‘The full package’
Justin Cronk, a standout for Lincoln-Way West in football, wrestling and track, has been honored with the school’s Ultimate Warrior award
Before Lincoln-Way West senior Justin Cronk says goodbye to his athletic career and hello to the working world as a plumber, he has a few things he wants to get done.
The multisport athlete would like to end his brief but successful wrestling career with an undefeated record as a senior Thursday and Friday when the Warriors close out the abbreviated season with home matches against Joliet Central and Bradley-Bourbonnais, respectively.
After that, he has been working toward a trip to state in track. He has the program record in the discus with a throw of 132 feet, 2 inches in 2019. The Warriors compete June 9 in the Class 3A Homewood-Flossmoor Sectional.
“That would mean the world to me,” Cronk said. “To make it to state to end my athletic career would be great.”
Cronk would likely need to throw the discus more than 20 further than his personal best to make it to Charleston for the state meet.
Still, Cronk has enjoyed a huge year in 2021, so there are some who will not count him out.
The Southwest Suburban Red all-conference player made big defensive plays as Lincoln-Way West’s football team beat H-F for
the first time.
Wrestling coach Brian Glynn said in Cronk’s rookie year of varsity competition, his first nine wins came against quality opponents.
One of those quality wins was against Lincoln-Way East’s Dominic Adamo, a 2019 state qualifier who’s ranked fifth in the state at 170 by the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association.
Even if Cronk doesn’t pull off the major feat of making it to state in track, he will finish his career by winning the wrestling team’s Mike Ducharme Award. He also received the school’s Ultimate Warrior honor.
Glynn said the Ducharme Award is named after a former West wrestler who suffered a head injury and died. The Ultimate Warrior goes to a senior male and female multisport athlete at the school who also excels in academics.
“He wakes up dying to compete,” Glynn said of Cronk. “And it doesn’t matter in what. That’s how wrestles, and when he comes off the mat, he’s probably the nicest kid on the team.
“He takes care of our specialneeds kids that we have on our team. He’s really the full package.”
Cronk said his father, Jason, is a plumber. He knew at an early age he would follow in his dad’s footsteps.
There will be times Cronk wakes up, as his coach said, dying to compete — and there won’t be any more competition for him. He already figured that out.
“After sports are over, I’ll be in a jujitsu gym to keep me occupied,” he said.
Cronk might need a little rest first.
Because of coronavirus concerns, the Illinois High School Association changed the calendar for the 2020-21 season. There was one wild week where he played or practiced in three sports — football, wrestling and track.
“It’s crazy managing time between all three sports when they were going on at once,” he said. “The offseason really helped
prepare my body for this.”
He played two years of basketball but changed to wrestling and was on the JV in 2020 before getting his shot this year on the varsity.
“I was good in basketball,” he said. “I watched my brother (Jason) wrestle for year and I wanted to be a part of wrestling.”
As for his award-winning finish, Cronk is happy with the recognition.
“Marco Pettinato won the Ultimate Warrior award a few years ago,” Cronk said of Pettinato, who competed in basketball and track. “It is cool being up there with him.”