One loss for Joliet Catholic’s Mason Alessio makes a big difference. ‘I don’t think I can be beat right now.’

After losing in the Class 2A 145-pound state championship match last season, Joliet Catholic senior Mason Alessio is going into this postseason with unfinished business.

Alessio plans for February to be a big month. He’s focused on getting to the top of the podium as an individual, then leading the Hilltoppers to a second straight team state title.

“I wasn’t happy after I lost that match, but it just made me think about everything I did and come back hungrier for this season,” Alessio said of a close 6-4 decision to Montini’s Jayden Colon. “I don’t think I can be beat right now.”

Alessio (33-3) capped his regular season by winning the East Suburban Catholic Conference Meet championship at 160, pinning both his opponents and helping Joliet Catholic take the team title.

He is ranked No. 1 by Illinois Matmen, something he said caused him to feel a bit of pressure last season. As a senior, he has mostly tried to ignore it.

“Last year, I think it kind of got to me a little bit,” Alessio said. “I wasn’t used to being the top guy. This year, I don’t really look at the rankings or think about it too much. I just try to wrestle my match.”

Alessio has been wrestling since he was 7 years old, following in the footsteps of his father, Joe, who wrestled at Eastern Illinois.

“My dad got me into it and he’s been really influential throughout my whole life in wrestling,” Alessio said. “I’m always talking about wrestling with him.

“He’s been my No. 1 guy to go to about technique or the mental side of wrestling. He’s always the person I look to.”

Alessio’s technical focus for his senior season was on finding more variety in his offense. Now, he thinks he’s much tougher to stop.

“I was kind of too one-dimensional last year,” Alessio said. “All the matches I lost, my weaknesses got exploited. I needed to become more diverse on offense.

“I’ve felt more active all year. I’m trying to move my hands and feet more. I just feel more free.”

On a team with star junior heavyweight Dillan Johnson, who is undefeated in his high school career and ranked No. 1 in the nation, Alessio has made a big mark of his own.

“It’s very difficult, literally and figuratively, to get out of Dillan’s shadow,” Joliet Catholic coach Ryan Cumbee said. “But Mason really deserves his own spotlight as the senior on this team who leads by example.

“I’ve coached Mason since he was a little boy and he’s continuously improved. He’s really dominated this whole season.”

Meteors rising: De La Salle (17-3) capped a terrific dual regular season with a 66-12 rout of St. Ignatius. The Meteors are one of the area’s most-improved teams.

“We had a lot of kids returning from last year and we’re still a young team,” De La Salle coach Jason Davidson said. “We only have six seniors. Everyone has bought into what we’re doing and worked hard in the practice room, and that’s carried over to our dual meets.”

Seniors Ray Alvarado and Evan Smith and juniors Josue Hernandez and Nick Arvetis are among the team leaders.

De La Salle hopes to make some noise Saturday at the Class 2A Riverside-Brookfield Regional.

“We’re bringing 14 kids out there and all have them had the work ethic all season,” Davidson. “They’ve put in the energy and effort, and they’re going to make the regional whatever they want it to be.”

Raptors roll: Rich Township scored 201 points to win Saturday’s Southland Conference Tournament over Crete-Monee (163).

The Raptors, who had 13 medalists, counted four champions in brothers Davion (106) and Diondre Henry (113), Deyonte Drake (120) and Nasir Bailey (145).

Rich Township will compete in Saturday’s Class 3A Lockport Regional, where Bailey will begin his quest for a fourth state championship.

Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.