Wrestling: Northwest state tournament preview

Class AA state wrestling tournament

Where: University of Illinois Assembly Hall, Champaign

When: Today: first-round matches, 9 a.m.; quarterfinals, 6:30 p.m. Saturday: Semifinals, 12:30 p.m.; third- and fifth-place matches, 4:30 p.m.; championship matches 6:30 p.m.

Who: Nineteen area wrestlers advanced, including Wheeling senior Max Nowry (38-0) who arrives as the prohibitive favorite at 103 pounds, which is enhanced by his No. 1 rating in the state and nation. Nowry and 5 of his teammates lead the way in state qualifiers, with senior Matt Smith (152) now a 3-time qualifier after surprising the field at Barrington last weekend at 152.

Weight watchers

119 pounds

Jonny Brennan (Prospect, 32-4), Evan Hafner (Schaumburg, 32-8), No. 1 Jon Morrison (Sandburg, 39-0), No. 2 Nate Fitzenreider (Wheaton North, 41-3), No. 4 Adam Sheley (Geneseo, 35-1), Nick Dardanes (Fenwick, 24-3).

Storyline: Morrison and Fitzenreider are in line to meet in the semis. Brennan and No. 8 David Gould (Niles West, 39-2) will have a lot to say about that as the duo meet in a terrific tournament opener. Brennan is a three-time state qualifier, while Gould, twice. Dardanes might be the player to watch as the Fenwick sophomore stays away from Sheley (2nd at 112 last year) until the semifinals. Hafner, who surprised many at Naperville North to advance, opens with Joeie Ruettinger (Minooka, 32-12) after a strong performance in the sectional final with Fitzenreider.

History: Morrison, 2nd last season at a 103, has defeated Fitzenreider (4-3) and Dardanes (14-5), while Fitzenreider has lost to Brennan (5-4).

135 pounds

No. 3 Matt Boggess (Prospect, 41-0), No. 5 Trey Ayala (Libertyville, 37-6), No. 1 Josh Kratovil (Lincoln-Way Central, 34-0), No. 2 Gene Capezio (Glenbard North, 38-4), No. 4 John Majka (Rita, 34-2) No. 6 Frank Baer (Montini, 32-10), No. 7 Matt Walters (Neuqua Valley, 33-7), No. 8 Josh Castellano (Fenton, 38-3), No. 9 Ryan Lund (GLC, 41-4), Ryan Early (Wheaton North, 40-8).

Storyline: So everybody other than Boggess, Capezio and Baer raise your hand. You two guys are on one side of the bracket, everyone else on the other. Yes, the top half of 135 is a rough one. Boggess and Capezio would see each other in the semis, 3-time state medalist and 2006 state champion (Kratovil) has plenty more to contend with, yet is still favored. Should Boggess reach the final against Kratovil, look for the Prospect junior to force the pace of the match relentlessly. "I've studied the bracket up and down, and I like the fact that everyone is overlooking me in favor of Kratovil, Capezio and others," Boggess said. "There are no easy matches, and each one is tougher than the next, but I like my chances to get into the finals."

History: Boggess lost to Capezio at an eighth-grade Greco state tournament, ending his career for good in Greco style wrestling. Ayala has lost to Boggess (twice) and Majka (6-4, OT), while Capezio has defeated Walters and Early twice, the both at Naperville North en route to his title.

145 pounds

No. 8 PJ Starnes (Schaumburg, 38-4), No. 9 Joe Kent (Wheeling, 38-4), No. 1 Vince Ramos (Glenbard North, 41-2), No. 3 Jake Nelson (Lincoln-Way Central, 36-3), No. 4 Nick Proctor (Neuqua Valley, 35-8), Isaiah Gonzalez (Montini, 37-6), No. 7 Lamar Hickman (Quincy, 37-3), Scott Carlson (Wauconda, 36-9), Taras Martyniouk (Stevenson, 30-11).

Storyline: Top-rated Ramos makes his fourth appearance here, yet arrives without a state medal to list on his resume. The senior should cruise through and into the final, but against who? Starnes, who stunned No. 2 (Eric Justice, St. Charles North) in Naperville North wrestlebacks en route to third-place finish, will likely meet Gonzalez in second round today, and possibly Kent in quarter's should both be victorious. This would mark third meeting of the season between the two. "What impressed me most about (PJ) was the fact that when we won (that) 3rd-place match to qualify, he just took it in stride," said Schaumburg coach Mark Gruszka. "To me, that tells me that he is focused and ready on placing and not just making it downstate. His first match (vs. Ryan Spencer, Springfield, 33-1) in the only match he cares about right now."

History: Ramos beat Proctor twice (5-2, and by fall in the sectional final), while Nelson was pinned by Proctor earlier. Starnes, Kent and Gonzalez have not faced any of the top 4. Starnes is 2-0 with Kent.

152 pounds

No. 3 Ross Grande (Palatine, 41-3), Matt Smith (Wheeling, 31-6), No. 8 Bobby Vagun (Stevenson, 33-2), Matt Soch (Leyden, 33-10), No. 2 Jimmy Duffy (NV, 38-2, 2nd @145 last year), No. 1 Steve Zimmerman (St. Rita, 30-0, 3-time state qualifier, 2-time medalist), Ryan Horcher (Dundee-Crown, 34-5).

Storyline: Nos. 1 + 2 (Zimmerman and Duffy ) reside in the bottom half of the bracket, and would meet in the semifinals should they remain undefeated. Grande-Soch and Leibforth vs. No. 12 John Ford (Mt. Carmel) tournament openers are the best of the bunch in this group. Three-time state qualifier Horcher looks to erase one-and-done results of past, while Vagun hopes to become Patriots first state medalist since 2002. Grande-Soch winner feeds into Zimmerman in second round.

History: Zimmerman came in ranked No. 2 last season at 135, yet failed to stay alive in the championship bracket before he was eliminated in wrestlebacks after back-to-back 6th place medals the previous 2 tournaments. One of 2 losses for Duffy came at the hands of Zimmerman (6-2) in semi-finals at Dvorak. Soch is here for the second time in 3 years, while Smith is back for his 3rd visit after missing out last season at 160 pounds.

Required viewing

140 pounds: Grant sophomore Lee Munster (28-0) dominated the field at Barrington last weekend and is the real deal as he embarks on winning a second-straight state championship. However, land mines are placed all along the way for Munster, who could face No. 8 (Brian Epp, Neuqua Valley) in second-round, No. 6 Reese Taylor (Rock Island) in quarters, then either No. 2 Eric Terraza (Wheaton North) or No. 4 Elias Larson (Marian Catholic) in the semis.

171 pounds: No. 1 Jordan Blanton (Richmond-Burton, 37-0) vs. No. 2 Chris Spangler (Neuqua Valley, 40-0) in the semi-finals. Enough said.

189 pounds: No. 2 Peter Zintak (Prospect, 41-1) has No. 4 Mario Gonzalez (Aurora West), No. 5 Mike Lukowski (Dundee-Crown), No. 6 Dan Grimes (Montini) and No. 8 Austin Kull (Normal) all around him in the upper half of the bracket. Don't bet against the 3-time state qualifier, especially if he gets past either Grimes or Gonzalez in the quarters.

-- Mike Garofola