IC Catholic Prep, after dramatic semifinal win over Montini, wins first IHSA team dual state title

BLOOMINGTON – Jacob Alvarez had little time to reflect or think about the consequences.

The IC Catholic Prep freshman 138-pounder simply had to focus on the task at hand.

“I really tried not to think that much about it,” he said. “You can’t go in thinking that if I lose this, we’re done.

“I never panicked, and that’s the rule No. 1 in our room.”

Alvarez’s dramatic 4-0 victory over Montini’s Isaac Mayora powered the Knights’ comeback 29-27 victory in a Class 2A state team dual semifinal Saturday morning.

IC Catholic won the final three matches to reverse a 27-17 deficit.

It was a prelude of things to come.

The Knights captured their first state dual team championship in program history with the 46-17 victory over two-time defending state champion Washington Saturday at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.

The Knights (11-6) erased the bitter memory of two regular-season losses to Montini.

Behind its two individual state champions Peyton Cox and Wyatt Medlin, Washington stormed out to a 14-0 lead in the final.

IC Catholic never blinked.

State champion Brody Kelly earned a disqualification over Braden Brown at 175 pounds.

The started an onslaught and change of momentum that proved decisive as the Knights won 10 of the final 11 matches.

The most consequential was at heavyweight as the Knights’ 285-pounder Anthony Sebastian earned the dramatic 4-1 overtime victory over Sean Thornton.

Thornton’s overtime victory last year powered the Panthers’ comeback victory over Montini in the state championship.

“Everybody has a job to do, and we have to come out and execute,” Sebastian said.

“I knew I had the team on my back, and I knew I had to get the momentum.”

Working on the far edge, Sebastian secured the winning takedown.

“I knew if I was tired, then he was just as tired, and there was no way after all the work I’ve put in that I was going to lose that match,” he said.

”To be honest I underperformed in that match against Montini. Jacob saved me, and I was going to come out hard.”

Washington had four individual state champions, and the Knights had three winners and two runner-ups.

The final was a clash of titans.

Two-time state champion Deven Casey concluded a remarkable career with a pin at 132 pounds that symbolized the Knights’ dominance.

His earlier pin over Montini’s William Howenstein set up Alvarez’s victory in the semifinal.

“It was definitely a team effort,” Casey said. “It never comes down to just one match.

“Every single point saved, or guys on paper who are supposed to get pinned if they fight, that’s a win in our books.”

In another marquee showdown of individual state champions, newcomer Max Cumbee outlasted Noah Woods in overtime.

Woods captured the 120-pound state championship and moved up to face 126-pound individual champion Cumbee.

“We always had the expectations to come out as winners,” Casey said.

”It showed our hard work, and how dedicated and disciplined we are.”

Finishing what he started, Alvarez completed his superb first year with the technical fall over Michael Mendoza.

“Beating Montini the way we did really motivated me,” Alvarez said..

“Coming in here, I just thought what a long season it is, and I wanted to go home. Now that I’m here, I just wanted to win.”

Deprived of a chance at its state record 17th state championship, Montini fought off an early deficit to beat Mahomet-Seymour 50-24 in the third-place team dual.

Kam Luif had the first period fall at 138 pounds over Justus Verona.

Montini (27-4) won its 22nd state trophy in program history.

“We ended how we wanted to end,” Luif said. “We came out on top.

“Congratulations to IC. They battled. I just feel at the end of the we really battled. I’m proud of our team, how we handled the loss and came back.”