MR TWISTER
06-07-2007, 02:01 AM
I was talking with Dan Willis a couple of months ago when he informed me that back in the 1980's there use to be a braggin' rights Chicago City Championship of wrestling. Interesting idea I thought to myself.
Willis, the president of the Chicago Wrestling Coaches Association and the brother of Real Pro Wrestling founder Toby Willis, wants to revive the old City Championship in 2008. Willis informed me that the records he had indicated that the CPS wrestlers held the winning edge when the series stopped. That was 26 years ago but the wrestling landscape has changed a lot since 1981. The Chicago Catholic League once a also ran in the Illinois wrestling scene has transformed itself into the top conference in the state. The conference year in and year out produces multiple state champions and national All Americans. In 2007 CCL wrestlers brought back to Chicago 6 of the available 14 state titles. The Public League has had one state champ since 1988 and two since the last CCL vs CPS city championship.
And on the team side of things it gets worse. The Chicago Public League has won two state titles since 1937, the last one in 1952 by Tilden Tech. As indivual wrestlers the Public Leagues glory years were in the 40's, 50's and 60's. Since the CCL rise to power in 1981(and the last city championship) their teams have claimed 15 state championships. Nationally renowned league powers Providence, Mt. Carmel and St. Rita lead the way in producing top college prospects every year.
Legendary coach Bill Weick was inducted into the wrestling National Hall of Fame last week because of wins in both conferences. The leading dual meet winner in the state with over 700 victories, Weick coached at Tilden and Mt Carmel and has revitalized the Brother Rice program. Weick also a former Olympic coach was a member (and state champ) of that 1952 CPS state title team from Tilden. Other legendary coaches waiting to get inducted into the state Hall of Fame in the CCL include Keith Healy of Providence and Dan Carroll of St. Rita. The Chicago Public league has a group of hard working young coaches looking to make a name for themselves but no Hall of Famers, yet.
The Chicago Public League (the largest wrestling conference in the state) is experiencing a rebirth of sorts with 34 of it's 51 schools now fielding teams. The CPS administration is starting to put funding back into wrestling. State qualifiers are returning from Champaign with wins and Hubbard's All American Travis Hammons brought home a state and a senior national title in 2005.
Willis and his coaches association are willing to take on the state's best heads on, no matter the outcome. "In order for us to get better we can't be afraid of the Chicago Catholic league", said Willis. "We want to bring back the pride in the Chicago Public league. We have so good wrestlers too. I have been negotiating with the CCL coaches and hope to start the series up in 2008. I think it would be fun. Like the football Prep Bowl it is a part of our city history."
I hope that should the CPS vs CCL City Championship take place in 2008 that the wrestling community comes out and supports it. The outcome is not as important as the comraderie of the state's best conference with the conference that just wants to wrestle to get better.
Here is a look at the last two years champions from each league. Feel free to do a realistic virtual dual meet match up with results.
2006 CPS City Champs vs Chicago Catholic League Champs
103 Ivan Chavez - Farragut vs B J Futrell - Mt. Carmel
112 Edel Vaca - Kelly vs Bobby Barnheisel - Fenwick
119 Hormiz Albawari - Mather vs John Starzyk - Providence
125 Jihad Hamdan - Lane Tech vs Mario Morgan - Mt. Carmel
130 Robert Nickson - Bogan vs Adam Canty - St Rita
135 Alberto Padilla - Curie vs Steve Zimmerman - St. Rita
140 Scott Minneci - Lane Tech vs Ron Mercer - Providence
145 Ryan Matthews - Corliss vs Albert White - St Rita
152 Larry Lanier - John Hope vs Jake Kimberlin – Bishop Mac
160 Jonathan Freeman - Corliss vs Bill Cascone - St. Rita
171 Alex Griffin - Hubbard vs Billy Barnheisel - Fenwick
189 Raymond Brown - Fenger vs Jerome Ward - St. Rita
215 Jonathan Jones - Fenger vs Christian Brantley - Mt. Carmel
275 JT Franklin - Hubbard vs Tim Lambert - Mt. Carmel
2007 CPS City Champs vs Chicago Catholic League Champs
103 Andre' Bydom - Corliss vs B.J. Futrell - Mt. Carmel
112 Edel Vaca - Kelly vs Chris Dardanes - Fenwick
119 DeAndre' Brown - Bowen vs Joe Scardina - St. Rita
125 Abel Alvarado - Kelvyn Park vs John Majka - St. Rita
130 Charles Hubbard - Fenger vs John Starzyk - Providence
135 Robert Nickson - Bogan vs Steve Zimmerman - St. Rita
140 Scott Minneci - Lane Tech vs Jake Beechy - Providence
145 Juan Ortiz - Kelly vs Marty Murphy - Providence
152 Larry Lanier - John Hope vs Albert White - St. Rita
160 Jonathon Freeman - Corliss vs Jake Kimberlin - Bishop Mac
171 James Walker - Bowen vs Clayton Kendall - DeLaSalle
189 Raymond Brown - Fenger vs Jerome Ward - St. Rita
215 Jonathan Jones - Fenger vs Christian Brantley - Mt. Carmel
275 Jonathan Ransom - Bowen vs Mike Letton – Bishop Mac
Willis, the president of the Chicago Wrestling Coaches Association and the brother of Real Pro Wrestling founder Toby Willis, wants to revive the old City Championship in 2008. Willis informed me that the records he had indicated that the CPS wrestlers held the winning edge when the series stopped. That was 26 years ago but the wrestling landscape has changed a lot since 1981. The Chicago Catholic League once a also ran in the Illinois wrestling scene has transformed itself into the top conference in the state. The conference year in and year out produces multiple state champions and national All Americans. In 2007 CCL wrestlers brought back to Chicago 6 of the available 14 state titles. The Public League has had one state champ since 1988 and two since the last CCL vs CPS city championship.
And on the team side of things it gets worse. The Chicago Public League has won two state titles since 1937, the last one in 1952 by Tilden Tech. As indivual wrestlers the Public Leagues glory years were in the 40's, 50's and 60's. Since the CCL rise to power in 1981(and the last city championship) their teams have claimed 15 state championships. Nationally renowned league powers Providence, Mt. Carmel and St. Rita lead the way in producing top college prospects every year.
Legendary coach Bill Weick was inducted into the wrestling National Hall of Fame last week because of wins in both conferences. The leading dual meet winner in the state with over 700 victories, Weick coached at Tilden and Mt Carmel and has revitalized the Brother Rice program. Weick also a former Olympic coach was a member (and state champ) of that 1952 CPS state title team from Tilden. Other legendary coaches waiting to get inducted into the state Hall of Fame in the CCL include Keith Healy of Providence and Dan Carroll of St. Rita. The Chicago Public league has a group of hard working young coaches looking to make a name for themselves but no Hall of Famers, yet.
The Chicago Public League (the largest wrestling conference in the state) is experiencing a rebirth of sorts with 34 of it's 51 schools now fielding teams. The CPS administration is starting to put funding back into wrestling. State qualifiers are returning from Champaign with wins and Hubbard's All American Travis Hammons brought home a state and a senior national title in 2005.
Willis and his coaches association are willing to take on the state's best heads on, no matter the outcome. "In order for us to get better we can't be afraid of the Chicago Catholic league", said Willis. "We want to bring back the pride in the Chicago Public league. We have so good wrestlers too. I have been negotiating with the CCL coaches and hope to start the series up in 2008. I think it would be fun. Like the football Prep Bowl it is a part of our city history."
I hope that should the CPS vs CCL City Championship take place in 2008 that the wrestling community comes out and supports it. The outcome is not as important as the comraderie of the state's best conference with the conference that just wants to wrestle to get better.
Here is a look at the last two years champions from each league. Feel free to do a realistic virtual dual meet match up with results.
2006 CPS City Champs vs Chicago Catholic League Champs
103 Ivan Chavez - Farragut vs B J Futrell - Mt. Carmel
112 Edel Vaca - Kelly vs Bobby Barnheisel - Fenwick
119 Hormiz Albawari - Mather vs John Starzyk - Providence
125 Jihad Hamdan - Lane Tech vs Mario Morgan - Mt. Carmel
130 Robert Nickson - Bogan vs Adam Canty - St Rita
135 Alberto Padilla - Curie vs Steve Zimmerman - St. Rita
140 Scott Minneci - Lane Tech vs Ron Mercer - Providence
145 Ryan Matthews - Corliss vs Albert White - St Rita
152 Larry Lanier - John Hope vs Jake Kimberlin – Bishop Mac
160 Jonathan Freeman - Corliss vs Bill Cascone - St. Rita
171 Alex Griffin - Hubbard vs Billy Barnheisel - Fenwick
189 Raymond Brown - Fenger vs Jerome Ward - St. Rita
215 Jonathan Jones - Fenger vs Christian Brantley - Mt. Carmel
275 JT Franklin - Hubbard vs Tim Lambert - Mt. Carmel
2007 CPS City Champs vs Chicago Catholic League Champs
103 Andre' Bydom - Corliss vs B.J. Futrell - Mt. Carmel
112 Edel Vaca - Kelly vs Chris Dardanes - Fenwick
119 DeAndre' Brown - Bowen vs Joe Scardina - St. Rita
125 Abel Alvarado - Kelvyn Park vs John Majka - St. Rita
130 Charles Hubbard - Fenger vs John Starzyk - Providence
135 Robert Nickson - Bogan vs Steve Zimmerman - St. Rita
140 Scott Minneci - Lane Tech vs Jake Beechy - Providence
145 Juan Ortiz - Kelly vs Marty Murphy - Providence
152 Larry Lanier - John Hope vs Albert White - St. Rita
160 Jonathon Freeman - Corliss vs Jake Kimberlin - Bishop Mac
171 James Walker - Bowen vs Clayton Kendall - DeLaSalle
189 Raymond Brown - Fenger vs Jerome Ward - St. Rita
215 Jonathan Jones - Fenger vs Christian Brantley - Mt. Carmel
275 Jonathan Ransom - Bowen vs Mike Letton – Bishop Mac