Althoff matmen look strong once again

The 2014-15 wrestling season was one of rejuvination for the Althoff Crusaders.

Inspired by the brilliance of three-time Class 1A medal winner Jarrid Braunagel and the flamboyance of freshman sensation Chase Bittle, coach Josh Harper took his young squad of matmen to heights it hadn’t seen in more than a decade as it not only won its first regional title since 2004, but nearly advanced to the Class 1A Dual Team State Tournament.

“Teamwise it was a great year. It was as good a year as we’ve had in a long while,” Harper said. “I think the kids really enjoyed what we did as a team and I’m hoping we can continue to build on that this year. We’re a little behind because of the success of the football team and Monday was actually the first day of practice for those kids. With our first match on Friday, I don’t know it they will be ready. If not we’ll wait a week until they are.”

Althoff, which will take on Hillsboro and Roxana in a triangular on Friday, enters the season with several open weight classes. But in Braunagel and Bittle, the Crusaders have two of the top wrestlers in the metro-east and St. Louis metropolitan area who will be among the favorites to win state championships in Champaign in February.

Braunagel, who will wrestle at McKendree University next year, has placed third at three different weight classes the past three seasons. This year, Braunagel who will be at 138 pounds this winter and after a summer of training and competing in national events, is hopeful that his time to be a state champion has arrived.

“Do I think Jarrid is ready to win a state championship? Yes. But I’ve thought that for the last three years,” Harper said. “One year he’s winning and gets beat in the last 10 seconds at state. Another year he gives up a 5-point move then comes back only to fall short.

“The state wrestling tournament is no joke. You’ve got to stay healthy and be healthy and then when you get to state. You have to be able to put four perfect matches in a row together. Jarrid has wrestled a lot in national tournaments in the offseason and he’s ready to go.”

While Braunagel was expected to contend for a state title last season, Bittle’s runner-up finish at 113 was a bit unexpected even to Harper. The Cruasders standout did not lose a match until the 113-pound state title match.

“We knew from watching Chase wrestle while growing up that he had a lot of ability and that he could be a very good wrestler at the high school level. I don’t think anyone could have expected that he wouldn’t lose a match until the state final,” Harper said. “He worked very hard and I think after he won a few matches he started believing that he could wrestle with some of top guys around.”

Bittle will be at 120 pounds and in front of either sophomore Gracie Kristoff or her younger brother Max Kristoff. The children of former Civic Memorial and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville great Kip Kristoff and grandchilden of wrestling and coaching legend Larry Kristoff, the sister-brother duo will be at 126 and 132 pounds.

“Fundamentally. Gracie is very, very good. Her dad, grandfather and other coaches have taught her well,” Harper said. “It’s just that strength-wise, it’s hard for her to compete against a lot of the top boys in her weight class. Max, you can see, also is very fundamentally sound. I think he’s got a chance to be a state qualifier.”

Jarrid Braunagel will be at 138, while younger brother Danny Braunagel, also a state qualifier a year agom is competing with sophomore Cameron Wicks at 145 pounds.

A third Braunagel brother — Zac — will also be out for a return trip to state this season and will compete at 170 pounds. Freshman Jacob Shields could also see time on the mat at 170 pounds.

Five wrestlers — Zach Guerrero, Codi Harris, Austin Carey, Melvin Wolff and Dung Ho Lee — are all in the mix at 152 and 160 pounds.

Junior Gage Rainey and sophomore Dan Brueggeman are battling for the 285-pound starting spot.

This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 11:17 PM with the headline "Althoff matmen look strong once again."