It’s advantage Libertyville in win at Mundelein
This is one North Suburban Conference wrestling meet host Mundelein hoped would be much different heading into the season.
But losing 18 points due to three forfeits, the Mustangs did not stand much of a chance Friday night as Libertyville pulled away in the second half of the dual meet for a 43-20 NSC Lake Division victory.
Starting at 113, Mundelein built a quick 6-0 lead on a pin by Matt Hutchinson.
Libertyville (9-2, 4-0) responded with 120-pounder Kyle May’s 9-4 decision over Gilbert Ceniceros before Libertyville 126-pound senior Pat Fitzgerald (20-6) recorded a technical fall in 3:24 to give the Wildcats an 8-6 advantage early on.
“I think this is the best I’ve ever wrestled, and I’m more aggressive than last year,” said Fitzgerald, who reached the state meet as a sophomore. “I push the pace a lot more this year and I’ve changed my style a lot since last year.”
Libertyville’s Charlie Meyer won a 4-0 decision over Dan Winberg at 132 before undefeated 138-pound senior Matt Ornoff (22-0) got a technical fall to deadlock the score at 11-11.
Ornoff’s victory adds to his school record with 135 career wins against only 21 losses. The previous record was 123 wins set in 2004.
Mundelein coach Tom Buenik knew the odds were stacked against his squad heading into Friday’s meet.
“We knew we would stack up well with them at the lower weights, but we were starting in a hole because of the forfeits,” said Buenik, whose team is 1-3 in the Lake Division. “Ornoff is doing well — he’s wrestling his style, and he wrestled at 138 for the second time this season.”
Junior Austin Pettinato recorded a pin in exactly one minute at 145 to give the Wildcats the lead for keeps at 17-11.
Mundelein’s Jake Long got a last-second takedown for a 4-2 decision over sophomore Kayne MacCallum at 152 to cut the gap to 17-14, but that is as close as the Mustangs would get the rest of the way.
An 8-0 major decision at 160 by Libertyville’s Sal Ayala boosted the lead to 21-14 before Mundelein made one final stand.
Javier Dominguez posted a 9-2 decision for the Mustangs over Austin Koziol at 170 to make the score 21-17.
But then forfeit victories by Connor O’Donnell at 182 and Kevin Barbian at 195 gave the Wildcats a commanding 33-17 lead with three bouts left.
Tim Grote added a 13-2 major decision for Libertyville at 220 before 285-pound teammate Chris McDermand’s forfeit win made the score 43-17.
Mundelein 106-pounder Ray Ceniceros edged Noah Strong 5-3 with a late takedown to account for the final score.
“They were behind the eight ball with the three forfeits, but other than that it was a good meet,” said Libertyville coach Dale Eggert, whose team will face No. 1-ranked Oak Park in a triple-dual meet Saturday. “Pettinato locked up a good move and got him (Connor O’Shaughnessy) on the first takedown.”