Libertyville pins loss on Grant in showdown
The North Suburban Conference could not ask for a bigger showdown to get the 2009-10 wrestling season started than it did at Libertyville on Wednesday night.
The host Wildcats faced long-time rival Grant in a crossover dual meet between the two defending NSC divisional champions who are once again expected to challenge for the overall conference title this winter.
And Libertyville came through with a hard-fought 27-22 victory on its Fourth Annual Alumni Night as the Wildcats' middle weights won five straight matches at one point to help carry the team to the win.
Starting at 112 pounds, Libertyville (1-0) took a 3-0 lead when Pat Fitzgerald posted a 5-2 decision over Ben Soumar.
Libertyville junior Luke Gaeth followed that win with a wild 11-10 decision over Jack Kramer at 119 as both wrestlers had two near pins in the bout.
Round Lake transfer student Jose Jimenez got the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with an 11-4 decision at 125 before a battle of 2009 state qualifiers took place at 130.
Libertyville's Matt Bystol moved up from 125 to 130 to face Jason Montemayor, who captured a 9-5 decision to tie the team score at 6-6.
Grant kept the momentum going at 135 when state qualifier Chaz Alex recorded a pin in 3:39 to give the visitors a brief 12-6 lead.
But the Wildcats came storming back with decisions by 140-pounder Sam Shay (9-4), 145-pounder Kevin Tavakoli (5-3), 152-pounder Sayad Banifazl (8-5), 160-pounder Nick McDowell (6-3) and 171-pound state qualifier Josh Ronne (9-2) giving Libertyville a 21-11 lead with the benefit of a team penalty point on Grant for unsportsmanlike conduct.
"Grant is a very tough team and you've just got to be ready when you face a team like this," said Banifazl, who was chosen alumni night wrestler of the meet. "I think we came out good after the first few matches and we're just looking for a good season."
Northwestern-bound senior Lee Munster (47-0 in 2009) cut the lead to 21-16 with a technical fall in 5:29 at 189. But Libertyville 215-pounder Luke Miller recorded a pin in 3:22 to boost the lead to 27-16 with two bouts left.
"This was the first varsity match for a lot of our guys at the middle weights and I expect them to get better and so will Libertyville," said Grant coach Ryan Geist. "It was a great dual meet to start the season and there were a lot of good matches."
Grant 285-pounder Justin Lalanda made things very interesting with a near pin in the final seconds, but he had to settle for a 6-0 decision to make the score 27-19 and clinch the Wildcats' team victory.
Grant freshman Cameron Kennedy closed out the meet with a 12-5 decision to account for the final score.
"Against guys like (Grant) you have to take the wins when you can and they were close matches at the middle weights," said Libertyville coach Dale Eggert. "Both guys had their chances (at 119) and our guy (Gaeth) coming back at the end of the second period and getting the five points helped him with the match."
1956 graduate Dick Fischer was one of the many former wrestlers in attendance along with Ted DeRousse (1958), Dave Eggert (1972), Kirk Christensen (1989), Margaret LeGates (1994), and Mike Lopez (2002), to mention a few.