The dream season for Waterloo High School senior wrestler Jordan Sommers ended with a second place finish at the state tournament Saturday night in Champaign. 

At 220 pounds, Sommers lost his only match of the season in the final to Bloomington’s Jack Weltha. 

Weltha (35-3), who lost two previous times this season to Sommers (43-1), rallied for a tie through three periods and recorded an overtime take down to defeat Sommers, 5-3, for the state championship.

“He ended up having a great game plan,” Sommers said of his state final opponent. “He definitely showed great sportsmanship. He just beat me this time, but that doesn’t make him the better wrestler.”

Also at the state tourney, WHS senior Brandon Lloyd wrestled to an eighth place finish at 170 pounds.

It marked the end for two WHS wrestling legends.

“Both of these kids are surefire Waterloo High School Hall of Famers, in my opinion,” Waterloo head coach Chase Guercio said. “They are the two most successful wrestlers in our school’s history. They showed that kids from Waterloo can be elite wrestlers in this state. Their accomplishments will fuel the next generation of wrestlers in this town.”

Sommers opened the state tournament with a win by fall over Joe Midona of Riverside (Brookfield), then defeated Washington’s Tyler Casey by decision in the quarterfinal. In the semifinal, Sommers won by technical fall over Mattoon’s Leo Meyer. 

“I was very blessed to even be there,” Sommers said of his second state tourney appearance. “I really wish I got it done all the way.”

Guercio said it was an inspirational run for Sommers.

“I think the perspective that the passage of time will ultimately give us is that everyone who was involved with the kid was so fortunate to get to be a part of his journey,” Guercio said. “You talk about a kid who suffered what would have been a career-ending injury to so many, and here he is wrestling in the state final barely a year later. It just speaks to the otherworldly mental toughness that Jordan has.”

Sommers placed fifth at state at 195 pounds as a sophomore, but suffered a broken leg in a motorbike accident on Christmas Day 2020. He was able to wrestle part of his junior season before re-injuring the leg prior to that postseason.

I had to work harder than ever to chase the dream,” Sommers said of his return, adding that it took plenty of physical therapy and hours in the weight room to recover. “I had to be patient and trust the process. I was hungry, man.”

Guercio said all three matches between Sommers and Weltha,who were ranked No. 1 and 2 much of the season, were exciting to watch.

“I think if he and Jordan wrestle 10 times, Jordan wins that match more often than not,” Guercio said.

Sommers will wrestle next season for McKendree University, which is among the top programs in the country and features former Missouri high school state champion Cory Peterson of Valmeyer. 

“This is only the beginning for Jordan Sommers. When he gets access to next-level coaching and development, I think his competitors are really going to have to look out for themselves – especially now that his sights are set on a national championship,” Guercio said. “After seeing how he came back from his injury, how could you ever doubt the kid? The best is yet to come for him.”

Sommers was thankful for Waterloo as a school and community, as well as his coaches.

“I want to thank Waterloo very much for allowing me to be an impact on the community,” he said. “Coach Guercio saved me. He saw potential in me when I didn’t think I had any. Coach (Rodney) Newbury always kept me in line. He helped me on and off the mat.”

While Sommers leaves as the only WHS wrestler to medal at state, Lloyd is the only three-time state qualifier. 

He opened his final state tourney with a major decision win over Mike Torres of Evergreen Park. That was followed by a loss in the quarterfinals to Aaron Cramer of Grayslake Central. In the consolation round, Lloyd won over Ben Butler of Crystal Lake Central before falling to Brennan Houser of Mahomet-Seymour.

“Brandon is a favorite of every coach he has ever had,” Guercio assessed. “He had what I consider to be the toughest bracket in Class 2A and still came out with a second consecutive top eight finish. In the age of specialization, it is so impressive that he was able to have the level of success he did in both wrestling and football. He is the most authentic representation of what our community is all about. He embodies the toughness and grit of the blue collar workers in this community, and his pleasant demeanor is representative of the kindness that our town is known for.”

Lloyd will wrestle at Central College in Iowa upon his graduation this spring.

“What they don’t tell you before you take the job is how tight these athlete-coach relationships are, especially with kids you have worked with for four years,” Guercio concluded.  “We have shared laughs and tears together and celebrated their tremendous accomplishments. Our relationships extend far beyond this four-month IHSA wrestling season, so it was emotional knowing this was the end of such a fun journey for those kids as Waterloo wrestlers this weekend. Coach Newbury and I are better people and coaches as a result of knowing Lloyd and Sommers. They have changed our lives forever.”