Two months after injury, Andrew’s Nadeem Haleem returns to win regional title. Next goal? ‘Be a state champ.’

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

But Haleem, a senior 138-pounder who finished sixth in the state last season, was not really sure what to expect from 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’d be able to wrestle how I was before the injury.

“I was really nervous going into it, but obviously, I performed well.”

He sure did. Haleem returned with a vengeance and no hesitation Saturday, consistently piling up points with aggressive attacking on his way to winning the 138-pound championship at the Class 3A Rich Township Regional in Richton Park.

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

“He did a great job, especially after being two months off from wrestling,” Rohe said of Haleem. “He came back hard and he did a great job in his final match.”

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

Haleem and Stream traded big blows and momentum surges and each lit up the scoreboard. Stream appeared to nearly have Haleem pinned at one point.

But Haleem pulled away for a 26-16 win.

“I know him and he scrambles a lot,” Haleem said of Stream. “I knew I was going to get put in weird spots and weird positions, so it was just about fighting through it and being smarter.

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

Andrew coach Pete Kowalczuk saw it as the perfect match for Haleem to be in after returning from time off.

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

“His best attribute is his competitive drive. He’s got a lot of heart.”

And Haleem’s passion for wrestling has been taken up another notch after being out.

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

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

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

“This year has been my year to get injured,” he said. “When I was out this last time, I did a lot of physical therapy. Even before I started practicing again, I was still working out. I was lifting during all our practices. That definitely helped.”

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

Kowalczuk expects all Haleem’s past experiences at state, including last season’s journey when he broke through to reach the podium for the first time, to help him.

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

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