Arlis, Gonzalez lead area's 15 state qualifiers
Batavia coach Tom Arlis has tutored his fair share of wrestling state champions, and he is well aware of the central dynamic when the current group of hopefuls descend upon Champaign.
"It's a brand new season when you get to (the University of Illinois') Assembly Hall," Arlis said. "Anything can happen down there. It's a great experience for the kids and great notoriety for (their) schools."
The individual wrestling campaign culminates this weekend, and there is a bountiful crop of area wrestlers competing in the first-ever three-class state tournament.
Thirteen local athletes will compete in the large-school ranks; Kaneland senior Jay Levita and Aurora Central Catholic freshman Greg Jacquez are in the middle class.
Class expansion has altered the landscape for the Class 3A competitors' format. In past years, the eight sectional winners were awarded first-round byes in the Class AA tournament. But the addition of the third class halved the number of largest-school sectionals to four, and the first-round layoff for sectional winners has been replaced with a seeding formula.
"I never liked that (first-round bye)," said Marmion coach Dean Branstetter. "A 16-man bracket is fine with me."
West Aurora senior Mario Gonzalez and undefeated Batavia junior Logan Arlis are the area's top seeds at 189 and 112 pounds, respectively.
"I bet a lot of the sectional winners will be glad to get that first match under their belts right away," West Aurora coach Mike DiNovo said. "Everyone is starting off the tournament on equal footing."
In a twist of fate, the second match of the Class 3A tournament features a showdown between West Aurora sophomore Nicholas Drendel and Marmion freshman Eddie Greco at 103 pounds. Drendel (35-8) became a prep wrestling Internet sensation after stunning previously undefeated and top-ranked Providence freshman Eddie Klimara in the quarterfinals last Friday night at Lincoln-Way Central. Greco (33-3), meanwhile, will be making history as the first Marmion downstate competitor to take the mat.
"I had nothing to lose," Drendel said of his surprising second-period fall over Klimara en route to a runner-up finish in New Lenox. "I knew I was going to have to try something. I've had to reset my goals a few times this year. My next goal is to place at state."
"It always seems like a validation for the program when you get some kids to state," Branstetter said. "I know that's the way it was when I coached in Indiana. It felt like we finally put a stamp on the program."
The 112-pound bracket could also produce a telling moment for local bragging right come Saturday evening. Logan Arlis enters the tournament with a 39-match winning streak; his sectional-final opponent - St. Charles East junior Brandon Rubino (33-4) - is at the other end of the draw.
The schools have a combined eight combatants in the field. Arlis is pitted against Stagg freshman Kevin Moylan; Rubino faces off with Marian Catholic freshman Nate Jackson.
The other two local sectional champions - Batavia 171-pounder Danny Watson and St. Charles East 145-pounder - Danny Mercadante are the third and fourth seeds, respectively, at their weight classes. Neither one has lost at his specified weight, and Watson (39-1) has a 23-match winning streak on the line.
The Bulldogs' single-season takedown record holder opens against Lincoln-Way Central senior Pete Damiani (21-6). Mercadante (40-3) drew Mt. Carmel senior David Skrzypiec as his first-round opponent.
"Hopefully, I can get a win off the bat and keep going," Mercadante said.
Batavia matched its program hallmark with four state qualifiers, and seniors Charlie Ryan (30-7 at 130 pounds) and Andrew Rudd (33-7 at 160) are poised to end their careers in style. Ryan has Lake Zurich junior Cameron Shaffer to contend with in the opening round, and Rudd drew the unenviable straw of facing off against top-seeded Nick Proctor of Neuqua Valley.
"Andrew has been the underdog before," coach Arlis said.
In addition to Rubino and Mercadante, St. Charles East has junior Nick Scimeca (31-10 at 152 pounds) and freshman Nick Ruffino (27-11 at 125). Scimeca meets Lyons' Mike Ryan in opening-round action, and Ruffino has a date against Minooka senior Brian Bokoski.
The latter defeated West Aurora senior Josh Zinzer in the championship match at both the Blackhawks' regional and the Lincoln-Way Central sectional. But Zinzer is anxious to make up for an injury-plagued sectional defeat last year after placing sixth as a sophomore. The Blackhawks' three-sport star is 39-4 on the season and opens against Niles West senior Jamal Jackson.
On the other hand, Gonzalez has been the personification of the West Aurora program the last two years with top-four performances. The Illinois-bound senior has been the proverbial man among boys during the postseason. None of his six opponents has lasted six minutes, including Collinsville senior Ryan Robinson, who had his season-long 39-match winning streak snapped by Gonzalez in the finals at Lincoln-Way.
"(Gonzalez) is wrestling phenomenally well," DiNovo said. "He is scoring in all positions."
"After the Martinez brothers (Israel and Nathan, who combined for five state championships), I would rank Mario No. 3 in the history of the program," said assistant coach Dave Hejtmanek, who has been associated with West Aurora wrestling for more than three decades.
Schaumburg freshman Josh Marchok (33-9) has the first chance to break Gonzalez' 33-match winning streak.
Marmion junior Pat Greco (33-4) has Brother Rice junior Luke Nelson in his sights at 140 pounds.
"It was only fitting that Pat was the first state qualifier in Marmion history," Branstetter said. "I hope (the Grecos) are not just satisfied to be there."