Wrestling: Fox Valley previews
Bartlett Hawks
Coach: Gary Cotie (3rd season)
Top returning wrestlers: Senior Dan Boyke (145), juniors Colin Wodarski (130), Brian Wozniak (119), Charles Lane (215), Max Yep (285), sophomore Eric Moreno (152),
Key newcomers: Senior Jared Joiner (189), Jon DeCoste (171), junior Jayson Blendowski (125), sophomore Camilo Garzon (140)
Outlook: The Hawks come into the season with a junior and sophomore-laden group. "We've got a lot of juniors and sophomores and some seniors who haven't wrestled varsity before," said Cotie. "We've got a lot of question marks." Bartlett will have to forfeit 103 and 112 out of the gates. Moreno placed in the Upstate Eight Conference as a freshman, while Yep had a number of wins over state-ranked wrestlers as a sophomore. Garzon is a transfer from Wheaton North. Cotie said Tim Barringer, a sectional qualifier as a freshman, is out from the effects of a concussion and may not wrestle again. Bartlett has a total of 60 wrestlers in the program.
Burlington Central Rockets
Coach: Tony Rigitano (3rd season)
2006-2007 finish: 12-8 overall (5th place Big Northern Conference tournament)
Top returning wrestlers: Seniors Garrett Fiorito (119), Zac Schrieber (125), Zack Kein (130), Curt Mastio (145), sophomores Shane Burke (112), Taylor Schuck (160)
Key newcomers: Senior Drew Hallstead (171), freshman Tim Maroder (152)
Outlook: Central should be vastly improved this season. Burke and Schuck were both sectional qualifiers as freshmen, while Mastio was a state alternate. Schuck was a frosh-soph state runner-up, while Burke finished sixth at the frosh-soph state tournament. Many Central wrestlers experienced off-season tournament success. Mastio, Schuck, Fiorito and Burke were all 20-match winners last season. Hallstead was a starter in the Sycamore lineup as a junior, while freshman Maroder, who played varsity football this past season, was an IKWF state runner-up. "We've got a lot of guys with varsity experience and we've got quality guys throughout the lineup," said Rigitano, whose numbers are up to 38 this season. "Hopefully we can start reaping the benefits, but we have to keep taking baby steps." Rigitano noted this will be the final year of the BNC tournament due to the fact many of the league teams were wrestling each other multiple times during the season. The league will go to the East-West format next year. Mastio was a Daily Herald All-Area selection last year.
Cary-Grove Trojans
Coach: Dan Cysewski (24th season)
2006-2007 finish: 5th place Fox Valley Conference
Top returning wrestlers: Seniors Paul Rands (215), Alec Hargrove (119), Mike Loschiavo (171), Jake Gerhardt (152), Rudy Egler (275), sophomore Josh Nelson (135)
Key newcomers: Juniors Nick Sarillo (160), Matt Polites (140), Ray White (145), Cody Heche (189), sophomores Terrance Fox (130), Mason Agosto (103), Jake Hudek (125)
Outlook: Cysewski likes the make-up of this year's roster from top to bottom. "We've got a lot of balance and we're getting some great senior leadership from Paul (Rands) and Mike (Loschiavo)," said Cysewski. "Guys like Hargrove and Nelson and Mike and Paul are going to anchor us and the rest of the guys are very, very steady. I think we can definitely be a better team than last year. We want to shoot for that top half of the conference. I think teams like Dundee-Crown and Crystal Lake Central will fight it out and hopefully we can be right there too with teams like Woodstock." Rands is a returning state qualifier. He made it Downstate as a junior at 189 last year and led the area in wins with 42, while also winning conference, regional and sectional titles as a Daily Herald All-Area performer.
Crystal Lake South Gators
Coach: Ross Ryan (1st season)
2006-2007 finish: 10-10 overall
Top wrestlers: Seniors Julio Padillia (189), Justin Thrailkill (215), juniors Gerard Golston (112), Joe Fontanetta (152), sophomore J.D. Barchard (189)
Outlook: Ryan takes over the team from longtime coach Don Stumpf, who retired. "We are a very young team," said Ryan. "Most of our lineup will be sophomores and juniors, but we've got a very talented group." Golston and Thrailkill were both sectional qualifiers in their sophomore seasons. "We show a lot of promise for the next few years," said Ryan, who was an assistant in the program last year and also coached previously in the Normal West High School program. South's frosh-soph team went 10-0 last year and finished second in the FVC underclass tournament.
Dundee-Crown Chargers
Coach: Al Zinke (29th season)
2006-2007 finish: 20-5 overall, Fox Valley Conference champions
Top returning wrestlers: Seniors Mike Lukowski (189-215), Ryan Horcher (152), Bob Libricz (125), Chris Rust (145), Austin Tanner (140), Jon Blume (171), juniors Jack Lewis (135), Cody Muscat (130),
Key newcomers: Seniors Billy Cook (275), Tom Steinhable (215-285), juniors Jeremy Lee (112), Jermaine Lee (119), Josh Lee (130), Ron Dumas (189-215), Tom Newman (189-215), Jeremy Hanley (103), Justin Walden (160), Keith Rhoades (160), Victor Domich (160), freshman Frank Abitua (103)
Outlook: The unquestioned class of Fox Valley area wrestling teams. The Chargers are in search of their record eighth straight FVC crown and have a roster loaded to the gills with veteran, elite talent. "We've got a lot of experience," said Zinke. "We've got 10 kids who are three or four-year performers. We've got the potential to do well." Horcher and Lukowski are both returning state qualifiers. Lukowski finished fifth in Class AA. Lewis was a state alternate, while Muscat and Libricz were sectional qualifiers. Tanner was a sectional alternate. Look for D-C to face conference challenges from the likes of Crystal Lake Central and Woodstock. Horcher, Lukowski and Lewis were Daily Herald All-Area selections last year with Lukowski being the honorary captain of the All-Area team. The Chargers received a questionable honorable mention placement in the first Illinois Matmen (www.illinoismatmen.com) Class AA rankings (released Nov. 21).
Huntley Red Raiders
Coach: Kurt Rohlwing (3rd season)
2006-2007 finish: 14 dual wins, 7th place Fox Valley Conference
Top returning wrestlers: Seniors Joel Mayhew (130), Brock Larkin (135), Pat Patterson (145), Jordan Bakley (160), Tony Benning (189), sophomore Coty Claudio (112)
Key newcomers: Senior Cody Lipscomb (171), sophomore Mike Zirmeno (285), freshman Lucas Rogers (103)
Outlook: The Red Raiders are definitely a team on the upswing. Huntley set a school-record for dual wins last year (14) and returns a number of key pieces from that team. Benning, a Daily Herald All-Area selection last year, won 35 matches and qualified for state, while Bakley was an FVC runner-up and a sectional qualifier (34 wins). Mayhew is a three-time sectional qualifier. "We have a really good group of senior leaders that have been with us for 4 years," said Rohlwing. "We're hoping this will be a breakthrough year. We want these older guys to finish their careers really strong here."
Elgin Maroons
Coach: Anthony Genovesi (4th season)
2006-2007 finish: 5-17 overall
Top returning wrestlers: Seniors Terrell Walker (160-171), Robert Hayes (189), Dan Vazquez (215), Isirdo Talavera (119)
Key newcomers: Junior Eric McGinn (160-171), sophomores Ivan Ceballos (145-152), Jesus Aguirre (135), Terrance Bruessard (152), Dylan Harris (125)
Outlook: Elgin has a number of talented grapplers returning on a team loaded with youth. Walker, previously known as Terrell Reed, is a returning state qualifier, a Daily Herald All-Area pick, and one of the area's elite talents. Hayes was a sectional qualifier last season. "Terrell is looking real tough," said Genovesi. "He had a real good off-season. He had a strong football season. Robert Hayes gained more experience too." While the team is for the most part young, Genovesi has been impressed with the talent level. "We're experienced with youth," said Genovesi. "We've got a lot of sophomores who got a good amount of matches in the off-season. That's important. Harris had 18 or 19 matches, Jesus had 40, Terrell had 40, Hayes had 25, Vazquez had 20-something. That is going to benefit them as well as the team. We've got some good individuals here. Hopefully that will translate into better team results." Genovesi has also been pleased with the development of the Kane County Grapplers feeder program, which is up to 60 wrestlers from 35 last year. The program includes youngsters from Elgin, South Elgin and Bartlett.
Jacobs Golden Eagles
Co-coaches: Chuck Torbett and Chris Mastalerz (1st seasons)
Top returning wrestlers: Seniors Dan Olsen (152), Brad Foote (285), juniors Vince Mangiameli (171), Nate Mohlman (160), Joe Diehl (125), sophomore Aaron Ryan (103)
Key newcomers: Junior Jay Garfield (189), sophomore Matt Krucek (119), freshman Joe Ladick (125)
Outlook: Torbett and Mastalerz took over the program from Kurt Bentsen and they have a squad with some veteran talent. Olsen and Ryan were 2 of 7 Golden Eagle wrestlers to qualify for the sectional last year. Foote was a sectional alternate. "We look to be strong and competitive for the upcoming season and have a strong showing in the conference and at regionals," said Mastalerz, an art teacher at Hampshire Middle School. Torbett is an orchestra teacher in District 300.
Larkin Royals
Coach: Mike Mulhearn (2nd season)
Top returning wrestlers: Seniors Jeff Satterlee (145), Jacob Truax (189), junior Tony Feliciano (130)
Key newcomers: Junior Cameron Tanner (140), sophomore Joey Rodriguez (135)
Outlook: The Royals have a total of 25 wrestlers in the program. "We've got some good individual wrestlers, but we've got a small team and won't be able to fill all 11 weights," said Mulhearn. Feliciano finished fourth in the regional a year ago at 125 pounds. Mulhearn said Truax, who battled injury a year ago, has also been looking strong in practice. "We've got 2 seniors on the team," said Mulhearn. 'We're going to keep developing these guys. You may see some of these JV guys make their way into the varsity lineup."
Prairie Ridge Wolves
Coach: Joe Terhaar (4th season)
2006-2007 finish: 6th place Fox Valley Conference
Top returning wrestlers: Seniors Sam Campbell (171), Brendan Barrett (152-160), Ian Byrne (160), juniors Eddie Smith (275), Toby McDonald (135), Matt Wallace (140), sophomores Michael Smith (112), Drake Smith (119).
Key newcomers: Seniors Adnon Muranovic (189), Dan Scifo (215), Ryan Stern (145), Chad Bloomfield, sophomore Brad Olander (103), freshman Brian Cullen (103)
Outlook: The Wolves are deep in the experience department. "We've got a lot of returners and we've got a lot of senior leadership," said Terhaar. "And we've got a lot of sophomores and a few juniors with varsity experience. We're hopeful. On paper it looks pretty good for us, but you have to go out there and perform. We're pretty excited." Campbell, an honorary co-captain of the Daily Herald's All-Area football team, won the 152 FVC title last year. Both Campbell and Eddie Smith were sectional qualifiers.
South Elgin Storm
Coach: Mark Cameron (3rd season)
2006-2007 finish: 2-19 overall (11th place Upstate Eight Conference)
Top returning wrestlers: Seniors Nick Carlson (135), Nick Gillespie (140), Steffan Bublitz (145-152), Kyle Soumar (171), Nick Lucania (145-152)
Key newcomers: Junior Ben Irving (189), sophomores Kevin Gianaris (103), Patrick Pena (119)
Outlook: Cameron has been impressed with the team's progress since last season. "This year our biggest strength is our work ethic," said Cameron. "This group of guys has worked non-stop since last season to get better. They have a strong desire to improve. We have great senior leaders who have helped to build this team, which is still in the process of developing into a quality program." Cameron feels the middle of his lineup (135-152) will be a major strength this season.
St. Edward Green Wave
Coach: Shane Kottkamp (22nd season)
Top returning wrestlers: Seniors Will Lytle (145), Joe Brown (171-189), sophomore John Godfrey (145-152)
Key newcomers: Sophomore Shane Finnan (215-285)
Outlook: The Green Wave have 14 wrestlers in the program. "Hopefully we'll be a little stronger this year," said Kottkamp. "We have a lot of sophomores back that wrestled last year. We're going to be able to fill in more weight classes than we have in the past." Lytle and Godfrey were both sectional qualifiers last year. Lytle has moved up 2 weight classes this year. "Will have improved all 4 years," said Kottkamp. "He's grown every year too. He's going to 145 this year, which will be a little adjustment for him." Godfrey is a 3-sport athlete at the school. "John has all the athletic tools," said Kottkamp. "He's continuing to learn the moves. He's strong and quick and has good balance. He just needs time to learn." St. Edward should compete in the postseason as a Class A school.
Note: Streamwood could not be reached for this preview.