Willowbrook's Jessen keeps on winning

Jack Jessen is a two-time Class 3A all-state wrestler.

But the Willowbrook junior was at another level Saturday afternoon at Downers Grove North for the final state preliminary to the individual tournament in Champaign.

Jessen extended his season-long winning streak to 47 matches with a first-period pin against Montini sophomore Peter Christensen to earn his second sectional championship Saturday evening.

"Stay hungry, keep being aggressive and keep the pedal down," the 182-pounder said of his undefeated formula for success. "(I) have trained harder than I ever have before. I have been doing the extra stuff. Doing the little stuff has gotten me to a higher magnitude."

Warriors senior 132-pounder Dominic Ranieri also made the three-day state tournament starting Thursday at the University of Illinois' State Farm Center.

"We had a great day as a program," Willowbrook coach Brandon Murphy said. "(The Jessen fall) should help for seeding down at state."

Montini had four champions among its seven qualifiers.

Dylan Ragusin, Real Woods, Fidel Mayora and Will Lewan captured titles at 106, 126, 132 and 145 pounds for the Broncos.

Woods was denied a perfect season last year by Louie Hayes of Sandburg in the state-championship match.

"That (loss to Hayes) gave me a lot of motivation," the Wheaton resident said. "That's what's still firing me. I will never forget that loss."

Woods' technical fall over Lyons Twp. senior Zach Villarreal at 126 pounds was the third straight sectional title for the Broncos' junior.

Ragusin and Mayora are only freshmen.

"My whole plan was not to think of it as a state tournament," Mayora said. "I just wanted to think of it as another tournament I go to during the (regular) season."

"I can't be upset with what I did," Lewan said after handing Naperville Central senior Jake Keating only his second loss of the season with a third-period pin. "I was aggressive. That was the plan."

Ragusin had a late takedown to break a 1-1 stalemate with lone Downers North qualifier Nate Cummings at 106 pounds.

Defending state champion Joey Melendez (113 pounds) and ranked teammate Matt Ortiz (152) had to qualify via the consolation bracket for Montini.

Christensen was the lone Montini athlete to lose in the championship round.

Waubonsie Valley has back-to-back weight classes headed to state as Nick Sondag dropped the championship match at 220 pounds to undefeated Marist senior Diata Drayton one weight after Mitch Kroening won the third-place match at 195 with a quick fall.

Naperville North, Wheaton Warrenville South and Glenbard East have one qualifier each in Lucas Van Poucke (120 pounds), Placide Niyigena (182) and Scott Szabo (138), respectively.

Hinsdale Central heavyweight Niko Ivanisevic ended the unbeaten run of Argo senior Audel Ochoa.

Naperville Central 220-pounder Christian Nussbaum will join his Keating in Champaign.

Nate Jimenez is returning to Champaign after his first sectional championship.

The Marmion 160-pounder will look to extend the family legacy next week in joining older siblings Nico and Johnny as state champions.

Jimenez defeated Chicago Catholic League rival Jack Mulay of Mt. Carmel for the only championship among the 17 Kane County qualifiers.

But Jimenez will have plenty of company from his reigning state runner-up team.

The Cadets had seven of their nine other qualifiers out of Batavia advance to the state finals.

"The key was putting pressure on (Mulay)," Jimenez said of his 9-1 win in the finals. "I knew he was going to wear out. All the training is enough (to make state). My goal is to win a state championship."

Jimenez was third in state last season in the weight class.

The Cadets' Brad Gross and Peter Ferraro had the misfortune of facing undefeated wrestlers in their championship matches at 152 and 170 pounds.

Gross did not get past the first round in his match against three-time state champion Austin O'Connor of St. Rita.

Ferraro did not score any offensive points as Lyons Twp. senior Johnny Mologousis improved to 42-0.

"I knew it was going to be a challenge," Ferraro said. "I just wanted to go out there and compete as best I could."

Michael Jaffe (106 pounds), Trevor Chumbly (132) and Anthony Cheloni (138) all won third-place matches to punch their tickets to Champaign.

Tyler Surges' fourth-place finish was perhaps the most surprising for Marmion.

There were four athletes ranked in the top six in the field.

"I thought I had a good chance to get out and make it to state," Surges said. "My teammates were helping me in the (practice) room."

Jake Polka was the final qualifier for Marmion with his fourth-place result at 145 pounds.

Isaac Jacquez accomplished his central task after being upset Friday night.

The West Aurora senior clawed his way back at 120 pounds to secure a fourth consecutive state finals berth.

Jacquez not only survived but also avenged his quarterfinal loss to Sandburg sophomore Pat Nolan by scoring 20 points in the third-place final.

"I kept wanting to score points," Jacquez said. "I knew I had a good shot at beating (Nolan)."

"(Jacquez) dominated the first two periods," West Aurora coach Andrew Plata said. "He made the adjustment (to his pace) and now we're good."

Jacquez was all-state as a sophomore.

Matt Young ended the wrestling season of Batavia senior 160-pounder Joe Posledni with his third-place semifinal victory.

The East Aurora senior then needed less than two minutes to secure a fall.

Batavia wrestlers Justin Major (132 pounds) and Seth Winkle (145 pounds) also had their seasons end.

Like Posledni, West Aurora 182-pounder Steve Norman was yet another state-ranked wrestler who competed for the final time in a third-place semifinal.