Elgin, D-C each show several positive signs
Elgin wrestler Robert Hayes got a lot of work in during spring practice.
The work showed immediate dividends as Hayes won both of his 189-pound matches against Rockford East's Mike DeCamp (pin at 3:20) and Dundee-Crown's Jon Blume (12-3 major decision) in season-opening action at Chesbrough Field House Tuesday night.
Hayes also marked an unknown feat getting revenge on Blume, who had defeated him in the same meet last year.
"(Blume) beat me last year and I didn't even know it until after the match," Hayes said. "I just went out there to try hard."
Senior-led Dundee-Crown opened as it expected to taking victories over both East (47-12) and host Elgin (52-15). The E-Rabs defeated the Maroons (40-30) in the opening bout of the evening.
"We're a veteran team," Dundee-Crown coach Al Zinke said. "You kind of expect those things early. We had good some good matches."
Ryan Horcher did exactly what he expected to as he scored both a pin and technical fall to open his season. Horcher (152) pinned East's Clayton Dunlap in 50 seconds and scored a 16-0 tech fall Elgin's Ivan Ceballos.
"That last match I went out there to see what was going to work for me," Horcher said. "I know my main set, I was working on my other stuff."
The Maroons' veteran leadership paved the way as well. Aside from Hayes, Elgin got double victories from Terrell Walker (160) and heavyweight Mike Bedford.
Walker and Bedford picked up forfeits against East and then beat Dundee-Crown's Pat Hanley (160) and Billy Cook (285) respectively.
Elgin's main problem came with its lack of numbers as the Maroons forfeited 4 weight classes.
"(Hayes, Bedford and Walker) did a really good job with the leadership," Maroons' coach Anthony Genovesi said. "It helps with the younger guys."
Zinke cited one of the Chargers' losses as one of their best matches of the night at 135 pounds. Jack Lewis opened his season with a 6-4 loss to Rockford East's Kyle Logsdon.
The East standout pinned Elgin's Jesse Aguire in 1 minute, 22 seconds in the first match. Logsdon had recorded a technical fall victory over Dundee-Crown's Josh Pasek last season, so Lewis' showing was something Zinke felt could be a building block for the rest of the season.
"That was a good match for Jack," Zinke said. He tech-falled Pasek last year."
Blume picked up a pin at 1:09 against DeCamp in the opening bout. Lewis scored a 16-0 tech fall against Aguire and Austin Tanner (140) followed with a pin at 1:50 against Elgin's Kevin Eck.