Williams stars in losing cause

Last February, Illinois bid farewell to its first four-timeClass AA wrestling champion. Next February, the curtain may berising on a second.

Goodbye, Andrew's Joe Gilbert. Hello, Mount Carmel's JoeWilliams. To say the freshman Williams, the Chicago Sun-Times BoyAthlete of the Week, has made an auspicious debut would be anunderstatement.

Williams' team lost the war Saturday, falling to Proviso East43-17 and top-rated Conant 41-15. But Williams won the battle ofunbeatens at 135, knocking off Conant's Chris Hruska, previouslytop-ranked at that weight, 9-4. Now 14-0, Williams also establishedhimself as the early favorite for the state title.

Williams and …