PLANO, IL, Feb. 13 -- Even though his high school wrestling career had just ended, Mooseheart senior Jacob Stryker still found plenty to smile about.

And one of those things he was happiest about was that he had been a Red Ramblers wrestler for four years.

"A lot of people find that if they try it, they love it," Stryker said. "It's just physically you and mentally you against someone else. I love it."

On a good night for the unheralded Mooseheart wrestler, Stryker advanced to the semifinals thanks to a pair of Friday victories. On Saturday, he lost in the semifinals to Coal City's Tony Francisco, a 6-2 decision that relegated Stryker to the wrestlebacks.

There, Bismarck-Henning's Morgan Supergan pinned Stryker midway through the second period.

"(Friday) I thought I had a really good chance because I beat two hard opponents," Stryker said. "I came out (Saturday) with a real 'I'm going to do it' attitude. The first match got away from me. And this second match, I tried my hardest."

Stryker's appearance in the sectionals marked the farthest he progressed in the state postseason in his wrestling career.

"I thought I would have been more satisfied if I had gone to state," Stryker said. "But just being here is an accomplishment of a goal that I set my freshman year. Achieving one of my goals is better than not achieving any of them."

Had Stryker won the semifinal match, he would have been advanced to the state finals. The top four wrestlers in each weight class qualify for the state finals. Plano's sectional is always one of the most competitive in the state, and reaching a top three finish is never guaranteed.

"There was a little bit of hesitation, and that might have been nerves," Mooseheart coach Mark Johnson said of Stryker's first match. "(Stryker's) always been a wrestler who kind of waits and lets things happen and who responds to those things. I think he met a guy who was similar to him. Even though he lost this last match, I think he wrestled better because his opponent was more aggressive."

Johnson has worked hard to build Mooseheart's program. A year ago he initiated a wrestling program at the middle-school level, which is providing some experienced high schoolers for the first time.

"Some of these guys look forward to wrestling season," Johnson said. "For some of them, this is their favorite sport. I tell wrestlers when they come out, especially if it's their first time out that this is a different sport. You're out there by yourself. You have to pick yourself off the mat and make an effort to work hard if you want to make it to the next step."

Mooseheart's other sectional qualifier, Junior Smith, lost his initial wrestleback to Manteno's Doug Melia and was eliminated from the sectional competition.