Shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Friday, March 11, 2016, the main hall inside Morrison Junior High School, 300 Academic Drive, Morrison, IL, became filled with student well-wishers. They created a “good luck” gauntlet for two athletes to traverse: Colton Linke and Riley Wilkens.
Junior High Principal Joe Robbins explained, “As we have done in the past, we will give our State Wrestlers a send-off…as they leave for DeKalb, IL, to represent themselves, their school, and their District at the IESA State Wrestling meet. Our two State Wrestlers are Colton Linke, 75 lbs, and Riley Wilkens, at 185 lbs. They will leave after second hour, which is 9:37 a.m. Our students will…form a parade tunnel to see them off.”
Have you ever said, “It happened so fast, it was all a blur?”
The boys appeared atop the stairs and advanced to the iconic film theme from “Rocky.” Hands were clapped and slapped; hugs from other wrestlers were given. Linke leaped into the arms of one! It was over within seconds and, for Linke and Wilkens, must have felt like the following photos. Linke stands center, wearing a backpack with blue straps. Wilkens walks just behind. The boys wore Morrison Wrestling t-shirts.
Wilkens enjoyed a hug while smiling down at Linke.
Linke is a 13-year-old seventh grader; Wilkens is a 14-year-old eighth grader. Both began wrestling at age five with Morrison Youth Wrestling Club. Thus, Wilkens has wrestled for a decade, and Linke has trained for nine years. The pair took first place at the Sectional Tournament on Saturday, March 5. After earning a respectable fourth place in 2015, Linke returns for a second time to the IESA State Wrestling Finals.
Because each youth won the Sectional, tonight each has drawn a bye for their first round. Eager but well-rested, they automatically advance to the second round. Winners will return to wrestle Saturday, March 12.
The photograph by Jerry Lindsey shows a realistic vision of the boys’ walk of fame.
Sharing a moment together before departure, left-to-right, are Colts Wrestling Coach Jesse Kennedy; Susan Wilkens and her son Riley; Colton Linke in front of his father, Gus; mother Michelle Linke; Assistant Coach Jamie Rodriguez. Other family members will join them tonight in DeKalb: father Todd Wilkens; Colton’s grandparents Al and Barbara Bush, Gus Linke, and Mary Jane Linke.
