a bit bigger than him, so it’s more verbal fighting, you could say.
“We haven’t physically wrestled in a few years.”
In the war of words, Charlie sure had some bragging rights after Saturday.
“I’ve been through some ups and downs this season, but this was huge,” Charlie said. “It’s great for my confidence.”