Jacobs flexes muscles at mega quad
When he was a freshman, Cody Ferencz endured a 7-win season - with the prospects of ever reaching double-digit victories in his career at Jacobs looking dim.
After sweeping all three duals Saturday at Glenbard West, Ferencz and his teammates have propelled the Golden Eagles' overall record to a dazzling 7-0 - and the prospects are looking up for even bigger and better things.
The Eagles had far too much firepower for Bartlett, Joliet West and the host and were the best of the five clubs competing at the annual Hilltopper Mega Quad in Glen Ellyn, setting up an important Fox Valley Conference dual meet Thursday at McHenry.
The Hilltoppers went 2-2, while Joilet West ended 2-1. Hersey, with heavyweight and 2014 state qualifier Tyler Cooke sidelined by the flu, finished 1-2. A shorthanded Bartlett was 0-3.
"We've got a great coaching staff, but it's not about the coaches themselves, it's more about the talent we finally have here and how we've all kind of grown after being together since coming to Jacobs - and I really believe that's the reason we've turned things around and why we should have a very good chance of winning it all in the FVC this season," said Ferencz, who went 3-0 Saturday.
"Guys like Cody, who are real leaders in the room, have been the difference in my opinion," said Jacobs coach Gary Conrad. "When I got here three years ago, there were quite a few guys who carried bad attitudes and it was important for me and the coaching staff to filter them out of the program and start fresh.
"It's one thing to have big numbers in your program. It's another to have good numbers, but having real dedicated guys who are all on the same page and who have bought into the system and what it means to be a part of a team. We have all of that right now - PLUS now we're having a lot of success thus far, and that's all part of it."
Pin-frenzied Jacobs blasted Bartlett 66-4 in its opener, then showed terrific balance against Glenbard West to defeat the Hilltoppers 42-20 before holding off Joilet West 35-27 and insuring a happy bus ride home.
Veteran Chris Dranka (132) helped lead the charge at the lower weights alongside Ferencz at 120. Michael Ricks, who was fifth at the Thanksgiving Hruska Classic at 170, and Michael Bujacz (182 and second at the Hruska), helped give the Golden Eagles plenty of punch at the top of their lineup.
"Jacobs has a real nice team and one that has plenty of experience up and down its lineup, and hopefully, when a lot of our young guys get another year under their belt, we'll be in the same spot as them in a year or two," said Hilltoppers coach Nick Posegay, who saw a handful of sectional qualifiers graduate from a year ago in addition to 2014 state medalist Pernevlon Sheppard, now wrestling at UW-Whitewater.
"We did lose a lot of quality athletes and young men, plus right now we're without four other starters, some with injuries and others still working their way back from football. But we should be okay once a lot of our inexperienced guys learn to deal with the mental and physical grind of competing at this level.
Sophomore Charles Faber, who advanced to the Leyden sectional in February, had a solid day, going 3-1, But his last bout against Joilet West junior Darvell Flagg ended on a sour note.
"Flagg is a big and strong (six) pounder and Charles learned a thing or two from that match - and that's okay at this time of the year," said Posegay.
Senior Alex Morreale, who went downstate at 160 pounds last season, was 3-0 before retiring for the day in the Hilltoppers' loss in its finale against Joliet West.
Joliet West crushed Hersey 49-10 in its opener. Several big men from the Hilltoppers' high-profile football team did the damage to break open a close match.
"We wanted to have a better showing against them, but we're a little young (three freshmen, three seniors) and we were without three starters today," said Hersey coach Jeff Kramarczyk, who wrestled for Glenbard West.
The Huskies' new coach praised the duo of Mitch MacTavish and Grant Warner for the leadership they have exhibited this season.
"With so many young guys on our roster, it's important to have Mitch and Grant leading by example, in and out of the room - all the while doing so well on an individual level as well," Kramarczyk said.
MacTavish, a two-time sectional qualifier, likes what he's seen from the Huskies (6-4-0).
"It's a group that works hard and wrestles hard for six minutes, and when you do that good things will happen eventually," said MacTavish, who posted 26 wins last season. "I really feel the second half of the year is when you'll see some good stuff from this team."
Warner was a sectional qualifier who recorded 24 victories and won a regional crown.
John O'Brien's club from Bartlett suffered a power shortage at the upper weights, giving away 18 points to forfeits and putting the young Hawks at a major disadvantage against three opponents with near full lineups.
"It's a little tough when you've lost (10) starters from a year ago and have just a few guys back with any type of varsity experience in your lineup," O'Brien said. "But we'll get through these rough times, because the guys come into the room ready to work hard each day and at this point, that's very important."