Wrestling: Sectional scouting, Lake County

Posted February 12, 2015 12:00 am

By John Bumbales Daily Herald Correspondent

Scouting sectional wrestling

CLASS 2A Where: Antioch

When: Friday begins at 4:30 p.m., quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday begins at 10 a.m. with semifinals at 11:30 a.m. and first- and third-place matches at 4 p.m. (all times approximate).

Advancement: the top four individuals in each weight class advance to the 98th IHSA state meet Feb. 19-21 at State Farm Center in Champaign.

Area qualifiers: 106 - Joe Arroyo (GN), Justin Mitchell (Wauc), Austin Connelly (GC), Anthony Schaer (Carm);113 - Mike Tortorice (Carm), Jake Gross (Ant), Chase Deatherage (Lakes);120 - Nathan Dlugopolski (Ant), Brodie Palm (Carm), Anthony Sorto (Lakes);126 - Joey Tarnowski (GC), R.J. Vazquez (Ant), Mitchell Klein (GN);132 - Kenny Barber (Carm), Larry Augustine (GC), Brandon Suchyta (StV);138 - Peter Vanderbloomer (VH), Bobby Pryhocki (Carm), Collin Pogue (GC);145 - Patrick Schoenfelder (Ant), Dylan Geick (VH), Anthony Swindell (Carm);152 - Jon Makey (GC), Jake Wright (GN), Stephen Frandsen (Ant);160 - Nathaniel Morris (Carm), Max Hill (Lakes), Austin Cloe (GN);170 - Jared Smith (Lakes), Andrew Smith (VH), Tyler Stankiewicz (Wauc), Shamon Johnson (StV);182 - David Thiel (GC), Connor Wood (VH), Zach Fuller (Lakes);195 - George Bessette (Ant), Cody Sawyer (GN), Joe McIntyre (StV);220 - Alex Girona (Lakes), Richard Novrouzov (GC), Shaun Falbo (StV);285 - James Valentino (StV), Joe Blitstein (VH), Victor Carranza (GN)

Outlook: With perennial power Montini bringing 12 individuals into this sectional, earning one of the top four places for a berth downstate will be even more difficult for Lake County area wrestlers.

The host Sequoits pulled out a 1-point victory over Vernon Hills for the regional crown and they will have regional champs Schoenfelder and Bessette vying for a second trip to the State Farm Center next weekend. Teammate Dlugopolski also placed first at regionals.

Grayslake Central's Makey has been very impressive throughout the season and is gunning for a third straight trip to Champaign with regional champ teammates Tarnowski and Thiel hoping to join him there.

Vernon Hills' Blitstein is also poised to make his bid for a third appearance in the state meet while teammate Vanderbloomer is going for back-to-back berths to the Assembly Hall.

Carmel Catholic's Morris is coming off an injury, but he is looking strong along with fellow regional champion teammates Tortorice and Barber. Lakes' teammates Smith and Girona were both regional champs as was St. Viator's Valentino and Grayslake North's Arroyo. Barber, Swindell, and Palm (2013) all have state-meet experience for the Corsairs.

CLASS 3A Where: Barrington

When: Friday begins at 4:30 p.m., quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday begins at 9 a.m., with semifinals at 10:30 a.m. and first- and third-place matches at 3 p.m. (all times approximate).

Advancement: The top four individuals in each weight class advance to the 98th IHSA state meet Feb. 19-21 at State Farm Center in Champaign.

Area qualifiers: 106 - Alex Mitchell (Lib), Juan Arteaga (RL);113 - Marco Rosales (Mund), Jordan Favella (Grt), Richard Howard (Warr);120 - Alec Riportella (Mund), Gage Datlovsky (Grt), Eric Carter (Stev), Joey Stutzman (LZ);126 - Christian Kanzler (Grt), Dan Schilling (Lib);132 - Nathan Reinsdorf (Stev), Noah Drabek (Grt);138 - Cristian Coronado (Grt), Evan Rodriguez (Stev), Will Johnson (Lib);145 - Corey Weil (Stev), Alex Rodriguez (Grt);152 - Brae Cruz (Mund), Mike Kouvelis (Grt), Tommy Clancy (LZ), Sal Potts (Lib), Nick Moore (RL);160 - Joey Gunther (Lib), Justin Gilich (Grt);170 - Andrew Demos (Warr), Pete Baldaccini (LZ), Alex Dague (Grt);182 - Tyler Harrington (Stev), Rakheem Chapman (Warr), Joey Greenhill (RL);195 - Zach Khoury (Warr), Jordan McInerney (Lib), Zach Horwitz (Stev);220 - Mark Dunsing (Lib), Cesar Obispo (Mund);285 - Nick Grujanac (Stev), Mike Beck (Lib), Jack Resnick (Grt), Ricky Lopez (Mund)

Outlook: Second-ranked Gunther (30-1) is looking great for Libertyville as he closes in on his second sectional title in a row while gearing up for a potential state championship bid the following weekend downstate. Gunther placed sixth in the state as a junior.

Regional champ Kanzler is a proven big-meet commodity for team regional champion Grant, and he has regional champ teammates Kouvelis and Coronado hoping to join him at the 2015 state meet. Kanzler, Kouvelis, and Drabek all reached the state meet for the Bulldogs last season.

Stevenson is led by regional champs Harrington (33-2) and Grujanac. Mundelein has a regional champ in Riportella, and a 2013 Class 2A state qualifier in Cruz to hang its hopes on. Harrington reached the state meet last winter.

Libertyville's Dunsing was also a regional champion last week after winning a 1-0 dogfight over Mundelein's Obispo. Khoury took home the regional crown for Warren with a 6-4 decision over McInerney.

Regional champs Jacobs, Prospect, and Deerfield are expected to bring many state-meet contenders into this always powerful sectional meet.

- John Bumbales

Article Comments

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.