Montini ready for Mt. Carmel
CHAMPAIGN - The expression "rubber match" has a unique relationship in the field of athletics.
But there will truly be a rubber match Tuesday night at Hinsdale Central when Montini and Mt. Carmel meet for the third time for a berth to the Elite Eight in the Class 3A wrestling team state finals this weekend in Bloomington.
Mt. Carmel, ranked fourth in the illinoismatmen.com team rankings, and No. 5 Montini split their two regular-season dual matches.
Montini boasts three individual state champions in Joey Melendez (113 pounds), Real Woods (126) and Will Lewan (145); the Caravan is led by senior David Riojas, who ended the perfect season Lyons Twp. senior Johnny Mologouis was seeking in the 170-pound finals.
"It's going to be really tight," predicted Woods, who missed the schools' Catholic League match. "It could go either way."
The winner will face either three-time defending champion Oak Park-River Forest or Upstate Eight Conference champion St. Charles East Saturday morning.
Falcons finish strong:
A potentially banner season for the Wheaton North program was sidetracked at Leyden when Oak Park-River Forest edged the Falcons for a sectional-team berth.
But Wheaton North, which ended the 18-year stranglehold of Glenbard North in the DuPage Valley Conference this season, had three all-state performers last weekend at the University of Illinois' State Farm Center.
Devin Donovan, who was defeated by eventual state champion Trevell Timmons of top-ranked Lockport, finished his final season 44-3 after claiming third place.
Fellow seniors Riley Lomenick and Duncan Nelson were sixth for Wheaton North at 138 and 145 pounds, respectively.
Naperville Central senior Jake Keating defeated Nelson in the fifth-place match.
"They set a standard for our program," Wheaton North coach Travis Cherry said of his seniors. "They are going to be difficult leaders to replace."
Donovan, Lomenick and Nelson all have intentions of resuming wrestling next year.
"They all plan to compete at the next level, but they are all uncommitted," Cherry said.
Faber gets a medal:
Charlie Faber was a fixture in the 120-pound rankings the entire season.
The Glenbard West senior closed out the season with a second state medal this weekend after settling for sixth place.
"(Faber) developed into a great leader," Glenbard West coach Nick Posegay said. "He will probably end up second (to Nick Baima) as the all-time win leader."
The Hilltoppers' second qualifier, 106-pounder Catron Frazier, was one and done over the weekend.
"He's a junior," Posegay said of Frazier. "It was a good experience. We'll see what he can do next year."
'The best of Lisle':
Drew Sonnefeldt completed his Lisle tenure in a nice fashion after claiming the Class 1A 138-pound fifth-place match with a 7-point victory.
"Drew is my 34th place-winner," longtime coach John Ruettiger said. "We have been down for a while. (Sonnefeldt) could have easily been in the finals. He is the kind of kid you love coaching. He represents the best of Lisle."
Sonnefeldt was the first four-time state qualifier for the Lions since Warnell Ludington in the late 1990s.
Familiar faces:
In addition to Keating and Nelson facing off in a medal round as local competitors, Nick Sondag and Christian Nussbaum met for the fourth time Saturday night in a 220-pound fifth-place match.
Sondag, a Waubonsie Valley senior, defeated his conference rival from Naperville Central in all their meetings after a first-period fall.
"I was very proud of what Nick accomplished," Waubonsie Valley coach Brad Caldwell said. "He was our 170-pounder last year. He actually got stronger throughout the year. The grind didn't take a toll on him."
Sondag finished his senior season with a record of 40-4; Nussbaum will graduate with a 34-11 mark.
Respect:
Throughout all sports, there is a long-standing tendency to encourage and offer moral support your conference colleagues at the state level.
Nowhere was it in evidence more than in Champaign last weekend with the Naperville North wrestling program and Glenbard North superstar Austin Gomez.
"He is the reason why people pay to see wrestling," Naperville North coach Tom Champion said of the three-time state champion. "We had 20 kids show up (in Champaign). They just wanted to see (Gomez) wrestle.
Looking ahead:
The doubleheader at Hinsdale Central also features a rematch between Marmion and Sandburg to the Montini-Mt. Carmel match.
But the victor will in all likelihood have the unenviable task of facing undefeated and top-ranked Lockport in the quarterfinals Saturday morning at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.
The Porters advanced all but two of their 14 wrestlers to the individual state tournament.
There is a widespread consensus among coaches the Porters are the team to beat this weekend.
"I think they are as good as any public high school I have ever seen," Champion said of the Porters.