Scouting Cook County wrestlers at state
Class 3A
Where: Assembly Hall, Champaign
When: Friday: First-round matches (8:30 a.m.), quarterfinals (11 a.m.); Saturday: semifinals (9:30 a.m.), third- and fifth-place matches (4:30 p.m.) and finals (6:30 p.m.).
Worth the weights
135 pounds: No. 1 Luke Smith (Wheeling, 39-1), No. 9 Jordan Sherman (Stevenson, 37-7), No. 2 Chris Dardanes (Oak Park, 41-2), No. 3 Blaise Butler (Rockford Boylan, 39-1), No. 4 Mike Avelar (Brother Rice, 38-1), No. 5 Mike Tougher (Providence, 39-6), No. 6 Tyler Argue (Mt. Carmel, 38-14).
A wild and crazy weekend at the sectionals turned this weight class upside down after the two top in the state (Smith and Dardanes) were both felled by eager competitors anxious to throw their names in the favorites hat. Avelar stunned Dardanes with a 5-point explosion in the waning moments of the final at DeLaSalle to capture the title, while the crafty and clever Butler held on for a 2-1 victory over Smith to grab the crown at Barrington. "The loss to Butler showed Luke that anyone is vulnerable, and ever since (his) focus has been recaptured and we've seen (him) have a great week of training leading up to the tournament," said Wheeling coach Neal Weiner. The loss may have given the 2009 third-place state medalist an advantage despite it all, as the junior now finds himself far away from both Butler and Dardanes, who are on the top half of the bracket. The Wildcats captain opens against No. 10 Tyler Patton (Batavia, 29-11) and could eventually meet the talented Avelar in the semifinals, but in a field with this much talent, anything can happen long before tomorrow morning.
140 pounds: No. 4 Kevin Lewis (Leyden, 38-4), Travis LaShiava (Fremd, 32-5), Mike Smith (Wheeling, 36-6), No. 1 Nick Dardanes (Oak Park, 41-1), No. 2 Eric Oyster (Plainfield Central, 33-5), No. 3 Luke Nelson (Brother Rice, 19-2), No. 5 Sparta Chino (Wheaton Warrenville South, 33-2), No. 7 Jake Residori (Minooka, 36-8).
Nationally ranked and the state's No. 1 (Dardanes) waltzed through a trio of opponents at DeLaSalle to help solidify his place atop this weight class, and with it, put himself in a terrific spot to reach the finals if he can get past Chino on his side of the bracket. Unfortunately for two-time qualifier Smith he is in the direct view of both state monsters, including Chino, whom it opens with today. Lewis and LaShiava, here for the first time, are both on course to meet either Oyster (Lewis) or Nelson (LaShiava) should they stay alive in the championship rounds, with the Leyden captain one match away from Oyster in the quarters.
145 pounds: No. 3 Demetrios Mitchell (Hersey, 48-0), Gino Castiglione (Conant, 27-13), No. 12 Frankie Swindell (Carmel, 31-5), Josh Nelson (Cary-Grove, 27-6), No. 1 Max Schneider (Lane Tech, 36-0), No. 2 Donny Simpson (Romeoville, 28-1), No. 3 Joey Uccardi (Plainfield Central, 35-3), No. 7 Kalvin Hill (Minooka, 32-8).
Castiglione took full advantage of an opportunity to boost his own value, while casting some doubt for the Uccardi faithful when the he stunned one of the best in the state last Saturday in the semifinals at Glenbard North. The senior didn't help his cause in this superb class, however he did manage to bump the Plainfield Central star out of the express lanes, as he finds himself at the top of the bracket, along with the trio of Mitchell, Simpson and Hill. The 2009 state medalist Mitchell will open against Hill. An exciting quarterfinal between Simpson-Uccardi will then lead to Mitchell meeting the victor in the semifinals, a match in which the Hersey senior has looked forward to. "I've enjoyed being the one that everyone wants to beat this year, and in fact, I know it has made me a better wrestler because of it," said Mitchell, who would like nothing more to be opposite the tourney and fan favorite Schneider when the Grand March begins Saturday.
152 pounds: No. 9 Joey Caprio (Rolling Meadows, 39-6), No. 5 Luke Miller (Barrington, 34-8), Sean Bonner (Hersey, 44-12), No. 3 Anthony Pace (Lake Zurich, 35-3), No. 1 Steve Congenie (Willowbrook, 44-0), No. 2 Malik Taylor (Brother Rice, 33-1), No. 4 Tyler Prazma (Granite City, 49-4), No. 6 RJ Dilcher (Lyons, 40-7), No. 10 Joe Brewster (Maine South, 38-4), Josh Anthony (Machesney Park Harlem, 34-6).
This magnificent group should provide plenty of thrills along the way as each chases the undisputed favorite in Congenie, who appears to be this much better than the rest after bursting onto the scene as a freshman last season en route to his fourth-place medal. The Mustangs super-soph Caprio has made an imprint on the field after back-to-back championships, highlighted by a 6-3 decision over Brewster in his regional final. "I've had to pinch myself a couple of times (lately) and especially after seeing my name in the state tournament brackets," said Caprio, who nonetheless won't be star-struck down on the Assembly Hall floor for his opener against MSL rival Miller.
160 pounds: No. 3 Jeff Koepke (Hersey, 47-5), No. 10 Chris Pack (Maine West, 18-2), No. 4 Shane Siefert (Carmel, 32-4), No. 5 Josh Ronne (Libertyville, 40-8), No. 7 Kean Loupee (Crystal Lake South, 34-6), No. 6 Eric Moreno (Bartlett, 36-3), No. 1 Nick Proctor (Neuqua Valley, 37-2).
The closest thing to a sure thing in Champaign has to be the expected climb to the top of the podium by Proctor, who enters the tournament as the nation's No. 8 rated wrestler in his weight class and will have the added incentive of looking to erase last year's 3-2 loss in the finals to Kyle Czarnecki of Buffalo Grove. The chase begins in earnest today for several area stars, including the junior Koepke, who has methodically taken down each and every opponent in the post-season. His long-time friend Pace advances this season for the first time after being derailed by several injuries over two seasons. "All I thought when I qualified, was, finally," said Pack, who took time out from viewing first-round opponent (Tom Gross, Lincoln-Way Central, 21-9) during a film session to chat about the upcoming weekend. "One of my injured shoulders must have popped out three times (at) sectionals, but at this point, I've got nothing to lose, and I am going to give everything that I have out on those mats in each match that I wrestle this weekend."
189 pounds: No. 5 Chris Johnson (Wheeling, 39-3), No. 6 Joe LaManna (Schaumburg, 35-4), Kalvin Argueta (Barrington, 36-13), Angel Maldonado (Leyden, 19-9), Lee Munster (Grant, 31-1), Sterling Hecox (Machesney Park Harlem, 34-1), No. 3 Ben Brooks (Oak Park, 34-3).
The rematch of all rematches is expected in this division after then No. 2 Hecox stunned the wrestling world with his pin just 70 seconds in against No. 1 Munster last weekend at Barrington. The two titans are on opposite sides of the brackets, hoped for by every fan of the sport, and pity those who stand in the way of either superb athlete who would like nothing more than to give the wrestling faithful exactly what they came for Saturday evening. The senior LaManna has the unfortunate task of facing the defending champ Munster in his opener, while the MSL champ Johnson opens with No. 11 Jon White (39-5) of West Chicago. "At the start of the year I would have been happy to just reach my goal of getting downstate, but during the post-season, and after my final with Hecox on Saturday, I am heading to Champaign looking to come away with a medal this year," said Johnson.
215 pounds: No. 3 Josh Marchok (Schaumburg, 37-2), No. 1 Dan Kiebler (Leyden, 33-1), Jake Randich (South Elgin, 44-2), Luke Miller (Libertyville, 33-10), No. 9 Parker Settecase (Glenbard East, 38-4), No. 3 Matt Dwyer (Rockton Hononegah, 34-2), No. 5 Steve Miller (Stagg, 33-4), No. 6 Robby Bain (Bolingbrook, 33-4).
Fourteen of the 16 in this group of granite have at least 33 wins, three with 40 or more, and combined an astounding 534-74, including the superb record and season from the sensational Schaumburg sophomore Marchok. "I haven't really paid attention to (how) the brackets effect me, because (they) are something that I have no control over," said Marchok, who did control the field at Glenbard North, recording falls over Randich, then Settecase to win the big trophy and earn a favorable spot in the bracket and away from Kiebler, and No. 3 Dwyer, who would be his opponent in the Saturday morning semifinals if all goes well. The combination of speed, power and unmatched determination makes (Kiebler) the pre-tournament favorite, however the senior has a tough road ahead with the likes of Settecase, Kelly and Randich standing in his way at the top half of the bracket.
Class 2A
When: Friday: First round (11 a.m.) and quarterfinals (6 p.m.); Saturday: semifinals (9:30 a.m.), third- and fifth-place matches (4:30 p.m.) and finals (6:30 p.m.).
Viator's hope: Senior Eric Aberhamian (33-13) was the lone survivor of three from St. Viator who escaped the Fenton sectional and advanced.
The four-year veteran reached his goal of getting downstate after defeating Jamal Carter (Chicago Uplift) 3-0 in his state qualifying match. Aberhamian will open with No. 7 Darnell Thomas (Cahokia, 22-4) and is one victory away from No. 4 AJ Messenger (Yorkville, 36-7) in the quarterfinals.