Cooper Corder’s parents told him he was on track for his 100th career win this season, but the milestone is really not something the Sandwich junior tracked.

Something was up, though, after his second match at the Prairie Central Invite last weekend. Coming off the mat, Corder received high fives from coaches, congratulations from the referees and hand shakes from fellow wrestlers.

“I thought it was a little weird, like why are they shaking my hand,” Corder said.

Corder, already a two-time state medalist, added that notch onto his belt with win No. 100. He probably could have reached it sooner if not for some injuries and illness the last two years, but Corder is not consumed by numbers.

“I’m big on chasing competition,” Corder said. “I would much rather have 10 losses on my record but have those 10 losses shape wins at state.”

Corder this season has not faced as many high-level opponents. Now 26-1, his loss came to Decatur Unity Christian’s Clinton VerHeecke in the 150-pound final at Prairie Central. Corder led that match until he was pinned with 55 seconds left.

“It opened my eyes to things,” Corder said. “I’m glad I got it before state. Now I can see the adjustments that I need to make, the mindset. I love a dogfight match. I can go wrestler whatever and tech them in the first; I’d rather have that 1-1 match going into the last 30 seconds.”

Corder was fourth in the state at 138 pounds as a freshman and fifth at 144 as a sophomore, but Sandwich coach Derek Jones has noticed a more mature wrestler this year.

“He is really understanding more of the mental part of it,” Jones said.

“I definitely have been arrogant about that side of the sport for a long time,” Corder said. “I had the basic mindset that when you lose, you’re worse than the kid. I’ve learned that there is much more that goes into it.”

Corder said he has a great relationship with his high school and club coaches, but he also works with a sports psychologist on the mental game.

“It’s a part that gets neglected a lot, that people might overlook,” Corder said.

Teammate Jacob Cassie is 16-4 and also took second at Prairie Central at 144, and Kai Kern at 190 took fourth. Sophomore Josh Kutalik is 31-4 and ranked in the top 10 at 175 and Jones said Kaden Clevenger, if he wrestles well, could make state at 215 or heavyweight. Sophomore Jaxson Blanchard at 138 was Sandwich’s lone champ at Prairie Central.

Jones anticipates that Corder will run into a couple of good wrestlers this weekend at Reed-Custer, and could see a ranked wrestler from Dixon at regionals. But he expects that Corder will be the favorite in both tournaments.

“I ramp it up quite a bit going into this part of the season; the postseason is where dreams come true,” Corder said. “Being optimistic and happy about where I am but not satisfied is a big thing. I have a lot of inner self-confidence for me and my team.”

Yorkville’s Van Rosauer second at Cheesehead

Junior Van Rosauer became the second Yorkville wrestler to reach the final of the prestigious Cheesehead Invitational this past Saturday in Wisconsin.

Rosauer finished second in the 150-pound bracket.

“He did well,” Yorkville coach Jake Oster said. “He beat the guy ranked No. 4 in the country in the final match of pool play. He was trailing and got two takedowns in the final period to win 6-5.

“He beat a guy that won the Cheesehead a couple years ago in the quarterfinal, won handily in the semifinal and in the final lost to a guy ranked second in the country.”

Yorkville’s Max Delgado placed eighth at 165 pounds at the tournament.

“I think we could have competed a little better at some weights but Van competed well, Max competed well, Xavion Ulloa,” Oster said. “There were a couple matches that we could have won but overall an alright job.”

Yorkville has its last conference dual Thursday against Bolingbrook and then is at the Illini Classic this weekend before competing in the Southwest Prairie Conference meet Jan. 24.

“A good hard last go before the state series,” Oster said. “The conference isn’t great but Minooka and Joliet West have a couple guys. Hopefully we’ll have some good matches to get us ready for regionals.”

Yorkville Christian pieceing it together

Yorkville Christian’s roster, 19 deep, doesn’t have a ton of wiggle room to begin with.

What depth the Mustangs do have has been tested in a season like none they’ve had.

Yorkville Christian has only wrestled two dual meets this season with its full complement of guys. Despite the fact that the Mustangs are 11-1 in duals, have won tournament championships at Polo and West Chicago and been top five in two others.

“We have been piece-mealing everything together,” Yorkville Christian coach Mike Vester said. “The guys who have been injured are back now. We should have everybody back for the last six dual meets.”

Yorkville Christian’s only dual loss came to Plainfield North, a meet in which the Mustangs had to take four forfeits. Last week they earned a big win over Ottawa Marquette sealed by fifth-ranked Jackson Allen’s win over second-ranked Alex Schaefer at 215 pounds.

“A good team win to see what we were capable of,” Vester said. “Since then practices have been more inspired. The kids could see it finally.”

Allen is 30-3 and two of his losses are to nationally-ranked wrestlers from Missouri.

“He has been plowing through everybody,” Vester said. “I think he is on a mission. I would be really surprised if he didn’t make the Grand March in Champaign.”

Hayden Wheeler, a 200-pound heavyweight, has 22 wins and senior Tyler Gleason is a kid who won 30 matches last year but Vester said “didn’t look like this.”

“The top of our lineup is solid,” Vester said. “We’re back at 1A this year, so we’ll see. We kicked off the season and wrestled Batavia, beat them with a full lineup, beat Buffalo Grove and a bunch of 3A schools. With a full lineup we can really score.”