Wrestling: Maine South now has a hall-of-fame coach

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Updated: March 24, 2012 8:42AM

In what could be considered a down season in terms of state-tournament representation, Craig Fallico still found a way to shine the light on Maine South last weekend in Champaign.

The longtime Hawks coach was inducted into the Illinois Coaches and Officials Association Hall of Fame on Friday at Assembly Hall before the start of the semifinals.

“Pretty cool,” said Fallico, who learned about the honor at a practice in December.

Terry Calkins was Maine South’s only qualifying wrestler, and the junior lost his only match at 120 pounds, a packed bracket.

Calkins ended his season 37-6 with a 12-3 loss to Harlem’s Zac Benny, who finished third in the state last season at 112 pounds.

Two former state champions wrestled for the title season, with Glenbard North’s Jered Cortez beating Sandburg’s Sebastian Pique in the final.

“It was really stacked,” Fallico said. “It was no picnic, but Terry did a good job. He probably was undersized, and he knew it all year. He didn’t cut much, but he’s so talented it didn’t matter. When he got to the state tournament, it mattered.”

Fallico said he will do everything possible to get Calkins back to the state tournament for a third time.

“First, we want him in the right weight class,” the coach said. “Probably the same class or no higher than 126.”

Fallico arrived at Maine South in 1987 and became head coach in 1997. He was inducted in the schools’ Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.

With the Hawks, Fallico’s gone 270-90 and captured 10 CSL championships.