Times announces all-time wrestling team

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By Jon Gremmels | Sunday, January 27, 2008 | 9 comment(s)

They won 29 high school state titles, nine NCAA crowns and other national events. Three were four-time high school state champs, one a four-time NCAA Division II champ.

The 14 wrestlers who put up those impressive statistics have been selected to the Quad-City Times’ all-time wrestling team for the Q-C region.

“I feel privileged to have my name among those,” said Mark Pustelnik, the former United Township wrestler and coach who represents the team at the lightest weight. “Some of them were incredible wrestlers on the national scene, not just at the local level. I think all but maybe one of those names won a title at some national level.”

Perhaps the best indication of their stature is to take a look at some of the wrestlers who were left off the final list because of other wrestlers at the same weight. Nat Pendleton won a silver medal at 176 pounds at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. Bob Mena, Tyler Hurry and Cole Pape were three-time high school state champions.

Jerome Dasso, the oldest member, was the Illinois high school state champion at 165 pounds in 1946 and 1947. The youngest, Matt Fields, is a senior heavyweight at the University of Iowa.

All but two wrestlers won at least one state championship in high school, and the two who didn’t — Steve Combs and Mark Johnson — earned spots on U.S. Olympic teams. Mike Mena, Dan Knight and Eric Juergens were four-time state champions.

The Times selected the 14 all-time best wrestlers using the current high school weight divisions. Some were slotted at their high school weights, others closer to where they competed in college. All competed at area high schools.

“It’s an honor to be on a team like that,” Johnson said. “The Quad-Cities always has had good wrestling.”

The team

103 pounds

Mark Pustelnik

United Township

Highlights: State champion at 98 in 1985 with 45-0 record … won 69 straight matches from 1984-86 … NCAA West Regional champion for Northern Iowa in 1991 … two-time Junior National champion in Greco-Roman … silver medalist in 1990 Pan American Games, Greco Roman gold medalist in ’91 Olympic Sports Festival … assistant principal and former head coach at UT.

They said it: “My biggest accomplishment probably was winning the U.S. Open ... It was not my most memorable but my most rewarding. The state tournament in high school was more memorable. I probably had 20-30 friends watching me, holding banners, and teachers, too. That was special.” — Pustelnik

112

Tim Wright,

Rock Island

Highlights: State champion at 112 in 1982 and 119 in ’83, compiling 64-1 record his last two years … Junior Nationals freestyle runner-up at 123 in 1983 … first four-time national champion in NCAA history, winning Division II titles for Southern Illinois-Edwardsville at 118 from 1984 to 1987 ... helped SIUE win team titles the first three years … career record of 141-6-2 in college … assistant coach at Cathedral HS in Indianapolis.

They said it: “He was one of the most talented wrestlers I ever watched.” — Pustelnik

“We recruited Tim a little bit when I was at Iowa. He’s probably one of the best to come out of Rock Island.” — Mark Johnson

119

Mike Mena,

Sterling Newman

Highlights: Four time state champion in 1989 (103), ’90 (119), ’91 (125) and ’92 (125) … high school record of 157-0-1 with 88 pins … 43-0 in ’88-89, 42-0 in ’89-90 and 40-0 in ’91-92 … won first 85 matches of career … Cadet Nationals champion in 1989, Junior Nationals runner-up in 1991 … four-time All-American at Iowa ... Big Ten champion at 118 in 1995 … assistant coach at Indiana.

They said it: “He’s probably one of the best wrestlers who never won a national championship at (the University of Iowa).” — Pete Bush

125

Dan Knight

Clinton

Highlights: Four-time Iowa state champion in 1984 (98), ’85 (112), ’86 (126) and ’87 (126) … prep record of 128-0 … Junior Nationals champion in Greco-Roman in 1984 and ’86, freestyle in ’86 … Big Eight runner-up and All-American at Iowa State in 1990 before injuries shortened his career … head coach at Bettendorf.

They said it: “I think my best memories would have to be the state tournament in Veterans Auditorium. The first one is important because you wait so long — I’d been going since I was 4 years old. You realize what you’d been working to get. Then, the last one is neat because you know you did what you set out to do.” — Knight

130

Eric Juergens

Maquoketa

Highlights: Four-time Iowa state champion in 1993 (103), ’94 (112), ’95 (119) and ’96 (125) … NCAA champion at 133 for Iowa in 2000 and ’01; third in 1999 … four-time All-American ... Big Ten Wrestler of the Year in 2001 .. head coach at Augustana College.

They said it: “He was one of the most exciting wrestlers I ever watched. He was one of a few people who had the combination of technical skills and conditioning.” — Pete Bush

135

Josh Watts,

Davenport Assumption

Highlights: Three-time state high school champion in 1998 (103), 2000 (125) and 2001 (135) … finished career as winningest wrestler in Iowa high school history (he’s now fifth) with 190-4 record and 114 pins … won three national AAU titles and four state AAU titles ... wrestled at UNI and Loras ... now head coach at Darton College in Albany, Ga.

They said it: “He was solid, though I never had the chance to watch him.” — Pete Bush

140

Simon Roberts,

Davenport High School

Highlights: First African-American state champion in Iowa history for Davenport High in 1954 (133) … career prep record of 70-11 … NCAA champion at 147 for Iowa in 1957 … served as head coach at Alleman, now retired.

They said it: “When I went out for wrestling at Alleman in ninth grade, he was the high school coach, but I did’t know he was a national champion until I went to Iowa and saw his picture. That’s how modest he is.” — Mark Johnson

145

Steve Amy,

Rockridge

Highlights: Three-time state champion in 1997 (130), ’99 (140) and 2000 (145); second in ’98 (140) … high school record of 154-4 with 77 pins … 15-17 at Indiana in 2001-02 … assistant coach at Lincoln (Ill.) College.

They said it: “He was a great athlete; that’s what I remember. I know the family well. He’s one of those athletes that comes along to a school once a decade.” — Mark Johnson

152

Matt Lackey,

Moline

Highlights: Illinois state champion in 1997 (145) and ’98 (152); third in ’95 … won 158 matches in high school career with 73 pins … had 79-match win streak in 1996-98 … two-time Big Ten champion and three-time All-American at Illinois … FILA Junior Nationals champion in 2000 … University Nationals champion in 2003 … NCAA 165-pound champion with 38-0 record in 2003 … shared Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year award … career record of 120-14.

They said it: “Matt could do anything he wanted.” — Mark Pustelnik

“He’s one of the most gifted athletes I ever coached, a tremendous competitor.” — Mark Johnson

160

Jerome Dasso,

Rock Island

Highlights: Illinois state champion at 165 in 1946 and ’47 … began college career at West Point, then transferred and helped Purdue win two Big Ten championships … professor emeritus at University of Oregon ... author of five books on economics and real estate.

They said it: “My dad was a Rock Island graduate, and he talked about him. I remember meeting him at Douglas Park as a youngster.” — Mark Johnson

171

Steve Combs,

Moline

Highlights: Big Ten champion and NCAA runner-up at 167 pounds for Iowa in 1963 … AAU Nationals freestyle champion at 171.5 in 1966 … was sixth in 1968 Olympics at 171.5 … former executive director of U.S. Wrestling Federation.

They said it: “One of the guys I really looked up to. He coached me my senior year when I won Junior Nationals.” — Mark Johnson

189

Pete Bush,

Davenport Assumption

Highlights: Iowa state champion at 185 in 1979 … Junior Nationals freestyle champion at 191.5 in 1979 … three-time Big Ten champion at 190 for Iowa (1981, ’82, ’84) … NCAA champion in 1982 at 190 … U.S. Freestyle Senior Open champion at 198 in 1983 … head coach at Assumption.

They said it: “My best match as a wrestler for Iowa was in the Big Ten finals my senior year ... That was probably the best I ever wrestled in an Iowa singlet. Actually, my best memory was when Dan Gable started recruiting me. That right there alone let me know I had something going in the sport.” — Bush

215

Mark Johnson,

Rock Island Alleman

Highlights: Two-time state runner-up in high school … Junior Nationals champion in freestyle at 178 in 1973 … two-time NCAA runner-up at Michigan (177 in 1977, ’78) … career record of 103-18-3 … placed third at 198 in 1980 Greco-Roman World Cup … member of 1980 U.S. Olympic team at 203 … captain of U.S. Greco-Roman team … head coach at University of Illinois.

They said it: “Mark Johnson was the toughest wrestler I ever wrestled. I was fortunate and unfortunate enough to have him as a partner at Iowa ... In 1980, there’s no doubt he would have been our first Olympic Greco-Roman champion, but we boycotted.” — Pete Bush

275

Matt Fields,

North Cedar

Highlights: Iowa heavyweight state champion in 2003 and 2004 … prep career record of 137-11, including 66-0 in last two years … won FILA Cadet Nationals title in 2002, Junior Nationals in 2003 and University Nationals last year … currently a senior at Iowa … career record of 63-30 entering this season.

They said it: “He was a man among boys (in high school).” — Dan Knight

“He was one of those phenoms coming out of high school. He’ll be a force to be reckoned with this year.” — Mark Johnson

Off the bench

These wrestlers didn’t make the first team but still are worthy of special mention because of their exploits at the high school and collegiate level:

Chad Beatty, Wilton: State champion at 171 pounds in 2004 and ’05 … career record of         109-7, including 45 pins and 22 technical falls … currently wrestling for Iowa.

Tyler Clark, Orion and Bettendorf: Three-time Illinois Class A state finalist and 2005 champion at 103 pounds … 2007 Iowa Class 3A state runner-up at 119 … 161-7 record with 104 pins … starting at 125 as true freshman at Iowa State.

Lloyd Corwin, Rock Island: State champion in 1952 (138), second in ’51 … lost only three matches in four years at Cornell College … NCAA runner-up at 147 in 1955, third at 147 in 1954.

Dave Fitzgerald, Davenport West: State champion at 167 in 1976 and ’77 … All-American at 167 for Iowa in 1982.

Tyler Hurry, Riverdale: Three-time state champion in 1993 (130), ’94 (135) and ’95 (140); third in ’92 (112) … 142-9 with 79 pins in high school.

A.J. Lavender, Moline: State champion at 125 in 2003; second in 2001, third in ’00 … career record of 135-13 … Greco-Roman Junior national champion at 130 in 2003.

Bob Mena, Sterling Newman: Three-time state champion at 119 in 1986, ’87 and ’88; second at 112 in ’85 … won 162 matches in high school, including 45 in 1984-85.

John Ontiveros, Moline: State champion at 103 in 1950 and 112 in ’51 … Big 10 runner-up at Illinois … semifinalist in 1952 U.S. Olympic trials.

John Oostendorp, West Liberty: Heavyweight state champion in 1988 … All-American at Iowa in 1992 and ’93, placing third in ’93 … career record of 108-26 … 1989 Junior World Greco-Roman champion … runner-up in 1996 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman trials … head coach at Coe College.

Cole Pape, Maquoketa: Three-time state champion in 1998 (130), ’99 (135) and 2000 (152) … career record of 141-12, 44-0 in senior year … 12-6 as freshman at University of Iowa in 2002-03.

Nat Pendleton, Davenport: Competed before the existence of state high school meets … undefeated in three years at Columbia University … two-time national AAU champion … won silver medal in 1920 Olympics.

Gene Persall, Davenport: State champion in 1949 (105) and ’50 (112) … went 51-0 in last two years.

Kevin Puebla, Moline: State champion in 1975 at 126, fifth in ’73, fourth in ’74 … went 101-5-3 in last three years … went  110-25-3 at University of Illinois … later became coach at Augustana.

Clayton Rush, Aledo: Three-time Class A state finalist and two-time state champion (112 in 2006 and 119 in 2007, going undefeated both years … currently ranked third in NCAA Division III at 125 pounds as freshman at Coe College.

Steve Rusk, Orion: State champion at 189 in 1990, second in ’89 … 40-0 in 1990 … two-time Division III All-American at Augustana before transferring to Illinois.

Justin Stanley, Wilton: High school career record of 175-7 … state champion at 112 in 1997 and 130 in ’98.

Sean Stender, North Scott: State high school champion with 45-0 record in 2001 … three-time state place-winner with career record of 149-12 … 94-33 record at Northern Iowa, earning All-American honors three times at 197 pounds.

Jon Gremmels can be contacted at (563) 383-2294 or at  jgremmels@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.