Broncos advance in bunches
They came, they saw, they conquered.
Every single wrestler on the Montini wrestling squad made it through the Class 2A Fenton regional Saturday afternoon. In fact every single one of the Broncos were in the championship match.
The two lone Montini freshmen were both victorious as 103-pound Kevon Powell and 135-pound Jared Jayne advanced to their first sectional. Powell had a little easier of a time advancing as he pinned Elmwood Park's Steve Nadolski at the 1:26 mark.
"I understand that this is an individual sport, but I would not have been here if it weren't for my coaches and training partners," Powell said. "I was a tough match but I was able to end it."
Jayne had a rougher time advancing for Montini. In his matchup against Glenbard South's Mike Peters, Jayne escaped with less than 20 seconds remaining in the second period. After an escape by Peters in the third period, Jayne scored a takedown in a scramble with less than a minute to go and hung on for the 3-1 win.
"In the wrestling room we work on scrambles," Jayne said. "I have been taught to keep scrambling in situations like that. This is a lot different than junior high because I am not used to facing people as good if not better than me."
Steve Robertson (125 pounds), Isaiah Gonzalez (160), Alex Saunders (171), Carl Foreside (189) and Grant Goebel (215) all won by pinfall for the Broncos. Christ Divito (112), Eric Powell (119), Colton Rasche (130), Frank Baer (140), Elliot Hudson (145) and Dimitri Willis (152) all moved on for the Broncos.
Glenbard South's Austin Teitsma remained perfect this season at 32-0 with a pin over Montini's Ross Ferraro at the 5:25 mark of their match. After looking dominating in the first period, which Teitsma led 8-0, Ferraro turned things around and was the aggressor for much of the match.
Teitsma eventually caught him in a throw and put him on his back in front of the Montini coaches.
"I eventually got a chance to do something and I had to go as fast as I could to take it," Teitsma said. "That guy is very quick. Looking at him, you wouldn't think that, but he is. I had an opportunity and I took it. That's what needs to happen."
Brian Baloun (103), Josh Kostner (112), Pat Williams (125), D.J. Wuanti (145) and Ryan McKean (152) all advanced for the Raiders.
Fenton's Chris Butz advanced with a win by pinfall in the third-place match over Guerin's Adam Bochnak at the 4:54 mark of the match. After dominating the match for a majority of the time, Butz was able to finally roll up Bochnak after several tries.
"I kept working the cradle and nothing would happen," Butz said. "Then I hit the crossface hard and he gave up the cradle. I was able to lock it up and end the match."
Sean Havlovic (112),Ryan Joy (119), Alan Geneva (125), Vince Swartz (130), Carlos Gomez (140), Josh Castellano (145), Ed Havlovic (171), Benji Sciullo (189), Joe DiBenedetto (215) and Fancisco Ochoa (285) all moved on for Fenton.