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Glenbard North runs regional streak to 15

A week ago, Glenbard North's wrestling team captured its 17th consecutive DuPage Valley Conference championship.

On Saturday, the Panthers kept another lengthy streak alive.

Led by 10 individual champions, the Panthers earned their 15th straight regional team title at the West Chicago Class 3A tournament.

“It never gets old,” said Panthers coach Mark Hahn, who has guided the team to 10 top-3 state dual team finishes since 2001. “It's very exciting.”

Yet it is still a part of the process for Hahn's Panthers, whose 290 points were 132.3 points more than second-place St. Charles East (158.5).

“It's just a vehicle to get to next week (sectional) and next week is just a vehicle to get downstate,” said Hahn.

The Panthers began with a purpose as Kirk Johansen, Austin Gomez and Patrick Augustyn all won their title matches by fall at 106, 113 and 120 pounds, respectively.

Johansen, who hasn't lost to an Illinois foe all season, ran his record to 38-1 with a second-period pin (2:51) of St. Charles North sophomore Kolbe O'Brien (28-7).

Gomez remained unbeaten at 39-0 with a second-period pin of West Chicago's Manny Garcia (14-8) while Augustyn (37-4) claimed his third straight regional crown with a first-period pin (: 38) of St. Charles East freshman Niko Derain (23-13).

St. Charles East junior Anthony Rubino (38-4) ended the Panthers' individual streak with a hard-fought, 8-5 double-overtime triumph over Glenbard North junior Mike Milan (32-7).

“In double overtime, you're bound to be tired,” said Rubino, who will be making his third straight sectional appearance next weekend. “After practice, I run sprints so I knew I could stay with him.”

Rubino understood the significance of his first regional title.

“It's nice knowing I can go to sectionals with a first-round bye,” he said.

“It was a great win,” said Saints coach Jason Potter. “It's always even better when it's against Glenbard North. We knew that was going to be a tough one.”

The decision to keep Rubino at 126 paid dividends.

“We've been kicking around 20 or 26 all year,” said Potter, “but we feel he wrestles better at 26 than when he cuts down.”

After Glenbard North's Phil Partipilo earned a 5-1 title decision over Geneva's Colin Parsons at 132, the Panthers received a big lift from freshman Anthony Marre, who defeated South Elgin's Josh Menendez by the same score in the 138-pound title match.

“The hard work paid off but I've got to keep working for sectionals and state,” said Marre, who raised his record to 21-11.

Having the support of his teammates served as an emotional boost for the first-time regional participant.

“It was a lot of help,” said Marre. “We're real close. I got some good advice this week.”

Tom Czernek (160), Colton Wegner (182), Luke Greenberg (195), Dillon Warnicke (220) and Kyle Neal (285) also claimed titles for the Panthers — with the latter coming in a 3-2 double-overtime decision over South Elgin's Matt Cravins.

With Eric Gatti's 9-1 third-place decision over South Elgin's Grant Saldivar at 152, the Panthers qualified all 14 individuals to next weekend's sectional in their home gym.

“That's the nice part,” said Hahn. “That was our goal — to get all 14 guys through.”

Geneva senior Mike Huck survived a thrilling 5-4 title win over Glenbard North's Brandon Fierro at 145.

“This is real big,” said Huck, now 31-7. “I got him in that front headlock and I was just holding on for dear life to get the victory. I got second last year in regionals so I wanted to redeem myself.”

Geneva's Brock Perry (2nd at 152), Austin Chaon (2nd at 195) and freshmen Ivan Velchis (3rd at 113) and Michael Donatelli (3rd at 120) joined Huck and Parsons as sectional qualifiers.

St. Charles East seniors Keone Derain and Ramon Lopez stood atop the victory stand at 152 and 170, respectively.

Derain (32-3) pocketed his third straight regional title with a 14-1 major decision over Perry while Lopez (23-2) captured his second consecutive regional crown with a tough 3-2 win over Glenbard North's Jimique Davis.

“I would anticipate seeing those same two kids next week (at sectionals),” said Potter, whose team qualified 9 guys from the regional, including Will Leite (2nd at 220), Niko Derain and third-place finishers Joe Ruffino (106), D.J. McDermott (132), Blake Fialka (145) and Ray David Cuautle (195).

Ruffino (16-5), who lost to South Elgin's Izzy Villarreal a year ago as a freshman, punched his sectional ticket with a first-period fall (1:38).

“It feels great,” said Ruffino. “He pinned me last year. I've been working on that move for a while and I knew I had him in a good spot.”

“He has a knack for keeping the motor going,” Potter said of Ruffino. “Every match he gets next week, he's going to be better for the year after.”

Other sectional qualifiers included St. Charles North's Steve Collins (3rd at 138) and Chad Reynolds (3rd at 160); West Chicago's Trey Lally (3rd at 160) and John Garcia (3rd at 220); South Elgin's Zack Crosby (2nd at 182); Larkin's Hugo Barraza (3rd at 126) and Aaron Marshall (3rd at 285); Elgin's Matt Gedritis (3rd at 182); and Bartlett's Alex Montbriand (3rd at 170).

Montbriand, who survived a 5-3 overtime decision in the consolation semifinals, defeated West Chicago's Michael Otzwirk 11-6 in the third-place match.

“It means the world to me being the only kid on my team making it to sectionals,” said Montbriand. “It's definitely a lot of fun.”

  Geneva's Colin Parsons, left, beat St. Charles East's D.J. McDermott at 132 pounds Saturday at the West Chicago regional. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  South Elgin's Spencer Feerer, top, defeats Larkin's Roosevelt Hopkins, in the West Chicago wrestling regional. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  South Elgin's Zack Crosby, left, defeats West Chicago's Ricardo Ramirez in the 182 Lb. class, at the West Chicago wrestling regional. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
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