Scouting Tri-Cities area wrestling

By Kevin McGavin

Daily Herald Correspondent

Batavia

Coach: Scott Bayer

Last season: third in the Upstate Eight River; seventh at Class 3A Waubonsie Valley regional.

Projected starters: 106: Josh Fischer, fr.; 113: Dylan Duranski, fr.; 120: Mike Duranski, jr.; 126: Seth Winkle, soph.; 132: Matt Sutherland, fr.; 138: Joe Posledni, soph.; 145: Luke Schulz, sr.; 152: Eric Wallerstein, sr.; 160: open; 170: Derek Nutley, jr.; 182: Jake Birkhaug, sr.; 195: Noah Frazier, sr.; 220: Dylan Uzumecki, jr.; 285: Mitch Krusz, sr.

Outlook: The Bulldogs will look to compete with two-time defending River champion St. Charles East and archrival Geneva behind Mike Duranski and Frazier. "We have some talent on our team," Bayer said. "We are trying to foster a work ethic in terms of toughness. We should be very competitive in the conference." The elder Duranski is the Bulldogs' lone returning state veteran, but Frazier opens the year ranked in the top 10 at 195 pounds. Krusz returns at heavyweight for Batavia after missing last season with a knee injury. Birkhaug and Uzumecki give the Bulldogs additional firepower at the upper weights. Batavia will need rapid growth from its underclass starters this winter. "It should be a very competitive season," Bayer said.

Geneva

Coach: Tom Chernich

Last season: second in the Upstate Eight River; third at the Class 3A South Elgin regional

Projected starters: 106: James Warwick, soph.; 113: Ivan Valchis, fr.; 120: Michael Donnatelli, fr.; 126: Ryan O'Brien, sr.; 132: Colin Parsons, sr.; 138: Jordan Soto, soph.; 145: Mike Huck, sr.; 152: Brock Perry, sr.; 160: Chris Davis, sr.; 170: Mitchell Bradberry, sr.; 182: Alex Crowe, jr.; 195: Austin Chaon, sr.; 220: Zach Ostrowski, jr.; 285: Jacob Keen, soph.

Outlook: The Vikings enter the season with optimism after receiving ranked status among Class 3A schools in various polls. Geneva will stake its hopes on five returning sectional qualifiers: Huck, Perry, Bradberry, Crowe and Chaon. Geneva will need some help from its Upstate Eight River counterparts in its quest to unseat St. Charles East. The Saints defeated the Vikings by 19 points in the schools' season opener last week. "We have toughened up our schedule," Chernich said. "Last year we went 23-4. Our dual-meet schedule is going to be tougher." Bradberry is unquestionably the Vikings' most visible asset as the senior returns for another bid to the state finals in Champaign. Chernich is hopeful to reverse another trend from last season. "We were a better dual-meet team than tournament team," said Chernich. "We should be a better tournament team (this season)."

Kaneland

Coach: Joe Orosco

Last season: third in the Northern Illinois Big XII East; third at the Class 2A Belvidere regional

Projected starters: 106: Austin Kedzie, soph.; 113: open; 120: Adam Mish, sr.; 126: Matt Redmond, soph.; 132: Jacob Shearer, soph.; 138: Luke Eggenberger, soph.; 145: Mitchell Jones, soph.; 152: George Strang, jr.; 160: Riley Vanik, soph.; 170: Colin Gussman, sr.; 182: Austin Parks, sr.; 195: Tom Price; 220: open; 285: Zack Thielk, sr.

Outlook: Orosco takes over a potentially dangerous Kaneland program from Monty Jahns, who retired from coaching last season. The Knights are ranked in the top 12 in Class 2A to start the season. "This year we are still young," Orosco said of the Knights' multiple sophomore starters. But Kaneland has seven possible returning sectional qualifiers. Orosco is hopeful senior Nick Mish will return from an injury to bolster the Knights at 113 pounds, and junior Zach Parker is a notable insurance policy at 182 pounds. Orosco, who comes from the famed Martinez club program, has grand expectations for Thielk. "Kaneland has a rich history of getting heavyweights downstate," Orosco said. "I would like to continue that tradition."

Marmion

Coach: Ryan Cumbee

Last season: Class 3A Waubonsie Valley regional champion; Marist team sectional champion; third in state

Projected starters: 106: Sean McKenna, fr.; 113: Matt Ortiz, fr.; 120: Joe Antonelli, sr.; 126: Jake Cornish, sr.; 132: AJ Jaffe, jr.; 138: Anthony Cheloni, soph.; 145: Michael Callahan, jr.; 152: Matt Ferraro, jr.; 160: Trace Carrello, jr.; 170: Riley DeMoss, jr.; 182: Nathan Traxler, jr.; 195: Pete Capetillo, jr.; 220: Jeremy Daum, jr.; 285: open.

Outlook: Marmion had to bid adieu to four-time state champion Johnny Jimenez (Wisconsin), but the Cadets have stockpiled another impressive group of athletes. Entering the season ranked behind only defending Class 3A state champion Oak Park-River Forest, Marmion returns with all-staters in Carrello, Traxler and Lucas Warren. The latter is the top-ranked 220-pounder in the state, but Cumbee does not expect him back in the lineup until early January. The Cadets' diverse junior class is the heart of the program. "This team is going to be carried by our juniors," Cumbee said. "Expectations are that we can compete with Oak Park for a state championship." Marmion will have to operate without a heavyweight this winter, but Jaffe and Ferraro are also expected to be legitimate contenders at the state level.

St. Charles East

Coach: Jason Potter

Last season: Upstate Eight River champion; second at the Class 3A South Elgin regional

Projected starters: 106: Adam Carlson, fr.; 113: Lucson Schneider, soph.; 120: Anthony Rubino, jr.; 126: Niko Derain, fr.; 132: DJ McDermott, jr.; 138: 145: Blake Fialka, sr.; 152: Jeff Sommer, jr.; 160: Keone Derain, sr.; 170: Cody Glidewell, jr.; 182: Nick Karamitsos, sr.; 195: Rey David Cuautle, sr.; 220: Will Leite, sr.; 285: Cody Plumb, sr.

Outlook: The Saints are seeking a third straight undefeated ledger in the River. St. Charles East is off to a fast start after crowning four champions - Rubino, Fialka, Keone Derain and Leite - at Conant over Thanksgiving. "I expect us to get better every week," Potter said. "Right now it's a little raw at the beginning. We have kids who want to work hard and get better. It's contagious, and it's going around." The elder Derain is the Saints' one returning state qualifier. "I want to get on the (state) podium this year," Keone said. "That has been the goal for the last three years." In a remarkable development, Fialka dropped four weight classes after being a sectional qualifier at 182 pounds last season. Leite also lost weight to drop down a class, where he is undefeated thus far.

St. Charles North

Coach: Ben Hummel

Last season: sixth in the Upstate Eight River; ninth at the Class 3A South Elgin regional

Projected starters: 106: Kolbe O'Brien, soph.; 113: Bruno Zuniga, fr.; 120: Dominic Testa, soph.; 126: Chris Ting, sr.; 132: Conrad Noverini, sr.; 138: Steve Collins, sr.; 145: Alex Quintanilla, soph.; 152: Quentin Clehouse, sr.; 160: Chad Reynolds, soph.; 170: Ethan Fredericks, sr.; 182: open; 195: Stewart Vasquez, jr.; 220: open; 285: open.

Outlook: A lack of numbers in the practice room is still the central concern at St. Charles North. The North Stars will have an immeasurably difficult task being competitive in filling only 11 of the 14 weight classes. "Team-wise, it's still going to be a struggle," Hummel said. The North Stars will once again look for individual accomplishments this winter. "Individually, I think we have some guys who can do well," Hummel said. "I'm looking for some big things from Conrad Noverini. Steve Collins has worked his butt off." O'Brien is the defending Upstate Eight Conference champion at 106 pounds and the North Stars' best bet for a lengthy state run.

West Aurora

Coach: Charlie Curran

Last season: eighth in the DuPage Valley Conference; sixth at the Class 3A Waubonsie Valley regional

Projected starters: 106: Xavier Vijarro, fr.; 113: Isaac Jacquez, soph.; 120: Carlos 'Chachi' Jacquez, sr.; 126: Cody Hett, sr.; 132: Cory Bunnetto, jr.; 138: Ricky Torres, jr.; 145: Erik Olson, jr.; 152: Alex Gonzalez, sr.; 160: Rashan Ford, sr.; 170: Joe Griffin, jr.; 182: open; 195: Taylor Zimmerman, soph.; 220: Steven Norman, sr.; 285: Karl Fowler, sr.
Outlook: West Aurora returns to the Upstate Eight Conference looking to reverse a disastrous conclusion to its final days in the DuPage Valley. Carlos Vasquez was considered a sure-fire all-state candidate until a broken hand ended his season leading up to the Waubonsie Valley regional. Isaac Vasquez ended up being the Blackhawks' lone state qualifier. The siblings' new start could not have been scripted any better after their dominant wins at Antioch over the holiday weekend. The younger Jacquez enters the year ranked second at 113 pounds; Carlos Jacquez is rated at No. 7. Curran takes over the longtime power from Mike DiNovo. "We have started out pretty strong," Curran said of West Aurora finishing third at Antioch. "Some of the kids who are stepping up to varsity for the first time are showing some strengths."