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Libertyville's Eggert closes in on 400.

Article Excerpt
Byline: Mike Garofola Daily Herald Correspondent

Last weekend in Moline, Libertyville, led by one of the most well-respected coaches in the sport, captured a fourth-place trophy at the Class AA dual-team state wrestling tournament.

The Wildcats' glorious run to their first team trophy in school history was historic in another way with coach Dale Eggert inching closer to his 400th career win.

It was a 35-23 victory over Granite City in the quarter-finals that would not only book the Cats place atop the podium later that evening, but also give Eggert, a 1974 Libertyville grad, his 398th victory.

"This group (of) guys went were no Libertyville wrestling team has ever gone," said Eggert, himself a two-time state qualifier and runnerup in 1974 at 126 pounds.

"The thing that was so special is what the competition did to the intensity of our guys, and how it brought out the best in all of them,.. at a level that I hadn't seen before and didn't really know they had in them."

It had to be especially rewarding for Eggert and his staff even with six wrestlers with 30 victories or more and two others with 40-plus wins (Matt Bystol at 43 and Trey Ayala 41). This club, unable to match the star-power lineup of the likes of Jack Danilkowicz, Jeff Keske, Dave Paramski, Ted Strychalski, Jon Henslee and others in recent years, still was able to go 22-3 overall with wins over St. Rita, Oak Park, Lyons and North Suburban Conference rival Grant to advance to the state tournament.

"As I talk to so many young coaches every week during tournament, I hear them share a vision for where...

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