Tough?152-pound division features 9 ranked qualifiers
While no weight class at any of the eight Class AA individual wrestling sectionals in Illinois is ever a breeze, some are always less desirable than others.
At Naperville North on Friday and Saturday, there are seven ranked wrestlers at 130, 189, and 285 -- but the 152-pound division leads the way with nine of the 12 wrestlers being ranked this season.
Nos. 2, 3, 5, and 6 at 152 will compete in Naperville, plus Lake Park's Dan Kowalski, who is ranked sixth at 145 by Illinois Matmen.
Regional champion and No. 2-ranked Jimmy Duffy of Neuqua Valley recently won by technical fall over Kowalski and Lemont's No. 5 Ryan Leibforth, but Lockport's No. 3 Kevin Bialka battled Duffy at Saturday's Romeoville regional.
"That was a real good match," said Wildcats coach Mick Ruettiger. "Duffy won a close decision, but Bialka's a tough kid."
No. 6 Jon Coluzzi of Naperville Central will take on the winner between Bialka and Glenbard North's Corey Hope in a quarterfinal.
Kowalski could meet in a quarterfinal with St. Charles North's Lin Stacey, for a likely semifinal shot at Duffy.
Wheaton North's No. 2 Eric Terrazas, Glenbard North's No. 3 Danny Monaco, and Neuqua Valley's No. 8 Brian Epp headline a typically tough division at 140 pounds in Naperville. Terrazas and Monaco went 1-1 against each this year, and could square off again with a sectional title on the line.
Barring an upset, Monaco would take on either Epp or Hoffman Estates' Tommy Wadas in a semifinal match. Epp lost 2-1 in overtime to Terrazas this year and lost by pin to Monaco early this season, while Wadas beat Monaco at Saturday's Lake Park regional.
Terrazas beat Wadas 5-2 for a regional title, and he sees a wide-open hunt for a sectional title taking place on Saturday.
"Every weight class has their share of tough kids," Terrazas said. "I like it. It gets you ready for the close matches you're going to see downstate."
No potential matchup would be any bigger in Naperville than No. 1 Vince Ramos of Glenbard North and No. 2 Eric Justice of St. Charles North at 145 pounds.
If Justice wins his first match, he'll likely face either Neuqua Valley's No. 4 Nick Proctor or Schaumburg's P.J. Starnes in a semifinal. Proctor will seek revenge on Justice for a decision loss on Jan. 19.
Barring an upset, Ramos would be waiting on the title mat for Justice.
"I've never wrestled him, and hopefully I'll meet him in the finals," Ramos said. "All I'm thinking about is domination this year, and I look forward to seeing someone like Justice, who placed downstate last year."
At the Fenton individual sectional, there will be four weight classes featuring six ranked wrestlers -- 112, 140, 152, and 285 pounds.
At 140, Glenbard South's unbeaten Mark Griffin is aiming for a sectional title appearance against Fenwick's No. 5 Bobby Barnhisel.
No. 12 Griffin is looking forward to working his way through the field for a potential shot at Barnhisel.
"I can't wait," he said. "This is what I worked for all year, and it'll be a good test."
No. 11 Jon Goldsher of Hinsdale South will have to beat a tough wrestler in Elk Grove's Robert Pechacek for a quarterfinal shot at Barnhisel, while 2 wins from Montini's Elliot Hudson would put him in a semifinal against one of those three wrestlers.
Although there are six ranked wrestlers at 285, the biggest shock wave in Illinois would emanate from Fenton if anyone other than No. 1 Garrett Goebel of Montini earned a sectional title.
Illinois' defending heavyweight champ is 45-1 this year, and he spent a total of 1:32 on the mat in pinning his three regional opponents at Willowbrook on Saturday.
Two weight classes at Fenton feature wrestlers ranked first and second in Illinois, at 125 and 215 pounds. No. 1 Ellis Coleman of Oak Park-River Forest and No. 2 Chris Dardanes of Fenwick will be at 125, and No. 1 Ben Apland of Downers South and No. 2 Pat Walker of Glenbard East will be at 215 in Bensenville.
Fenton's Kevin Larsen will likely have to upset Dardanes in a semifinal at 125, while Benny Marti of Montini will aim to do the same to Coleman on the other side of the bracket.
An opening win by York's Dustin Bles would likely put him in a semifinal match against Apland, while Hinsdale Central's Pat Clegg needs 2 wins for a likely semifinal shot at Walker.
Apland-Walker II could be a barnburner for a sectional title, one week after Apland's first-period pin gave him a regional title over Walker in a battle of previously unbeaten wrestlers at Willowbrook.
"He shot on my leg for a single, but I sprawled back and got him into a front headlock," Apland said. "I couldn't get the inside cradle, but I was able to shuck him by, I grabbed his hamstring, and drove him to his back."
"He's a good wrestler, and I know I'll need to stay on top of my game to beat him again."