The wrestling mat has always been Liam Kelly's happy place, but now that's even more true.
Capping a dramatic two weeks when last year's Class 3A 157-pound champ thought his bid for another state title was over, the Mount Carmel senior was back competing in the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional on Friday night.
"It feels great," Kelly told the Sun-Times. "Definitely a different type of gratefulness to be out here just wrestling, one more go. I just feel blessed to be out here."
The state's top-ranked Class 3A 165-pounder according to Illinois Matmen, Kelly won three technical falls in less than six minutes of mat time to move closer to another trip downstate. He can punch his ticket Saturday for the 3A state finals, which run next Thursday through Saturday at State Farm Center in Champaign.
His path seemed blocked on Jan. 31 when officials at the Morton Regional wouldn't allow him to wrestle because of a non-contagious skin condition known as granuloma annulare, even though he had a doctor's note clearing him to compete.
"I was devastated," Kelly said. "I mean, I've had this mark my whole life. I never would have thought I'd be disqualified for it. ... I thought my season was over."
The condition has never caused an issue, either during Mount Carmel meets or outside the high-school season.
"It will get [more noticeable] during the [prep] season because I'm Irish and have fair skin," Kelly said. "... But no, it's never been a problem."
In fact, the note was accepted five days after the regional when Kelly and the Caravan wrestled in the Marmion Dual-Team Sectional.
But the IHSA initially declined to return Kelly to the individual bracket, and his father Michael filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court seeking an emergency temporary restraining order. Judge Alison Conlon granted the TRO on Wednesday and the IHSA accepted the ruling, adding Kelly as a 13th wrestler to the 165-pound bracket at Hinsdale Central.
Like Kelly, Caravan coach Alex Tsirtsis is just glad to put the ordeal in the past.
"It was a nightmare at the regional just knowing that he's got a condition where he's been wrestling with it for the last four years and no trainers second-guessed the doctor's note or anything like that [before]," Tsirtsis told the Sun-Times. "... But we were able to get it right and it's just fun to see him compete."
Kelly credits his support system at Mount Carmel for helping him weather the storm.
"All the guys at Mount Carmel — I'm so grateful that I have a coach and a community that helps me and fights for what's right," Kelly said. "Because at any other school, there's no shot I'd be here."
