Scouting Mid-Suburban and East Suburban Catholic wrestling
Wrestling / Conference meet scouting
Mid-Suburban LeagueWhere: Palatine
When: 5 p.m. Friday; 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday
2015 champion: Conant
Big picture:
No other weight class in the state has a profile quite like 182 pounds, where the trio of Nathan Traxler (Marmion Academy), Jessen (Willowbrook) and Patrick Brucki (Sandburg) lead the way. This top three in the state also are recognized nationally as the seventh-, 11th- and 18th-ranked 182-pounders in the nation.
Schaumburg senior Tony Vezzetti has plenty of respect for this brilliant bunch, but his statement of "we all breathe the same air" is meant as no disrespect to his counterparts. Instead it's a declaration that both he and MSL rival Matt Wroblewski (Prospect, 32-0) are right there in the conversation of the Who's Who in that weight class.
"Those three have to be the favorites when everyone gets downstate, but Matt is a great wrestler and returning state medalist (as a sophomore), and he and I have to be confident that we can all be on the medal stand in Champaign next month," said the Saxons' three-year veteran, who is currently ranked just behind Wroblewski in this week's IllinoisMatmen.com state poll at No. 5.
Vezzetti and Wroblewski are set to meet for the second time this year in the MSL finals this weekend, should all go according to plan. But there's likely more to come with their two clubs competing in the Lake Park regional, then the Conant sectional the week after, making a potential rematch of the top two at this weight almost a certainty.
"Matt and I have gotten to know each other so well from freestyle at the Gomez camp during the off-season," said Vezzetti, "and it showed in our first match when it was just a chess match between us that he eventually won 1-0."
After a quiet opening period, the two were involved in plenty of scrambles in the second period. When a nicely played cross knee pick from Vezzetti, which led him to go to Wroblewski's hip, failed to result in a score when the official ruled them out of bounds, the chances never came for the Saxons captain to find the scoresheet.
"My lefty stance gives Matt some trouble, but he is so tough because he's so aware of everything out there, so when you have a chance to score, you have to take advantage when it's there," Vezzetti said.
"I believe Tony's current success and lofty status in the state polls can be linked to his tremendous growth, both in his physical and emotional maturity," said Schaumburg coach Mike Levanti. "I knew when I first met him in 2012 at the Greco State tournament that he was extremely talented - you could see he had an incredible will to win, and a certain stubborness that I believe all good wrestlers possess."
"I think that stubborn nature may have slowed his development, but in time, he has learned how to open himself to different perspectives without dampening that indomitable spirit."
Vezzetti confirms that he's grown plenty over the years.
"Oh yeah, coach and I would butt heads at times, and have lots of talks along the way, but he's a great coach and one who has only my best interest at heart," said Vezzetti. "And he's the reason for my success, especially this year."
A devastating loss in his state-qualifying bout last year with Micah Volle (Wheaton North) fueled a furious off-season for Vezzetti, which included lifting to begin his day, football camp, work, then the same routine all over again until he finished his fourth and final season of football, leading into what he hopes will be his best ever finish on the mats.
Vezzetti, who plans on entering the National Guard following graduation, enters this weekend with a dazzling 25-3 record, and along with senior teammate Logan Gruszka (170, 30-1) they form a deadly upper weight combination. Hazen Rice (113, 30-2) is on the other end to give the Saxons the type of triple-threat which can alter the final outcome in team chase.
The lowdown:
Both division champs, Conant and Prospect, have been anointed favorites by the coaches of the MSL. Knights coach Tom Whalen figures the two-time reigning champs have the edge.
"Conant is still the team to beat," said Whalen. "The other side of the division has won the tournament for quite awhile, and until one of us knocks them off, I don't think of us as in the conversation."
However, truth be told, the Knights are a topic of conversation from all around the league as well.
"Prospect is solid all throughout its lineup, and a lot of their guys who are back this season were on the team that went downstate last year," said Conant coach Chad Hay. "They will be tough, but Schaumburg, Wheeling, Barrington and Fremd all have the potential to push for a top spot, so we just need to compete like we have all year in a tournament setting."
The Cougars showed their mettle a few weeks ago at the Leyden Invite, coming way back in the afternoon session to overcome NSC power Stevenson to capture a fifth straight championship trophy. At that tournament, Hay's team was nearly perfect in the consolation bracket - the true test of a strong tournament team, and while they have the state ranked stars, a murderers row of Danny Madonia (132, 25-1), Kyle Preiser (138, 28-1) and Nick Catalano (145, 27-2) to challenge for gold medals, the rest of the lineup is well equipped to put plenty of points on scoreboard all throughout the brackets.
"I think as we go into Friday, Conant has to be the favorite, but I truly believe it's one of the deepest tournaments in recent memory with 7-8 schools with honorable mention or better rankings, so it should be a good one right up until the end," said Levanti.
Weight-watching:
Both No. 4-ranked Rice and No. 3-ranked Gruszka look to be in a class by themselves along with Hersey senior Mitch MacTavish (33-3), whose breakout year and current No. 8 state ranking makes him the clear choice at 120 pounds. Same goes for No. 3 Alex Jacobs (Fremd, 220, 27-2) whose only defeat is to No. 1 Eric Johnson of Plainfield South, with an injury default at the Dvorak the only other blemish on his record.
The potential for a handful of terrific finals should be noted, with headliner acts at 160 as No. 6 Max Guhde (Barrington, 31-4) vs. No. 7 Bobby Jarosz (Prospect, 21-7) is real possibility. At heavyweight, No. 11 Zach Nemec (Fremd, 24-4) and senior Maciej Pogorzelski (Rolling Meadows, 31-4) are the headliners in an always unpredictable division.
Perhaps the deepest weight of them all is at 152 pounds, where no less than six individuals have the opportunity to make a serious claim for the top spot: Tulga Zuunbayan (Rolling Meadows, 20-2), Tanner Strobel (Prospect, 18-2), Matt Kurtishi (Fremd, 18-6), Jake Meyer (Barrington, 26-9), Eric Ortiz (Schaumburg, 22-5) and Jaylan Shaw (Wheeling, 29-7). Zuunbayan and Strobel are currently Nos. 7 and 8 in the state polls, with three-time sectional qualifier Zuunbayan earning the early nod thanks in part to a sparkling resume, which included trips downstate during the past two seasons. With that said, the others here were all top four finishers in their respective divisions a year ago, so each is suited to contest at a high level.
East Suburban CatholicWhere: Notre Dame
When: 3:30 p.m. Friday
The lowdown:
That vise-like grip Marist has held over the rest of the league for over 20 years appears to be loosening, and a trio of conference rivals appear to have enough figurative WD-40 to solve the Redhawks hold this weekend in Niles.
Class 2A power Marian Catholic, along with Carmel, St. Viator and the host Dons, seem to have the strength in numbers to finally end a string of five straight ESCC titles, and 23 in the last 25 years, for the southside wrestling power.
"Marian will do it this year - they are loaded with some great individual guys who will compete for state titles next month," said St. Viator coach Jason Churak, who figures his team will be in the thick of things when the final tally is counted. "We should challenge for a top 3-4 spot if our guys compete like we know we can, and there's a little luck here in there with the way the brackets shake down after our seeding meeting."
Churak figures his big three of James Valentino (285), Joe McIntyre (182) and Elijah Black (152) will be vying for titles.
"As our program has grown and we've gotten our guys fully installed into our system, working hard full-time, on and off the mats, our chances to compete at a higher level at this tournament and then the state series has really improved," said Churak, whose club went 17-11-0 overall during the regular season.
"There's no reason why a lot of us cannot challenge for an ESCC title, or, at least a top-three spot," said McIntyre, who has back-to-back second place medals at this tournament.
McIntyre will have returning state 2A runner-up Kordell Norfleet of Marian Catholic to contend with, while Valentino, a state qualifier from a year ago, is considered the favorite in the heavyweight division.
Black, a freshman, is currently rated No. 8 in the state polls by IllinosMatmen.com.
Some of the best viewing will be at 120 pounds, where something will have to give as No. 1 Michael Tortorice (Carmel, 28-3) meets No. 2 Donnell Washington (Marian Catholic).
It will be No. 6 vs. No. 7 at 132, with Anthony Randazzo (Marian Central) versus Josh Jones (Marian Catholic), before another highly anticipated final between two undefeated stars should occur when No. 1 Jose Champagne (Marian Catholic) faces Nathaniel Morris of Carmel (33-0) at 160 pounds.
- Michael Garofola