On Campus: Prairie Ridge’s Piotrowskis are teaming up with Illinois wrestling

Since the NCAA abruptly halted the college wrestling season in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic, staying prepared has been Trey Piotrowski’s goal.

A redshirt freshman at the University of Illinois, Piotrowski lifted weights, took long runs and watch videos of himself while getting helpful critiques from his older brother and fellow Prairie Ridge graduate, Travis, who was a four-time national qualifier in his career.

All the while, he waited for good news about the season ahead. When that news came Dec. 31 with the release of the Illini’s nine-match, Big Ten Conference-only schedule, there was relief.

“It was a great feeling,” Trey said. “Now it feels like everything we did during quarantine … we didn’t do that for nothing.”

Illinois opens it season Sunday at Indiana and will end Feb. 21 against Nebraska. Though fans will not be allowed, the opportunity to compete isn’t lost on the team.

“Finally getting a schedule and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel is a real positive for our guys,” Illinois head coach Jim Heffernan told FightingIllini.com. “I’m incredibly impressed with the discipline and work ethic they’ve shown over the last 10 months.”

The Dec. 31 announcement also provides the Piotrowski brothers – who are four years apart – to have one last season together.

While Trey is competing for opportunities at 141 pounds, Travis will serve as a volunteer assistant coach while completing his graduate work in the university’s business school.

“The majority of the guys don’t view me as a coach,” said Travis, who wrestled at 125 and 133 pounds during his career. “They view me as another one of the guys. I like that part of it.”

Along with staying in shape, Travis said his rewards from working with the program include being able to see the growth of wrestlers he is mentoring at the lower weights, especially Trey.

“Now that I get to watch him from the coaches’ chairs, you get to see that progression more,” Travis said. “The strides that he can make are substantial.”

Last season, Trey was 7-5 as a redshirt competitor. This season, with fifth-year senior Dylan Duncan holding down the starting spot, Trey is hoping for opportunities to show off his growth.

“One of my goals is to start a couple of matches,” Trey said. “On days when we have two matches, I’m hoping that I can get in for one.” The Big Ten is also allowing teams competing against each other to conduct exhibition matches.

Trey said his biggest improvement has been showing more intensity in matches, especially during the first period, and his approach to being tired.

“Whenever I used to get tired, I’d slow down,” he said. “Now it’s like, ‘I’m tired, but that’s not going to stop me from banging on your head, taking shots.’”

In preparation for the season, the Illini have started their routine early with COVID-19 testing daily at 7:45 a.m.

From there, the team lifts weights before taking a break, then returning for workouts later in the day.

“That allows us to practice and to do what we do in the wrestling room,” Travis said of the protocols the team follows. “It works. Now that we’ve built this routine, we’re all benefitting from it.

“The only negative is just getting up in the morning,” he said with a laugh.

Vohasek shines at UNC: McHenry’s Ray Vohasek, a junior nose tackle for North Carolina’s football team earned honorable mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors this fall after posting career highs in tackles (29), tackles for loss (seven) and sacks (3.5).

He had a tackle for loss and a pass breakup last weekend in the Tar Heels’ 41-27 Orange Bowl loss to Texas A&M.

Vohasek nearly doubled his tackle total from last season and tripled his sack total.

· Barry Bottino writes about local college athletes for the Northwest Herald. Write to him at barryoncampus@hotmail.com and follow @BarryOnCampus on Twitter.