Mixed messages at Round Lake triple-dual
An array of teams competing in Round Lake's triple-dual wrestling meet provided mixed results Saturday.
Forced to forfeit five matches in every dual meet, the host Panthers went 0-3, despite being competitive in a pair of matches. They fell 36-30 loss to Lake Forest (6-8) to open the day and close out with a 39-30 defeat to Mishicot, Wis., (9-3).
Round Lake (8-11) also fell 48-26 to Johnsburg (13-11). The Skyhawks were the only team to post a 3-0 record.
St. Viator (13-7-1) had a strong day, as the Lions opened the day with a 36-34 victory over Lake Forest, before defeating Mishicot 45-27 in round two.
St. Viator fell behind Johnsburg 34-4 after seven bouts in the final round, and the Lions could never recover en route to a 52-25 loss.
Mishicot was the only team to wrestle four times Saturday. The Indians went 2-2 after making the two-hour and 15-minute drive from about 30 minutes south of Green Bay.
Mishicot held off Lake Forest 35-33, after losing to Johnsburg 42-29 in the opening round.
The Panthers are hoping to get two of their recent five weight classes that they are forfeiting back soon. Senior Joey Greenhill (24-2) continued to shine for Round Lake with 3 victories at 182 pounds. Greenhill won the Harvard tournament this year.
"He's the initiator of the offense in his matches," Panthers coach Mike Hruska said. "He's got a lot of talent."
Round Lake's Danny Arteaga (21-6 at 132) and Juan Arteaga (20-7 at 106) also went 3-0 on the day. Sergei Wawrzyniak (138 pounds, 17-11) and 145-pounder Ivan Guerrero (13-10) finished 2-1 for the Panthers, while Dustin Horst won two matches at 113 pounds.
"You re not going to win dual meets with so many forfeits, so we are focusing on individuals," Hruska said. "All we can do is get ready for the end of the year."
Behind 3 wins apiece from 2014 state qualifier Brandon Suchyta (14-3 at 132), 195-pound senior Michael Baxendale (14-5) and 182-pound junior Joe McIntyre (13-6), St. Viator added to its school-record win total with victories No. 12 and 13 on the season.
Trailing Lake Forest 24-17, the Lions received a pin from 160-pounder Arlan Hermanson, a 10-7 decision from 170-pounder Shamon Johnson (14-5), a 10-3 win from McIntyre and a forfeit victory by Baxendale. That gave the Lions the lead for keeps at 36-24, despite a late comeback attempt by Lake Forest.
Suchyta is confident that he can make a return trip to the Class 2A state tournament at the Assembly Hall in Champaign.
"We've been in the room working hard and we already have a school record with 13 wins," said Suchyta, who notched 23 wins as a junior. "I can't get ahead of myself. I have to keep pushing myself hard each day. I think the competition is going to get tough around sectionals, but it's nothing I can't work through."
St. Viator 138-pounder Tim Cullinan went 2-1 to improve his record to 12-7. His 285-pound teammate Tony Valentino (14-5) also won two of his three matches.
"(Suchyta, Baxendale and McIntyre) are trying to bring up their level each day in the wrestling room," St. Viator coach Jason Churak said. "The best part about Joe (McIntyre) is that he is only a junior so we will have him for one more year. Brandon (Suchyta) is just special for a kid who has only three years of wrestling under his belt. That is great because he never wrestled in a youth program ever."
Johnsburg was led by senior Brandon Peshek (25-1 at 138), who appears destined to make a fourth straight trip to the state meet.
Lake Forest was led by 145-pound senior Cory Knudsen (16-2 at 145) and 120-pound junior Gage Griffin (16-2 at 120).