Montini’s Jaxon Lane motivated by unfinished business at state wrestling meet

Jaxon Lane has already checked off one item of unfinished business in his athletic calendar this school year.

Two more to go.

The Montini senior, a linebacker in football, made the game-saving tackle to beat Byron in a second-round playoff game last November. The Broncos, after avenging a loss to Byron during Lane’s junior year, went on to win the Class 3A state title.

Now he’s setting his sights toward exorcising demons on the wrestling mat. Lane is one of 10 Montini state qualifiers for this weekend’s Class 2A individual state tournament in Champaign that starts Thursday and concludes Saturday.

After that, it’s on to the dual series, where Montini lost to Washington in the Class 2A championship last year. The Broncos wrestle Oak Forest in a sectional Tuesday.

But first, Lane would like that first state medal.

“My offseason was driven by motivation,” Lane said. “The Byron loss, losing in the blood round at state last year, and the Washington loss. The entire offseason I had a goal in mind of coming back senior year and winning three state titles.”

The feeling of walking off the field at Byron his junior year, or walking off the mat after a 3-2 loss in the blood round one win shy of a medal did indeed linger with Lane.

It fueled his early-morning workouts. He has come back with a 36-18 record this season against a grueling schedule. Lane last weekend took third at the sectional meet.

“Those days, it’s hard to wake up mornings to lift, but I would think about those feelings,” Lane said. “Just that motivation and trust from my teammates.”

Montini returned 10 state qualifiers this season, including a defending state champion in sophomore Allen Woo and a two-time medalist in junior Kam Luif, from last year’s team that lost to Washington 30-28 in the state finals. The Broncos have been ranked No. 1 in Class 2A for much of the season, but Lane takes nothing for granted.

“The big thing is, Washington is still the defending state champion,” Lane said. “We are No. 1, but we are training like we are No. 2.

“We are hungry to be the best team.”

On a loaded Montini team that crowned seven sectional champions last Saturday, Lane is the lone senior.

“He is a grinder, he does a great job for us,” Montini coach Mike Bukovsky said. “He is a quiet guy and does his job. He is not the flashiest, not the most talented guy in the room, but he is a great example as a high school wrestler that plays multiple sports. If he was a year-round wrestler, you would probably say this or that would happen for him, but I love his energy. He helps complete our team.”

Lane believes his biggest growth this season has come in his confidence as he grows into his style. Lane and Montini got a big confidence boost with a 35-27 dual meet win against Class 3A No. 1 Marist in January.

A tight triple-overtime loss to Fenwick’s Jack Paris, also a rival on the football field, made Lane hungry to keep attacking practices.

Bukovsky said he thinks Lane has saved his best wrestling for late in the season. Lane, ranked No. 9 at 190 pounds by Illinois Matmen, has seen two of the best in the Class 2A 190-pound bracket, Lemont’s No 3-ranked Judah Heeg and Richards' No. 2-ranked Mike Taheny, in recent weeks.

Lane opens in Champaign against Waterloo’s No. 6-ranked Jackson Deutch, and with a win could get a rematch with Paris, ranked No. 7, in the quarterfinals.

“Just taking it one match at a time. That’s a big thing of mine,” Lane said. “One period, one match, one round. Worry about that first period, attack it. I’ll worry about that first match and then figure out who I am wrestling next after my hand is raised.”