Nadeem Haleem makes triumphant return for Andrew

After missing nearly two months with a knee injury, Andrew’s Nadeem Haleem was ready to return to the mat just in time for the playoffs.

But Haleem, a 138-pound senior who finished sixth at state last season, didn’t really know what to expect of himself in his first competition back.

“I didn’t know what I was in for,” Haleem said. “I didn’t know if I was going to be gassed in all my matches or if I would be able to wrestle like I was before the injury.

“I was really nervous at first, but obviously I played well.”

He certainly did. Haleem came back with a vengeance and no hesitation on Saturday, consistently racking up points with aggressive attacks en route to winning the 138-pound championship at the Class 3A Rich Township Regional at Richton Park.

Andrew sophomore Mason Rohe, who finished second at 120, was certainly impressed.

“He did a great job, especially after two months off from wrestling,” Rohe said of Haleem. “He came back strong and he did a great job in his last game.”

This championship match was a wild battle against Shane Stream of Lincoln-Way West, ranked No. 6 in 3A by the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association.

Haleem and Stream exchanged big punches and surges and each lit up the scoreboard. Stream looked like he almost pinned Haleem at one point.

But Haleem pulled away for a 26-16 victory.

“I know him and he jams a lot,” Haleem said of Stream. “I knew I was going to find myself in weird places and positions, so it was just about fighting and being smarter.

“He ended up putting me on my back once, but that wasn’t going to stop me.”

Andrew’s coach, Pete Kowalczuk, saw this as the perfect match for Haleem after returning from leave.

“We knew that Shane Stream is a really dangerous opponent and you have to fight in all positions with him,” Kowalczuk said. “It’s good for ‘Dino’ to feel that pressure again. He’s been struggling in matches like this forever.

“His best asset is his competitive spirit. He has a lot of heart.”

And Haleem’s passion for wrestling has reached a new level after his absence.

“It definitely makes me appreciate it even more,” Haleem said. “It gives me a lot of motivation for these last few weeks.

“I know this is at least my last time in high school, so I might as well go out and prove something. It gives me something to chase.”

Haleem sprained his MCL in early December, but that wasn’t even the first injury of his senior year. During the preseason, he broke his ankle in the same left leg.

“This year was the year I got injured,” he said. “The last time I was out, I did a lot of physical therapy. Even before I started practicing again, I was still working out. I was lifting weights during all of our practices. That really helped me.”

Haleem, who moved up to No. 6 in the IWCOA rankings after Saturday’s title, heads to the Edwardsville Sectional next week for a chance to become a four-time state qualifier.

Kowalczuk hopes all of Haleem’s past experiences overseas, including last season’s journey when he broke through to reach the podium for the first time, will help him.

“I think there’s just a calm under the fire that helps him the most,” Kowalczuk said. “He knows the game is never over until it’s over. He knows how to be calm, cool and collected when it matters most.

“He wants to be a state champion. We’re going to get better over the next couple of weeks and be ready.”