Johnsburg’s Kainoa Ancog and Duke Mays, both four-year varsity wrestlers, took a knee and held the Kishwaukee River Conference championship trophy with their teammates and coaches surrounding them following a 47-31 win against Richmond-Burton on Thursday night.

The win secured a perfect conference season for the Skyhawks, also giving them their first conference championship since 1995. A year ago, it was the Rockets celebrating a perfect KRC season and third conference title in a row.

Ancog couldn’t help but smile as family and fans snapped photos of the KRC champs.

“It feels amazing. That’s what I wanted since freshman year,” Ancog said. “I wanted to come here and I wanted to make the program the best it could be.

“I didn’t have the success tonight, personally, but I always want the best for my team. To see Johnsburg wrestling has made a comeback, this is what I’ve been waiting for.”

Johnsburg, certainly, has come a long way.

Before Ancog’s freshman season, the team struggled to roster full lineups. Now the Skyhawks aren’t a team others can count on for an easy win.

“I think the year before my freshman year, Johnsburg had six kids on the team,” Ancog said. “We’re here now and have great wrestlers at every weight class. We’re coming out and beating big schools, 3A schools, 2A schools, it’s wild. If I would have told my freshman self that, I don’t know if I would have believed it.”

Richmond-Burton, dealing with numerous injuries, including a season-ender to captain Blake Livdahl, forfeited seven of 14 matches, taking away any real dramatics in Johnsburg’s win. But that didn’t take away from the Skyhawks’ perfect run in the KRC – one that coach J.D. Sylvanus saw coming after last year’s 17-3 dual record.

“It’s a lot of work for the kids,” said Sylvanus, a 2005 Skyhawks’ graduate who took over the Johnsburg Junior High wrestling program for seven years before becoming the high school coach in 2022-23. “They practice or compete six days a week, and having their constant buy-in, being out there, being good practice partners at all levels, it’s really an all-team effort. It’s good to see that all come together and come true tonight.”

Sophomore Kai Surdick won Johnsburg’s only match Thursday that wasn’t by forfeit, defeating R-B’s Melvin Warden at 113 pounds by technical fall in the second period.

Surdick, who competed last season at 106, is practice partners with Chase Vogel (120), a state qualifier at 113 last year. Those two are “always going back and forth,” Sylvanus said.

“He doesn’t miss anything, he’s a captain for us, and he’s just that guy you want to see win,” Sylvanus said of Surdick. “He’s a multi-sport athlete, so he’s not on the mat year-round. That win tonight was meaningful for him, and it’s that confidence boost he needs going into regionals. I know all the hard work he puts in. Getting that hand raised was the most well-deserved on the team tonight.”

Surdick said the team’s success starts in the practice room – and with Sylvanus.

“J.D. obviously puts a lot of time in for us. He’s also huge in the community and he’s built up a lot of things at Johnsburg,” Surdick said. “It isn’t easy. Wrestling isn’t easy. Tough practices, bleachers, making sure our conditioning is up. And just the team camaraderie, too, making sure everyone’s focused on their matches and helping everyone get better.”

Richmond-Burton, for its part, made the most of its opportunities Thursday, winning six of the seven matches it didn’t forfeit.

Lelan Nelson won by first-period pin at 126 pounds, Wyatt Franckowiak won by tech fall at 132, Max Martin won by decision at 157, Dylan Falasca won by tech fall at 165, Shane Falasca won by pin at 215, and Breckin Campbell won by pin at 285.

Both R-B and Johnsburg will compete at the Class 1A R-B Regional on Jan. 31.

“We walked away tonight losing only one match,” R-B coach Tony Nelson said. “Just got to focus on the guys we have right now. With the guys we have out, I don’t know if the regional title is possible with the holes in our lineup, so I’ll be cheering on Johnsburg if it comes to that. When we’re in all in, we’re good. You just got to stay healthy. It stinks we’re not.”