Montini tops Marmion in Cadets' 1st state trip
It was a breakout season by all measurable standards for the Marmion wrestling team this winter.
But its historic campaign - which included two state champions and a program-first regional team championship - came to a screeching halt Saturday morning at the Class 2A state quarterfinals team-dual match against Suburban Christian Conference rival Montini.
In eerily similar fashion to their conference dual meet last month, the defending state-champion Broncos won 10 of the 14 matches in handing Marmion a 44-15 setback at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington.
Marmion had its season come to a close at 22-2.
"I understand the blind draw," Marmion coach Dean Branstetter said of the two top-ranked programs in the state meeting in the quarterfinals. "I think we're good enough to still be down there wrestling. They have pretty much beaten us up for eight years. I don't think we've ever really given them a good match."
The 145-pound opening match between state medal-winners Frank Baer of Montini and Marmion senior Pat Greco illuminated the Broncos' ability to capture the ever-important close matches.
"I out-wrestled him, but the scoreboard didn't show it," said Greco, the Northwestern-bound senior who finished third in state after becoming the first state qualifier in program history last year. "I don't make excuses. As a team, we really broke out this year. Last year it was more individual."
Baer eked out a 4-3 decision; the Broncos' Brandon McBride - one of six combined individual state champions between the programs - and Dimitri Willis, a state runner-up, then had back-to-back falls at 152 and 160 pounds to stretch the unanswered run to 15-0.
The Cadets never recovered, though Nico Jimenez, as he did in the teams' conference dual match, put Marmion on the board with a 7-2 victory.
The state champion from St. Charles closed out his decorated season with a 41-4 record after downing Connor Winel.
After Montini junior Zech Tredenick gained a 6-4 decision over the Cadets' David Niels, Connor English gave Marmion a glimmer of hope with his own decision at 215 pounds.
But Montini heavyweight Ross Ferraro did likewise to Marmion freshman Alex Fritz, and Kevon Powell had a second-period fall at 103 pounds to further his state-championship credentials.
The final two Marmion victories came in succession, however, as Eddie Greco and Ben Whitford had a decision and fall, respectively, at 112 and 119 pounds.
It was a measure of redemption for the younger Greco, who failed to qualify for the state tournament after earning the first medal in Marmion history last year.
"I guess I figured it was the last match of the season," Eddie Greco said after avenging a regular-season loss to Montini freshman Michael Sepke. "I don't think I wrestled very well the first time. It was pretty tough going (to Champaign) and watching all my teammates down there."
Whitford (44-0) then capped his flawless season with a second-period pin.
"His goal when he came here was to try and win four (state) titles," Branstetter said of his No. 1-ranked 119-pounder in the nation.