Two Marmion wrestlers win state titles
CHAMPAIGN - Marmion had never even produced a state qualifier in wrestling until brothers Pat and Eddie Greco broke the glass ceiling in 2009.
The Cadets have never looked back at the state level.
For the sixth consecutive year Saturday night at the University of Illinois' State Farm Center, Marmion had one of its athletes ascend to the apex of the podium.
More than one, actually.
Anthony Cheloni fell short in the first of three Marmion attempts to capture titles, but Riley DeMoss and Nathan Traxler won back-to-back state championships for the Cadets at 170 and 182 pounds.
Nine different Marmion wrestlers have accounted for 14 individual state titles since 2010.
"I knew he wasn't going to take me down," DeMoss said of his encounter with Willowbrook freshman sensation Jack Jessen at 170 pounds. "I had to keep moving for the center. I was trying to get to my offense."
DeMoss' third-period takedown was the difference in his 5-4 victory over Jessen, the No. 1-ranked ninth-grader in the nation at the weight class.
Traxler was up next, and the fellow junior had a tall task against undefeated Rockton Hononegah senior Tyler Demoss.
But the Cadets' standout had two difference-making takedowns in the third period to cement the 7-4 victory.
"If I could get one more takedown, I could get extra time on top," Traxler said. "A lot of guys try to stall it out (to get to overtime). (The final takedown) was fantastic."
Cheloni dropped a 5-4 heartbreaker to Lockport junior Shayne Oster at 138 pounds.
"I went out there and tried to get as many points back as I could," Cheloni said of surrendering two first-period takedowns.
Cheloni tied the match with a third-period reversal but voluntarily released Oster.
It proved to be the difference in the match.
"Either way, I still needed a takedown to win the match," Cheloni said.
The Cadets' AJ Jaffe and Trace Carello won third-place matches at 132 and 160 pounds to give Marmion all-state distinctions for five of its six qualifiers.
"I cannot even tell you how proud I am of them," Marmion coach Ryan Cumbee said. "The best part of it all: not a single one is graduating."
West Aurora also had all-state performances from all three of its state qualifiers, and Chachi Jacquez made program history in the process.
The senior 120-pounder won two more consolation matches, including a 12-2 triumph in the fifth-place match, to establish a new school record with 51 victories.
"I had high hopes, but anything happens in Champaign," Jacquez said. "Coming back from a loss, you have to keep your head up."
Younger brother Isaac Jacquez had the same finish one class lighter at 113 pounds.
The sophomore finished the season with 48 wins against four defeats.
Alex Gonzalez was not able to finish due to an injury, but the Blackhawks' 152-pounder was good enough for sixth place.
St. Charles East junior Anthony Rubino had a nice taste of redemption.
Two days after suffering a first-round pin against Dylan Elmore, the Saints' 126-pounder had a takedown in overtime to earn fifth place over the Harlem junior.
"At state you have to try and do stuff," Rubino said. "For me, it worked out (in overtime). I wasn't as nervous (as our first-round matchup), knowing what he was going to do."
Kaneland 182-pounder Austin Parks was the lone area Class 2A performer to earn all-state with his fifth-place defeat.