Wrestling: E Squared = Providence Mat Success

Regardless of what happens this weekend, Edwin Cooper and Eddie Klimara have established themselves two of the best wrestlers ever at Providence Catholic, and that's no small feat.

Both won individual state championships in 2009, joining 21 other Celtics who have accomplished that impressive feat. But, unlike so many other greats who've worn the green singlet, the two also have been in the Grand March of Champions every year they've wrestled at Providence.

The fact that Klimara and Cooper won state titles two years ago and didn't repeat in 2010 has only driven them harder to get back on top this season.

Cooper, a senior, and Klimara, a junior, are favorites at their weight classes as they head to the University of Illinois' Assembly Hall for competition Friday and Saturday in the Class 3A finals.

Cooper carries a 34-1 mark into the fray at 145 pounds, while Klimara owns a 37-0 record. The two head to Champaign along with senior Mike Togher, who is 40-5 and in the medal mix at 135.

Both Cooper and Klimara won tournament titles this year at the Dvorak, Geneseo and Chicago Catholic League meets. Both also have won regional and sectional titles. Providence coach Keith Healy, who has had 14 individuals win 17 state titles during his 19 seasons at the school, thinks that Cooper and Klimara can capture state championships again.

"They've turned it up and they're both wrestling at their best now," Healy said. "It's good to see them being aggressive and getting after it as much as they have. We've focused with both since the start of the season that it's hard to get there in the first place and that you have to work extra-hard.

"Eddie (Klimara) had a great summer and that gave him a lot of confidence. 'Coop' was disappointed after last year, but he's focused now and you see that in the practice room."

During his Celtic career, Cooper has compiled a record of 148-7, which includes the 112 title in 2009 and second-place finishes at 130 a year ago and at 103 in 2008. Meanwhile, Klimara is 112-3 in his career, with the highlight being a title at 103 his freshman year, followed by last year's second at 119.

If the two can get back on top of the awards stand on Saturday, they'll do something that no Celtic wrestler has been able to accomplish before. And that's to win a title one year, not do so the following season and then come back to claim another state championship.

While the motivation for both is particularly strong, it might be even greater for Klimara, who has a chance to avenge his title loss from last year. He is on the opposite side of the bracket of Stevenson's Danny Sabatello (38-0), who defeated Klimara 3-2 in last year's 119 title match.

"I want to get my conditioning up a little more, but other than that, I feel good about where I'm at," Klimara said. "It's nice being undefeated and I'll try to keep that up. 'Coop,' Togher and I have been wrestling together on the same team since we were little, so it's nice knowing that we're all going to be together at state this year.

"Taking second last year has motivated me to get to where I want to be this season. I want to get back to the Grand March and take it this time."

Although the individual who beat Cooper a year ago, O'Fallon's Keith Surber, has graduated, the memory of a 15-4 loss in the 130 finals still haunts him.

"You have to go to state with confidence and try to go out and dominate your opponents," Cooper said. "It helps to have two teammates who'll push me to go after it. This is my last week of wrestling in high school, so I'm going hard. I know that everyone there wants to win as much as I want to, so it's about who wants to win it."