EDWARDSVILLE - Luke Odom, who wrestles at 160 pounds for the Edwardsville High School team, is in the midst of an extraordinary senior season, and this past Tuesday night, the three-time IHSA state wrestling meet qualifier took another big step towards his ultimate goal of a state championship with a 4-0 win over Vinnie Zerban of CBC in the feature match of the Border War meet won by the Tigers 45-23 Tuesday evening at the Jon Davis Wrestling Center.
Odom won the bout with a second-period reversal and a third-period takedown over the Missouri state champion last season, improving his record to 32-1. But as Odom said in his post-meet interview, he plans on going full speed ahead.
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"Yeah, I just keep pushing," Odom said. "The season's not over."
It was indeed a close match against Zerban, and Odom felt that his moves against Zerban that eventually won the match were a result of going with the flow of the match and reacting at the right time.
"Just I don't really say I did a move," Odom said. "It's just one position to the next, and the next, and just using what I've learned these past 12 years, just the flow. When you're in a big-time moment like that, your brain doesn't have time o think like that. You just kind of go."
Odom is enjoying his season thus far, but also knows he can keep getting better and is working and training towards his ultimate goal.
"It's pretty good," Odom said. "I want to just keep training, keep getting better, and I'll be ready for the postseason."
Early on in the season, Odom signed a letter-of-intent to wrestle for the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, starting next season, and Odom feels that his early signing has played somewhat of a role in his approach.
"It kind of does, it kind of doesn't," Odom said. "The main goal is chasing another state title, but when I'm in the room, I'm chasing that state title, and trying to push myself to the next level and getting ready for college next year. So in that aspect, it does, but other than that, it's just having fun."
The next few weeks will be critical to Odom and the Tigers, with tournaments and dual meets coming up, which will all lead into the IHSA Class 3A state tournament series. Odom has one major goal in mind when the state series begins.
"Just a state title," Odom said. "That's the only goal in my mind right now, is winning that state title."
And as for the Tigers, Odom also has very ambitious goals for the team as well.
"Teamwise, we're looking really good," Odom said, "and I think we have a shot of making it to state again this year."
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