By Seth Swartz

Team Illinois showed they are one of the top states for wrestling when the action concluded at the Cadet and Junior National Championships July 27, in Fargo, N.D.

In Freestyle, Illinois had nine Junior medalists and five in Cadet.  They were led by Eric Tannenbaum who defeated Wisconsin's Cole Wunnicke 6-5 to take the Junior title at 140 pounds.

Tannenbaum, a senior to be at Naperville North, sets his goals high and usually reaches them. After being named Outstanding Wrestler last year winning the Cadet and Greco-Roman titles, Tannenbaum was ready for the next challenge.

"I knew it would be a big step from Cadet to Junior and I wanted to make sure I was ready," said Tannenbaum. "I was in the best shape of my life."

With seven technical falls and a fall, Tannenbaum showed why he is considered one of the top three prospects in the country along with Michigan's Roger Kish and Ohio's C.P. Schlatter. In his ninth match against Missouri's Derek Compton the referee held up the wrong hand when awarding points and Tannenbaum was down 8-0.

"I looked at [coach] Sean [Bormet] and said, 'What's going on?' He just said, 'keep wrestling.'

No problem. Tannenbaum hit a double leg and pinned Compton at 2:43.

In the final, Tannenbaum got four points in the first period on two takedowns and a gut wrench. In the second period, Winnicke and Tannenbaum each got two points off a scramble. Winnicke got a take-down 29 seconds left, but Tannenbaum stayed in control for the win.

"That's a bad habit [not staying aggressive at the end] I have to break," said Tannenbaum. "He [Wunnicke] was getting desperate and was kind of wild and that was hard to deal with."

Tannenbaum, who is in the top seven percent of his class, has an interest in Ivy League and Big 10 schools. He plans on majoring in business and says he will sign early.

"I am looking forward to college," said Tannenbaum, who will likely compete at 145 in the upcoming season. "We [at Bormet's Overtime Wrestling School] have spent a lot of time on hand fighting and locking up. That's something I am working on because you need that at the college level. Before I'd just take guys down and let them go.”

"I want to take as many unofficial visits as possible and then make a decision."

Bormet, who has worked with Tannenbaum for a year, has seen a steady progression.

"I work with a lot of top-level kids," said Bormet. "We had Kish here [working out] and I think Eric would have to be considered in the top three.”

"Eric is analytical; he'll think things through on and off the mat. He knows what he wants to do and he gets it done. Eric's very disciplined and consistent. I think he'll be successful at anything he puts his mind to."

Illinois' champion in Cadet was Mike Poeta of Highland Park (135) who captured his second consecutive Freestyle title with a 6-3 decision over Michigan's Brent Metcalf. Poeta, who was out for two months in the late spring and early summer with strained thumb ligaments, was at his best. Metcalf was extremely aggressive from the start, but Poeta proved to be too skilled and athletic for Metcalf to handle. He stepped over a Metcalf gut-wrench twice. The second time, Poeta put in a whizzer and turned him at the end of the first period to take a commanding 4-1 lead. He looked up at the cheering Illinois contingent and flashed a grin.

"He was more aggressive and took me out of my style," said Poeta. "When I got the two [points] and heard the fans, I was pumped up."

Illinois coach Ed Giese was impressed with Poeta's ability to make the proper adjustments.

"Mike's athleticism was the difference," said Giese, who won the freestyle title in 1981. "Metcalf tried to force the issue; he didn't wrestle a smart match. When Mike put the whizzer in and rolled him to his back; that fired him up and the match was over.”

"Mike's so athletic he's able to get out of situations that many wrestlers can't. He scored on a scramble from three different positions."

Craig Fallico, who coached Poeta the last two years and has watched him wrestle since the fifth grade, wore a puzzled look and barely uttered a word the entire match.

"Mike's strength is on his feet," said Fallico. "He can usually take a guy down at will with his train-double. The way the match went I didn't know what to say; I was speechless. For Mike to win it on the mat is just a tribute to him."

Coach Don Reynolds, director of Freestyle and Greco-Roman for Team Illinois' Junior's, was pleased with their results. In 2001 Illinois' Junior squad had two All-American's winners, this summer the number was nine.

"I think we had a good showing," said Reynolds. "We brought 44 guys and had 22 still going the match before the medal round. Having two coaches like Ed Giese and Sean Bormet with world class experience makes a big difference. They know how to run a training camp. They know how to push you just enough to keep you sharp and prepare you mentally for a big tournament."

Other coaches on the Illinois staff were: Steve Holland, Nate Patrick, Kevin Lake, Bill Rinker and Eric Wetzel. Cadet coaches included: Allan Kirgan, Chauncey Carrick, Rob Murphy and Page Schoolman. Nick Curby and Ryan Geist help with Greco-Roman.

Amateur Wrestling News, Vol. 48 No. 1, September 6, 2002