Wrestling: Libertyville owns first-day lead
Libertyville's wrestling team will open the second day of the 27th annual Moore-Prettyman Invitational 19 points clear of tourney host Barrington and reigning Class 3A state champ Lockport after advancing six into Saturday's semifinals.
Sophomore Danny Pacino and his teammates helped the Wildcats score 113 points on Friday to take the lead over a high-profile field of 28 teams, which includes several medal winners from last season, plus Marmion Academy, which was a 3A Elite Eight team a year ago.
"This is a great tournament to be a part of and for me, our 132-pound field is so good I will have a good idea of where I stand after (Saturday)," said Pacino, who won a sectional title here last year to send him downstate in his freshman season.
Joining Pucino in the semifinals will be Brandon Murphy (120), Matt Templeton (126), Michael Gunther (138), Tyler Padilla (152) and heavyweight Chris Schmidt when the semis begins around 11:15 a.m.
Yorkville (88.0 points) and Marmion Academy (85.0) are the the other top five teams. The finals are set to start at 3:15 p.m.
Both 126 and 132 are considered the two most difficult weight divisions this weekend, with Pucino next taking on state-ranked Robbie Precin of Andrew in a No. 4 vs. 5. At the top half of the bracket No. 3 Trevor Chumbley (Marmion Academy) faces No. 8 Jaime Suarez (Wheaton North).
"This is one of the best weight classes at this tournament so I'm excited to be a part of it and to be able to go against some of the best in the state this early in the season," said Chumbley, a junior.
It's more of the same at 126, which is headed by reigning 2A state champion Austin Macias of Burlington Central. He advanced easily to a spot in the semis against Templeton of Libertyville, who transferred from Deerfield.
"Austin looked sharp today, especially in his quarterfinal where he opened things up a little bit more, and was very good on his feet as well," said BC coach Jordan Bakley, who is in his first year leading the Rockets.
Bakley's other star, Nick Termini, was equally impressive at 138 and next faces Libertyville's Gunther.
Prospect junior Andrew Baysinger, who missed most of the second half of last season with a torn meniscus, will have his hands full with Fabian Lopez of DeKalb.
Lopez began his successful run to a state medal last year when he stunned the 120-pound field at the Barrington sectional to win the title and a top-four seed at state.
"I'm really happy to be back and competing once again after being in a great position to get downstate, and maybe medal before my injury ended all of that," said Baysinger, who will have two other teammates in the semifinals - Ryan Vedner (170) and heavyweight Jose Ramos, who was a state qualifier last season.
Markus Hartman (Barrington, 152) and Marmion Academy senior Nate Jimenez (170), state runners-up last year, dominated their opponents. Both appear primed to make a serious run at a state title in late February.
The Broncos will have three wrestlers in the semifinals while the Cadets, who won it all here last season, will have four competing for a place in the afternoon finals.
Conant's Hruska Invite: Glenbard North leads St. Charles East 93-90 after the first day with Conant (81.5) in third place. Sandburg, last year's tourney champion, and Jacobs round out the field with 80 and 70.5 points, respectively.