A family photo. An older brother. Carmel senior Matthew Lucansky's road to this juncture began long ago.

Chicago Tribune

31-01-2025

Matthew Lucansky stumbled upon wrestling when he was a kid.
As the Carmel senior prepares for his final postseason, he recalled how it all started for him and his older brother Patrick 11 years ago.
'We saw a picture of our dad and uncle when they were kids,' Lucansky said. 'They were wearing a singlet and head gear. We were like, 'What's this?' I didn't know my dad wrestled. It was a monumental moment.'
Carmel coach Bob Kuykendall is pushing for Lucansky, a four-year varsity competitor, to experience another monumental moment and advance to the state meet for the first time. Lucansky (32-6) placed second in the 138-pound weight class at the Lake County Invitational on Jan. 25 and placed first at a tournament in Hoffman Estates earlier in the season.
'He's worked so hard in the offseason, gone to tournaments and multiple camps,' Kuykendall said. 'He's been a sectional qualifier his last three years, so he's showed potential. But we're in a really tough sectional. It's a dogfight to get out of the sectional.'
Lucansky is excited about the opportunity. He'll start the postseason in the Class 2A Deerfield Regional on Feb. 8.
'It's do-or-die,' he said. 'I've put in weeks and months in the offseason and went to several camps and overnights at different colleges for the one simple goal of getting downstate and placing. I have to have six good matches.'
Lucansky, who intends to wrestle in college, said he's in optimal condition to try.
'I feel amazing, just in the sense of it all coming full circle,' he said. 'My technique is starting to flow into how I'm wrestling. What I'm learning is being put into use. This is probably the best I've felt in four years. I'm in the best shape and the most technical. I'm the strongest.
'All of those extra months and extra workouts, practices and lifts, running and workouts at my house are all coming together for this Saturday.'
Carmel senior 150-pounder David Fajardo Jr., a soccer and boxing standout who didn't wrestle in the previous two seasons, has returned to the mat and sees that drive in Lucansky during practices.
'I've known Matt since his freshman year, and he's a very good wrestler, and he pushes himself every day,' Fajardo said. 'He always brings good energy to the team and is motivating the people around him.
'We're wrestling partners. We push ourselves as much as we can, knowing what we want and knowing what we have to do to get there.'
Carmel assistant Mike Tortorice, who also wrestled in the program and later competed at Wisconsin-Whitewater, said Lucansky has to stay focused.
'Matt's growth has come from his extreme dedication, not just from this past offseason but from the last two seasons,' Tortorice said. 'His mental maturity is one of the largest areas that's allowed this growth to take place. He has cast aside stubbornness and really taken on a new attitude.
'A key factor in his road will be if he keeps a clear mind from match to match and doesn't overanalyze his opponent.'
Lucansky's effort is never in doubt, however.
'He's a competitor,' Kuykendall said. 'He fights hard every single match.'
Lucansky credits his brother Patrick, who also wrestled at Carmel, for helping him become that kind of competitor on the mat.
'My brother was always bigger and stronger than me,' Lucansky said. 'In high school, he was always 60 pounds heavier and now is 100 pounds heavier. I wanted to be better than him, so it kept me working, getting stronger to challenge him. Winning became easier after going against him.'