By DWIGHT ESAU

Journal Reporter

Good friends off the wrestling mat, fierce competitors on it.

That's the relationship between Dallas Monreal-Berner of Niles and Laura Conway of Des Plaines, who just happen to be the top two women's junior freestyle wrestlers in the State of Illinois.

They recently finished 1-2 in the Junior Women's Freestyle Tournament at Lincoln Way-East High School in Frankfort. Laura, a recently graduated senior at Maine West High School, held her own with the nationally ranked Monreal-Berner for one period in the championship match. But Dallas, who will be a junior at Niles West High School this fall, won on a fall in the second period to take the title.

So Dallas and Laura are the two top wrestlers on the Team Illinois group that will travel to Fargo, North Dakota, in July for the U.S. National junior women's tournament.

Dallas and Laura are now sparring partners as they train for the nationals.

"My goal is to place in the top eight at nationals," said Laura. "That's an attainable feat at this point in my development as a wrestler." She got an encouraging boost toward that goal from Monreal-Berner. "All Laura needs is lots of mat time and she will start to climb the rankings, she has a good attitude and is not discouraged when she has a bad bout," Dallas said.

"Dallas is a real threat to win it all this summer, she is working hard, has avoided serious injury, and has been improving every time she wrestles in competition," said Niles West coach Chuck Corrigan. "She has dedicated herself to the long haul, to compete in more and more national and international competitions. She is setting her sights high and there is no reason she can't succeed. She has real quality and is driven in this most demanding sport," he said.

Laura will attend MacMurray College this fall and plans to wrestle there. Dallas will return to Niles West this fall and will be wrestling in IHSA competition this coming winter.

Team Illinois is training at the University of Illinois in Champaign starting next week. Corrigan said the team should be a strong contender in both the individual and team competitions in Fargo.

Wrestling is now a year-round sport at Niles West High School, there is a freestyle program in the spring and summer, there is a kids wrestling summer camp in conjunction with the Skokie Park District, and the Team West Wolves Wrestling Club for grade school boys and girls is held in the fall and winter.

For information on these programs, call head coach Bryan Wittersheim at Niles West High School, 847-626-2822.