The year of the heavyweights
It is a winter to remember when it comes to heavyweights on the area wrestling scene.
Glenbard West senior Darien Kaufmann should move up in the rankings after defeating York's T.J. Helton in the Hilltoppers' dual-meet win over the Dukes last week.
Kaufmann was the fifth-rated heavyweight when he met the Dukes' standout.
Downers South junior Zach Muller is ranked No. 6 among the heaviest athletes.
Waubonsie Valley senior Tyler Caldwell made his season debut last week against Glenbard North and captured his season opener 1-0.
Like second-ranked Waubonsie Valley's Max Ihry at 195 pounds, Caldwell had his season delayed by the Warriors' extended football playoff run.
Addison Trail senior Karim Fuentes is the sixth area heavyweight ranked in the top 10 on illinoismatmen.com.
“They all have different attributes,” Willowbrook coach Brandon Murphy said of the gifted heavyweight class this year. “We get to see some of the best heavyweights in the state (in the West Suburban Conference).”
“They have been wrestling each other since they were kids,” said Waubonsie Valley coach Brad Caldwell, whose boy Tyler is a returning state qualifier. “They know each other so well. They're all friends.”
“We certainly have some things to work on,” Addison Trail coach Rob Serio said of Fuentes. “Any time you wrestle such good competition, it's going to benefit him. I wouldn't doubt they are all ranked in the top 10.”
Then there is Matt Allen of Hinsdale Central.
“God bless the Allen family,” Hinsdale Central coach Jason Hayes said. “It has been an awesome family to coach.”
The Red Devils' Matt Allen is ranked No. 1 in the state among Class 3A 285-pounders.
His older brothers Jack and Brian both won state championships at the weight class since 2011.
The youngest Allen, like his two older siblings, is headed to Michigan State on a football scholarship.
Matt Allen is the reigning state runner-up at the weight class.
Helton is slotted No. 4 in the state rankings.
The Hilltoppers' Kaufmann faced Allen and Helton on back-to-back nights last week.
“(Kaufmann) was jacked up about it all week,” Glenbard West coach Nick Posegay said.
“(Kaufmann) is one of the dark horses in my book,” Hayes said.
Allen defeated the Hilltoppers' star to remain unbeaten on the season at 14-0 in a tactical match at 4-2.
“Darien couldn't get any takedowns,” Posegay said.
Hinsdale South senior Josh King won the Class 3A championship at 220 pounds last year.
One of the top-ranked football players in the state, the Michigan State-bound senior will wrestle heavyweight this winter after the Hornets were reclassified to Class 2A this season.
“We had a significant drop in enrollment,” Hinsdale South coach Kevin Formanski said.
King has yet to set to see the mat this winter for the Hornets.
“He is banged up from football,” Formanski said of the Hornets' semifinal appearance in the playoffs.
The area heavyweights are bound to encounter each other this season.
“They have all been in big matches,” Hayes said. “(Matt Allen) knows what he has to do to get to the state final.”
Racking up the wins:
Willowbrook has two wrestlers returning this season who are defending state runners-up.
Matt Rowland and Jack Jesson are a combined 44-0 this season at 170 and 182 pounds, respectively.
“No one has come close to Rowland,” Murphy said of his North Carolina-bound star. “He has either pinned or (won by technical fall, a match 15 points greater in score) every person. He has 16 pins. No one has gone the distance with him.”
Jesson was one of the top-ranked freshmen in the nation last year.
Like Rowland, Jesson is undefeated on the season after 22 matches.
“We have a top-loaded schedule,” Murphy said of the Warriors' unusual number of matches so early in the season. “We had 10 (dual) matches (at Vernon Hills) in two days.”
Roaring:
The Wheaton Warrenville South wrestling team has won 12 of its first 15 dual matches this season.
Andrew Leonard and Parker Kerth are the Tigers' leaders at 195 and 132 pounds after leading the team to fifth place at the Downers Grove South bracketed dual-meet tournament last weekend.
“We want them to continue what they're doing,” WW South coach Matt Janosek said. “Obviously, (the state meet) is everyone's goal. Every match you have to be ready to go.”
Janosek has also been pleased with Marcello Macellaio and Garret Hopkins at 152 and 182 pounds for the Tigers.
The place to be:
Hinsdale Central will be the epicenter of one the top tournaments in the state during the holidays this weekend.
“There will be 70 ranked wrestlers in the state at Rex Whitlatch,” Hinsdale Central coach Hayes said. “There are 10 ranked in the nation (in the field).”
Multiple state-defending champions Oak Park-River Forest and Montini headline the field.
Montini heads to Hinsdale Central after finishing fourth at the Ironman in suburban Cleveland last weekend.
The Broncos' Real Woods and Dylan Duncan captured individual titles at Ironman at 113 and 132 pounds.
The two Wheaton residents and defending Class 2A champions are ranked No. 1 in their weight classes as the Broncos compete at Class 3A this season for the first time.