Vogeney, Andress setting the example downstate
CHAMPAIGN - Medal contenders Bobby Alexander, Tulga Zuunbayan, Julius Smith and Hazen Rice were among the Mid-Suburban League competitors to sail through the first day of the wrestling state tournament on Thursday inside State Farm Arena on the University of Illinois campus.
In addition to the aforementioned medal hopefuls, emphatic victories from Maine West's Joey Vogeney and Conant's Dan Andress signaled the beginning of what could be a memorable weekend for both.
Vogeney punished Tyrone Johnson (Thornton Fractional South, 26-10) during his 6-0 shutout of the senior to validate the No. 3 seed at 182 pounds he'd received following a sparkling sectional effort last weekend.
Andress continued his climb from a 15-win season three years ago to 37 so far this year. The Cougars senior and captain outworked Chris Prosser (22-9) of Edwardsville 5-2.
"Do you know who has been the biggest influence for me beside coach (Chad) Hay?" asked Conant standout Bobby Alexander, the top seed at 138 pounds. "It's been Andress. His improvement from being a back-up on the varsity as a freshman to today is unbelievable, and there isn't anybody that works as hard as he does. He's been an inspiration for me, as well as our team."
Andress, an MSL and regional champ, was a modest 15-18 three years ago at 170 pounds before turning things around last season with 34 wins. But last year ended quickly, as Andress dropped his state-qualifying match to Ramon Lopez of St. Charles East.
"That loss stung me bad at the time, but it wasn't all-consuming," Andress said. "In fact, it provided the motivation needed to get better.
"The biggest difference for me in my career is that I've bought into what coach Hay and his staff preach, and that has helped me in so many ways, including weight management, tactics, technique and the mental side of the sport - things which used to drag me down."
Andress has his sites on attending Northern Iowa University to wrestle next fall, but he's put his collegiate search on hold until his final season is over. That will take at least a few more days, as Conant has earned a second-straight dual-team sectional appearance.
"Dan is a true student of our sport," said Hay. "He has one of the best minds, and he listens and takes coaching advice and guidance like no other. All of us wish we had 100 just like him."
The rise of Vogeney at 182 pounds has been steady, and it began when coach Lance Weber penciled his name into the starting lineup in Vogeney's his sophomore year.
"Joey just works and works, he never stops," said Weber. "He never takes anything for granted, and he'll put the extra time in whenever we ask him to do so, or whenever he feels there's extra work to do. He is a tremendous role model for our team and program."
Following a breakout junior season when he was fell just 1 victory short of bringing home a medal in a 42-8 season, Vogeney's only defeat this year came against Stevenson standout Tyler Harrington (36-3). Those two will meet again for a third time this season on Friday, each having won once.
"Any loss is a bad loss, but you just have to bounce back and go forward after it," said Vogeney.
Vogeney is also taking aim at the Maine West record book, and leaders such as two-time state medalist Bill Kopecky.
Vogeney's staggering 35 pins this season (he has 75 in his career) ties him with Kopecky, who is 10th all-time IHSA list. And Vogeney's 44 victories draw him closer to the 52 Kopecky recorded during the 1997-98 campaign.
Vogeney, who will attend the Naval Academy next fall and play football, sits 10th all-time with 121 victories.
Rice (39-4), a junior from Schaumburg, surged ahead early on his way to a 12-0 major decision over Joseph Egan from Mt. Carmel. Rice next faces the No. 2 seed here, Ian Mullen (38-3) of McHenry.
The Prospect duo of Alex Preissing and Matt Wroblewski opened up with decisive wins. Preissing (38-6) used an all-out attack in a 13-2 major against Vinnie Piunti (Lincoln-Way Central, 33-10), while his teammate Wroblewski (34-3) got himself a hard-fought 8-4 victory over Oak Park-River Forest senior Max Metzger (31-13).
Next up for Wroblewski, a sophomore, will be Riley DeMoss (Marmion Academy, 36-5). Preissing will face one of the best in the state, Jake Silzer (39-3) of St. Rita.
Zuunbayan (38-1) made a big splash in his opening bout with Dalton Lawler (Rock Island, 30-15). The Wheeling junior will need to dig deeper than ever for a matchup with Matt Rowland (45-2) of Willowbrook, who defeated Juwan Edmond (Hinsdale Central, 37-3) in a battle of top talent in the 152-pound division.
"Right now my confidence is very high, as is my mental approach to the competition, so I feel I am ready for tomorrow's quarterfinals," said Zuunbayan.
Alexander (40-0) conceded little in his 5-2 victory over Tyree Johnson (Downers Grove South, 31-7) a match that was not as close as the final score suggests, to set up a quarterfinal with Clayton Ledbetter (35-11) of Plainfield Central.
Barrington's Smith (36-5) started quickly and kept the pedal down all the way through against Maroc Orlandi (Notre Dame, 17-6). Smith prevailed 9-3.
"We've been after him during his four years with us to stay on the attack and keep it coming," said Barrington assistant coach Ken Hoving, "because when he wrestlers like he did today, there are few who can hang with him."
Next up for Smith will be Matthew Striegel (47-2) of Belleville, who advanced with a 6-3 OT win in his opening match.
The rest of Friday's schedule goes like this: first-round wrestlebacks to follow immediately after the round of quarterfinal bouts, setting up the 7 p.m. semifinals for all three classes to decide who will compete in the championship matches after the Grand March at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.