Libertyville title streak hits 10 straight ... 26 total
A little bit of a slow start was not going to stop host Libertyville on Saturday.
When all was said and done, the Wildcats captured their 26th regional championship in school history - including 10 in a row and 21 in the past 23 seasons.
En route to the Class 3A title, the Wildcats took a comfortable lead over Grant heading into the final round and went on to toppled the Bulldogs 209.5-182.5 for the crown of the 10-team regional.
Winning the regional title meant that Libertyville advanced to the Class 3A Barrington dual-team sectional Feb. 23 against New Trier.
Featuring nine top-three finishes, the Wildcats have nine wrestlers advancing to the Class 3A Barrington individual sectional this weekend.
Third-ranked 125-pounder Matt Bystol (36-3) was one of four regional champions for Libertyville, as Bystol captured a 6-1 decision over Grant's Jose Jimenez for first place.
At 135 pounds, Sam Shay was also a champion for the Wildcats - along with teammates Ryan Mertz (16-4 at 171), and Luke Miller (31-9 at 215).
"They all gave me some good matches and it's really good competition out here," said Bystol, who placed third in the state last year. "I just have to keep focused, stay healthy and make sure I'm doing what I've been doing all season and prove I'm the best guy for six minutes."
The Wildcats also have four regional runner-up's advancing, including 103-pounder Pat Fitzgerald, 145-pounder Sayad Banifazl, 152-pounder Nick McDowell and 160-pounder Josh Ronne. Luke Gaeth also advanced with a third at 119.
"It was very close for a while, and half way through the semifinal round we put a lot of good matches together," said Wildcats coach Dale Eggert. "Sam Shay beating Chaz Alex 8-1 was an incredible match for us, and we won five more semifinal matches after that. We did well in the wrestlebacks, so that was the turning point for us."
The runner-up Bulldogs featured eight of their 10 wrestlers in the final round and earning sectional berths.
Senior 189-pounder Lee Munster (28-0) said he is 100 percent healthy, and he proved it by rolling to the crown with two quick pins and a technical fall. Munster looks to be on his way to a fourth trip downstate and a third state title.
"I'm just going to train all week and get my conditioning back to where it should be," said Munster, who has not lost an IHSA match since his sophomore year at state. "I know that I'm going to be able to do it. I have the ability to do it, and I just have to have the right mental attitude going into the tournament."
Munster will be joined at sectionals by freshman teammate Cameron Kennedy (26-7), who pulled off a 3-1 overtime victory over Fitzgerald for the 103-pound title.
Bulldogs elite 130-pounder Jason Montemayor (37-1) was also a champion as he posted a 7-1 decision over Mundelein's Juan Jaimes. Grant got second-place finishes from 119-pounder Jack Kramer and Jimenez, while teammates Alex (135), Matt Bellson (160), and Carl Williams (285) all placed third.
After some rough sailing last week at the NSC meet, Mundelein placed third with 165 points to outdistance Warren (118) in fourth and Carmel (106.5) in fifth.
The Mustangs had two champions, including 285-pounder Dion Livas (33-7) who won by injury default over Carmel's Steve Lester. Lester (31-4) injured his left knee in the first period, but he should be able to compete at sectionals.
Mundelein 152-pounder Pablo Mata nipped McDowell 2-1 in overtime for the title, but Mundelein sophomore Matt Ornoff fell 6-4 in overtime to Warren's Robby Schultheis (35-4) and took second place at 112.
Ornoff placed sixth in the state at 103 last year and he is down to 112 for the state tourney after wrestling at 119 during the regular season.
"Our kids wrestled really well, we avenged a couple of losses from last week, and this is a school record for sectional qualifiers with eight," said Mundelein coach Tom Buenik. "Ornoff is a little more comfortable wrestling at 112 and as long as he wrestles smart next week we'll see if he can get to Champaign."
Ben Hertel (171) also placed second for the Mustangs, while teammates Nick Dudzinski (103), Payton Cruz (125), and Eric Arcos (140) all qualified by placing third.
Schultheis also has a good chance to reach the Assembly Hall, and he will be joined at sectionals by teammate Chandler Sperry, who placed second at 215. Warren's Pat Oswald (145), and Shakheim Chapman (189) advanced with thirds. The Blue Devils had to settle for four fourths.
"It's a tough regional and in the case of the heavyweight match it's pin or be pinned," said Warren coach Mark Tiffany after his 27th and final regional meet. "He (Schultheis) hasn't been feeling well all week, but I knew he was going to win this meet because he works hard and he's a no-nonsense guy."
Carmel 145-pounder Frankie Swindell (28-4) won the title, and 160-pound teammate Shane Siefert (29-2) edged Ronne 5-3 for first place. Carmel's J.P. Hough (130) placed third with a pin in 2:33.
"I thought they (Swindell and Siefer) both wrestled a heck of a tournament, they knew what they had to do, and they've been here before," said Carmel coach Bob Kuykendall. "We've just got to take it one step at a time, see what they tell him (Lester) and we'll go from there."
Round Lake 171-pounder Corey Weber advanced to sectionals with a hard-fought 8-7 decision over Grant's Scott Ray. Williams trailed Warren's Josh Dust 5-0 before recording a pin in 4:36 to keep his hopes alive for a return trip downstate. Alex also reached state last year for Grant.