Throwback Thursday: Kucala Vs Tannenbaum
 

Watch as Matt Kucala, a senior from Providence Catholic, wrestles never before beaten in high school Eric Tannenbaum, a sophomore from Naperville North, for the 2001 IHSA Class AA 125-pound state championship.

This classic match has one of the most memorable endings in IHSA state finals history.

Tannenbaum went on to win IHSA state titles his junior and senior seasons and then became a four-time NCAA All-American at the University of Michigan.

Kucala was 42 - 2. Can someone verify if one of his losses was from Charles Lloyd of Mt. Carmel? I thought 3 weeks before state Lloyd went up a weight and beat Kucala in their last dual (Mt. Carmel / Providence)?

Did Kucala go on to do anything in college? AA? or nat. qualifier? I don't remember hearing his name after this match. I could be wrong because I was just starting to get into wrestling at that point.

Kucala went to Northern Illinois, where he showed pretty good skills as a freshman. Don't think he wrestled after his sophomore year, but could be wrong.

Remember him getting a pin in a dual I saw, maybe the inagural Convo Center meet against Minnesota? He was nasty on top...

Sorry, can't confirm the Lloyd match but I did witness the first Kucala-Tannenbaum match that season at the Thanksgiving Conant tourney. Final score was 10-5 Tann (5 td's, 5 kick-outs)...

The rematch in the state finals has to be on ANYONE's short list (top 3-ish) for greatest matches / upsets / moments in Assembly Hall history. Excellent pick this week!

He went to NIU but had a real hard time making weight. Herd he was cutting way to much and had medical problems from that and had to walk away.

That sucks! Hopoefully he is doing well now!

He is doing fine now. He is usually at the Dome every year for the state finals.

I think Kucala is doing MMA.

I am surprised that I haven't run into him there. Either way, glad to hear he is well!