Glenbard North's Ramos reaches new heights
CHAMPAIGN - Glenbard North senior Tony Ramos sets the bar up for himself somewhere up in the stratosphere.
"I'm not happy with my performance at all," Ramos said. "I need to go back and think about how to get better."
Only a wrestler with the highest of expectations would say that after winning his third individual state title and becoming the first three-time champion in his school's history.
Ramos (48-2) capped his individual career with an overtime takedown to win a 3-1 decision over Sandburg's Jon Morrison. Morrison and Ramos were the only two returning state champions alive in the Class 3A finals.
He was also DuPage County's lone Class 3A champion in Assembly Hall on Saturday. Neuqua Valley's Nick Proctor (160 pounds) and Hinsdale Central's Jack Allen (215) earned second-place medals.
The area also had 12 total medal winners on the day.
Proctor earned a title berth by upsetting top-ranked Jahwon Akui in a semifinal match via 9-8 decision in overtime. Akui won a 7-3 decision over Proctor in December.
"I had a little more of a strategy this time, and as much offense as I could," Proctor said. "I've definitely been working on my offense in practice, and it's working out."
"Nick didn't ride last year, but he learned how to ride and he rode a tough kid," Wildcats coach Mick Ruettiger said. "He's better on top and bottom this year, and he learned how to turn people."
Proctor lost a 3-2 heartbreaker on the title mat to Buffalo Grove's Kyle Czarnecki, while the sophomore Allen lost in similar style, 4-3 to Boylan's Zach Smith. Allen earned a title shot with a 6-5 decision over Argo's Fred Moses.
"It's disappointing to get that close and not win it, but I'm happy with the year I had," Allen said. "Now I need to work even harder."
Neuqua Valley led all DuPage teams in Class 3A with four medal winners, getting a fourth from Adam Stine (135), a fifth from Alex Cizek (145) and a sixth from Matt Cavallaris (112).
Glenbard North's Jimmy Chase placed fourth at 130, as did Hinsdale South's Jake Schramm (103), Lake Park's Mike DeSario (119), Willowbrook freshman Steve Congenie (140) and Downers North's Trevor Wenmouth (152).
DeSario (38-1) reeled off three wins in the wrestlebacks, capped by a 10-3 win over Marist's Diontae Brown.
Wheaton Warrenville South's Spartacus Chino finished fifth at 135, as did Downers North's Joe Foreman (152) and Hinsdale South's Ryan Garringer (189), while the Red Devils' Pat Clegg placed sixth at 285 pounds.