High school wrestling: After elbow injury, Valeria looks to finish Marian Central career strong

For all intents and purposes, Daniel Valeria appeared to be ready to wrestle.

At IHSA dual team sectionals in 2019, Marian Central’s 132-pound state medalist made weight, wore his singlet, loosened up and looked ready to go.

It was all a charade.

Days earlier, Valeria hurt his right elbow at the individual state finals in Champaign. He knew he wasn’t going to wrestle at dual team sectionals. Marian’s opponent, Antioch, didn’t know that, however.

The Sequoits might have structured their lineup differently had they known Valeria, a fourth-place state medalist in Class 2A, wasn’t wrestling.

“It’s so strategic sometimes,” Marian coach David Silva said. “He was injured, still making weight, still playing the role that we needed him to play.”

“Of course, I wanted to be out there,” Valeria said. “But anything to help my team, anything my coaches ask me to do, I’m all for it.”

Marian beat Antioch, 28-23, and went on to finish third at the Class 2A dual team state tournament. Valeria, unfortunately, sat out the entire week. He could have made a difference in a one-point semifinal loss to Coal City, 30-29.

With Marian Central ranked No. 1 in Class 2A this week by the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association, Valeria is hoping he’ll have one last chance at dual team state his senior season.

Healthy after months of offseason physical therapy, Valeria is 33-0 and ranked No. 3 at 132 in Class 2A. He has helped the Hurricanes to a 21-0 dual record. On Friday, they will compete in the East Suburban Catholic Conference tournament at Joliet Catholic.

“For him to come all the way back and to be where he’s at right now, he’s just put in a lot of hard work,” Silva said. “He doesn’t cheat on his training, ever. He trains all the time. He doesn’t take a day off. Even on Sunday, I know he works out, he trains, he does things on his own.”

Valeria is committed to wrestle at NCAA Division II St. Cloud State next season. Last year’s fourth-place medal was his first individual state medal and his second time qualifying for the state tournament.

In the consolation quarterfinals last year, which decided whether he earned a medal, his arm bent “completely the wrong way” in the final seconds. Valeria tried to wrestle through it but left the third-place match because of injury.

He suffered an avulsion fracture and a dislocated elbow. On the bright side, the injury didn’t need surgery. Even so, Valeria wasn’t cleared to wrestle until midway through the summer.

“It was rough; a lot of it is conditioning and getting yourself back in shape,” Valeria said. “I’m never going to forget how to wrestle, but fine-tuning my technique and stuff like that, it takes awhile.”

Valeria (33-0) and two-time state champion Dylan Connell (170 pounds, 32-0) are both undefeated on the season. Bryce Shelton (138, 31-1) didn’t suffer a loss until Jan. 18.

Valeria was a freshman when Silva took the head coaching job at Marian. Valeria said it was easy to buy into what Silva was telling them.

“He just sat us down as a team and told us that we’re capable of big things and he has lofty goals, but they’re possible to achieve,” Valeria said. “When you talk to him, you believe him. He is very motivational to me and, I think, to everyone on the team.”

Jan. 23 was senior night for Valeria and Marian’s three other seniors: Joey Pawlak, Nik Rabine and Jack Harman. The seniors have played a big part in turning Marian into a state power.

Valeria remembered elementary school, when his father, Daniel Valeria Sr., made him wrestle during the football offseason.

“I hated it,” the son said.

At one point, he took time off from wrestling, only to return to the sport again in middle school. A funny thing happened – he became hooked. He quit football in seventh grade, and wrestling became his focus.

If all goes according to plan, Valeria hopes to end his high school career wrestling – not watching – at the dual team state meet this season.

“Daniel’s meant a lot to us,” Silva said. “He’s a kid that has put in a lot of time. He’s so dedicated to his team and to finishing the year out strong.”