Despite losses, Haak’s Thunder make dad proud

In the 113-pound match, the Hornets’ Mark Struck and North’s Derek Doyen were in a scramble in the first period. On one sideline, Tim Haak was yelling instructions to Struck and Shane Haak, Tim’s son, was equally vociferous coaching Doyen.

The voices were similar, the pace and intensity identical and many of the suggested corrective actions were similar.

Shane acknowledged it was a little eerie, hearing himself say the same things his father taught him at Harvard.

“I find myself saying the same things. It scares me,” Shane Haak said. “When you’re with him for 22 years you pick up some things.”

Harvard defeated the Thunder, 61-6, in a match that featured teams at opposite ends in their development. Tim Haak has been coaching the Hornets for well over 20 years and Shane Haak is in his first year at Woodstock North. The Hornets are perennial regional champions and the Thunder earned its first Fox Valley Conference Fox Division win earlier this season.

Tim Haak said the Woodstock North program is moving in the right direction after seeing some of them wrestle over the summer.

“I just can’t believe the improvement North has made,” Tim Haak said. “That’s really a credit to Shane and his coaches. I’m amazed by it.”

Johnny Peterson got a come-from-behind win for the Hornets at 132. After getting put on his back for a near fall by North’s Jake Schmitt, Peterson managed to get out of bounds to avoid the pin.

During the break, Tim Haak told Peterson to wrestle smart and that he didn’t need to get all the points back at once. Peterson had his own idea. After reversing Schmitt, Peterson stuck him for a first period pin.

Peterson said he was trying to follow his coaches instructions but just kind of fell into a pin position. The outcome was easier than trying to climb back into the match one or two points at a time.