Scouting Libertyville regional
Class 3A regionals
At Libertyville
When: 9 a.m. start, 3:30 p.m. finals
Advancement: Team champion advances into dual-team sectional Feb. 23 at site yet to be determined. Top 3 from each weight class advance to Barrington sectional Feb. 12-13.
Teams: Libertyville, Grant, Mundelein, Warren, Carmel, Round Lake, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Waukegan, Zion-Benton.
Outlook: After rolling to its second straight North Suburban Conference crown at Lake Zurich last Saturday by a 69.5-point margin over runner-up Grant, the host Wildcats are definitely the favorites to take home the team title in this 10-team Class 3A regional.
Libertyville had 12 individuals win fourth-place medals or better in the powerful 14-team NSC meet, and the Wildcats had a whopping five champions leading their surge to first place.
After placing third in the state last year, Libertyville senior Matt Bystol will lead the Wildcats into the rugged competition after rolling to the NSC crown with three pins.
Senior 171-pounder Josh Ronne also begins his drive for a return trip downstate for the Wildcats and he was also an NSC champion last weekend.
Sophomore Pat Fitzgerald (103), junior Sayad Banifazl (145), and senior Nick McDowell (160) were also conference champs for Libertyville.
The Wildcats may be the favorites, but they only beat Mundelein by 1 point in a dual meet recently, and long-time rival Grant is always lurking in their rear view mirror.
"We had a real good day (at conference) and I think it will help us heading into regionals since that is the one that really counts," said Libertyville coach Dale Eggert, whose team won the Zion-Benton regional in 2009. "The regional should be tighter (than conference) because it won't be as big a tournament."
With top-ranked Grant senior Lee Munster beginning his final quest to put his name even higher on the list of great wrestlers in IHSA history, the Bulldogs could be an inspired team headed into the Libertyville regional Saturday morning.
Munster's illustrious career began with a state championship as a 119-pound freshman before he returned to state as 140-pound sophomore when he did not earn a medal.
But that minor setback was only a blip on the screen for Munster as he rolled to the state title as a 171-pound junior with a perfect 47-0 record. The Northwestern-bound Munster takes a 24-0 record into regionals as a nagging neck injury has kept him from competing at full strength for most of the season.
The Bulldogs have another elite wrestler in state-ranked 130-pound senior Jason Montemayor (34-1) to lead Grant coach Ryan Geist's troops into the powerful meet.
Mundelein may have struggled a bit at conference, but the Mustangs are a dangerous team headed into regionals behind 119-pound sophomore Matt Ornoff, who placed sixth in the state last year at 119.
Ornoff was upset by Libertyville's Luke Gaeth 8-4 in the NSC semifinals, and with Stevenson's Danny Sabatello out of the picture those two wrestlers could be on a collision course again.
Mundelein 285-pounder Dion Livas was the Mustangs' lone NSC champ with teammates Juan Jaimes (130), and Pablo Mata (152) both taking second in the NSC meet.
NSC champs Robby Schultheis (112) and Chandler Sperry (215) lead Warren into coach Mark Tiffany's 27th and final regional meet.
Carmel has a real standout in 160-pound senior Shane Siefert with strong support from teammates J.P. Hough (130), and LaRon Biere (171). 103-pounder Videl Arteaga placed third at conference for Round Lake.
Class 2A regionals
At Woodstock
When: 9 a.m. start, 3 p.m. finals.
Advancement: Team champion advances into dual-team sectional Feb. 23 at Geneseo. Top 3 from each weight class advances to Sterling sectional Feb. 12-13.
Teams: Wauconda, Crystal Lake Central, Prairie Ridge, Johnsburg, Richmond-Burton, Woodstock H.S., Marian Central, Woodstock North.
Outlook: The Bulldogs will have their hands full at Woodstock going up against a very powerful Crystal Lake Central squad.
But Wauconda should have pretty good representation at sectionals with 140-pounder Pete Kootstra and 189-pounder Brian Kent leading the way.