Scouting Tri-Cities wrestling

Top area teams: Marmion, West Aurora, Batavia, St. Charles East, Kaneland, Geneva, St. Charles North, Aurora Central Catholic

Top returning athletes: Batavia: Logan Arlis, sr., 125; Augie Watson, jr., 145; Tyler Patton, sr., 135; Luis Campanos, sr., 189; Evan Christiansen, soph., 112. Geneva: Ryan Ward, sr., 189; Nick Bradberry, jr., 152; Keith Reilly, sr., 140; Derek Larsen, jr., 140; Willy Wilbur, sr., 145. Kaneland: Devon Scholl, sr., 125; Kyle Davidson, jr., 152; Jimmy Boyle, jr., 285; JT Webb, sr., 160; Dennis Brettman, sr., 130; Marmion: Pat Greco, sr., 145; Eddie Greco, soph., 112; Ben Whitford, fr., 119; Angelo Silvestro, soph., 130; Nico Jimenez, sr., 171. St. Charles East: Brandon Rubino, sr., 112; Nick Ruffino, soph., 125; Nick Scimeca, sr., 152; Alex Maynard, sr., 135; Rafael Flores, sr., 285. St. Charles North: Trevor Lilovich, sr., 215; Mike McSweeney, jr., 171; Timmy Noverini, soph., 125; Mike Sherry, jr., 119; Sam Gustafson, jr., 145. West Aurora: Nicholas Drendel, jr., 119; Miguel Venecia, jr., 125; Nolan Meehan, sr., 152; Brandon Warren, soph., 160; Greg Jacquez, soph., 140 (transfer from Aurora Central Catholic).

Scouting report: Last year was a banner year for area wrestling programs, headlined by West Aurora four-year standout Mario Gonzalez (Illinois) capturing the first area individual state championship in six years. Arlis came as close as possible to running the table; the Batavia senior had his 42-match winning streak snapped in the 112-pound Class 3A state-championship match. "It was a close match," Arlis said of his showdown with Providence sophomore Edwin Cooper. "It could have gone either way. (The loss) gives me something to push for this year." The dominant theme for this year is the combination of depth and brilliance at the lower to middle weights. In addition to Arlis, who is expected to move up two weight classes to 125 pounds, other returning state qualifiers are the Greco brothers from Marmion, Drendel of West Aurora and the St. Charles East triumvirate of Rubino, Ruffino and Scimeca. Whitford, however, is the most-talked about newcomer in recent memory. The Michigan transplant has national credentials and further solidifies an already deeply talented Marmion squad. The Western Sun Conference is in its final phases, and the league has top-notch wrestlers from all eight programs. Batavia, Geneva and Kaneland have the collective task to neutralize Sycamore and Yorkville, the reigning Class 2A state runner-up. "I would think that Yorkville is the team to beat," said Geneva coach Tom Chernich. Batavia coach Tom Arlis takes a contrarian view. "Sycamore is the clear-cut favorite," he said. "They were very young last year and have almost everyone back." Glenbard South coach Derrick Crenshaw says Arlis' program can never be overlooked. "Batavia is always good," Crenshaw said. Geneva is rearming after a disappointing season last year. "(Our success) is going to depend a lot on our seniors," Chernich said. "If they have a good season, then we should be pretty good." Kaneland also has designs for upward progression after back-to-back struggles following the first conference championship in program history. The Knights have surged out of the gate thus far, winning their first six dual meets behind Scholl, Davidson and Boyle. "We're going to do better than last year," Kaneland coach Monty Jahns said. "We started off 0-6 last year and now we're 6-0. It's going to depend on how well we match up with other people." The two St. Charles schools enter the season with much of the same plot lines as in recent years. The Saints have designs on terminating the six-year stranglehold Neuqua Valley has had on the Upstate Eight Conference. The North Stars, meanwhile, need to ameliorate their number of dual-meet forfeits to make league inroads. St. Charles East and Neuqua Valley have seven combined state returnees to frame the league identity. "St. Charles East is going to be strong," said Neuqua Valley coach Mick Ruettiger, the Saints' former leader. St. Charles North has grand expectations for Noverini. "He has really closed the gap on the (elite) kids," North Stars coach Ken Moromi said. St. Charles North also has to replace C.J. Miller, its lone sectional qualifier last year, who moved. "That really hurt," said Moromi. The inaugural season of the Suburban Christian Conference has implications ranging far beyond the conference tournament. With a reduced enrollment entering the school year, Marmion has been reclassified in the middle tier of the three-class state tournament, where nationally ranked Montini returns a galaxy of standouts to defend its state championship. "Between 103 (pounds) and 171 we have the potential to have maybe the best lineup we've ever had," Montini coach Mike Bukovsky said. "We're not guaranteed anything," Marmion coach Dean Branstetter said of the Cadets' downward classification. West Aurora was hard hit with graduation losses, especially in the upper weights, but Mike DiNovo, its coach, has advantages some area coaches can only dream about: more than triple figures in the program seasoned by a disciplined feeder system among its four middle schools. The opening 10 weight classes are the anchor of the Blackhawks' program this season, and younger siblings of former state medal-winners are the nucleus. Drendel and Venecia are both state ranked; Nate Zinzer (125-30) combines an indomitable will with the toughness of a three-sport athlete. DiNovo needs leadership from his senior trio of Byron Swanson (145 pounds), O.J. Quintanilla (130) and Julian Baragan (135). Jacquez is the Blackhawks' potential wild card, a 2A state qualifier for Aurora Central last year. Glenbard North, with a decade-plus run of league championships in the DuPage Valley, is the expected front-runner. "It's going to be a really exciting conference," DiNovo said. "I think there is going to be more parity than we have seen in the past," predicted Wheaton North coach Steve Holland.

Key dates: West Aurora mega duals, Dec. 5; Glenbrook South Invitational, Dec. 18-19; Ed Whitlach Classic at Hinsdale Central, Dec. 18-19; Palatine Classic, Dec. 28; Geneva Invitational, Jan. 9; Batavia Quad, Jan. 9; Batavia Tournament, Jan. 16; Western Sun and Upstate Eight Conference tournaments, Jan. 23; DuPage Valley and Suburban Christian conference tournaments, Jan. 30.

Predicted state champions: Class 1A, Wilmington; Class 2A, Montini; Class 3A, Minooka