Shump, Watson shining for Batavia
Batavia and Marmion could not have had a more disparate schedule over the holidays.
“We haven’t had an actual match for three weeks,” first-year Batavia wrestling coach Ben Morris said of the Bulldogs’ layoff from the Glenbrook South tournament until their dual with Streamwood on Friday. “It almost feels like we had the first half of the season and then a break and then the second half of the season.”
Morris, who inherited Tom Arlis’ program after a very successful tenure at Stillman Valley, was realistic about the Bulldogs’ level of combat readiness as a result of shrinking numbers that forces as many as three forfeits.
Batavia has put its focus on individual achievement at their major tournaments; sophomores Joey Shump and Augie Watson are the linchpins of the Bulldogs’ attack this winter.
Shump, a 112-pounder, and Watson, who competes at 152, are both 18-2 on the season.
“Both of the losses could have been wins,” said Shump, who advanced to the Class 3A state meet last year as an alternate. I want to win the Batavia tournament that is coming up. I feel good at this weight.”
Watson is equally pleased — but not satisfied — with how his year has progressed thus far.
“It’s been going pretty well,” Watson said. “I don’t have much to complain about. I am going to go back and look at both of my losses (on tape) to see what I did wrong (in order to finish strong) for the rest of the season.”
Both athletes won their respective titles at Downers Grove South; they were also both third at Glenbrook South.
“I don’t think Joey or Augie are satisfied with third place,” Morris said. “There’s definitely room for improvement (for the team as a whole at its invites).”
Watson and Shump are ranked third and eight, respectively, in the Class 3A illinoismatmen.com individual ratings.
Cadets in command: Marmion, meanwhile, continues to author statement-making performances.
In successive weekends in December, the top-ranked Class 2A program by illinoismatmen.com, had the finest showing among all state programs with a win at Dvorak sandwiched by fourth- and seventh-place showings at Ironman and Cheesehead.
Marmion has six wrestlers ranked in the top-two in the matmen.com individual ratings, with Jared Cortez (112 pounds), Eddie Greco (125) and Ben Whitford (130) occupying the top spot.
Johnny Jimenez (103), George Fisher (119) and Angelo Silvestro (140) are rated second-best in their divisions.
“We’ve been so busy that I don’t even know if the kids know where they are ranked,” Marmion coach Dean Branstetter said. “I felt like we had a good chance (to win Dvorak). We just had good balance up and down the lineup. I feel pretty good about what the boys have done so far.”
In the marquee match of the tournament, Whitford extended his career-long winning streak to 67 matches when he turned back reigning Class 3A 125-pound state champion Joey Gosinski of Glenbard North.
The 12-5 Whitford win in the championship match ended a 71-match winning streak by Gosinski.
“I thought he controlled the tempo, controlled the pace,” Branstetter said of the Whitford masterpiece. “It was the kind of match he has wrestled (the last two years).”
Postseason preview: The IHSA released its postseason pairings over the extended holiday.
There can be no doubt of the most difficult pairing for Class 2A: Marmion and two-time defending state champion Montini are both at Yorkville, which has a talented program in its own right, for a berth to the Lincoln-Way West individual sectional.
The Suburban Christian Conference juggernauts were at all three December tournaments.
“I don’t know if we have seen their best lineup,” Branstetter said of the Cadets bettering the Broncos in all three showings. “But they seem to have some weaknesses that they haven’t had in recent years. We have some weak spots, too.”
In the large-school division, Batavia and West Aurora, who meet this weekend at the Bulldogs’ annual quadrangular, are slated for Naperville Central as part of the Downers Grove North sectional.
Geneva and the two St. Charles high schools will be at Glenbard North, the reigning state third-place powerhouse seeking its 12th consecutive regional championship.
Kaneland will miss the minefields awaiting the victors at Yorkville and New Lenox by traveling to the Rochelle sectional complex; the Knights, who have three ranked wrestlers in Esai Ponce (119 pounds), Kyle Davidson (152) and heavyweight Jimmy Boyle, have their initial postseason date at Sycamore.
Two undefeated Blackhawks: West Aurora seniors Nicholas Drendel and Miguel Venecia remained unbeaten on the season after championship runs at Hinsdale Central over the winter break.
Drendel, the defending state runner-up at 112 pounds, and Venecia, the Blackhawks’ returning state qualifier, give West Aurora a dynamic one-two punch in back-to-back weight classes at 125 and 130 pounds.
Drendel is third and Venecia sixth on the illinoismatmen.com rankings; however, Drendel will compete at 119 in the state series.
St. Charles East junior Nick Ruffino occupies the seventh slot in the illinoismatmen.com rankings at 130 pounds for the Saints.
Tim Noverini is more than progressing to become the second medal-winner in St. Charles North program history.
The North Stars’ junior is 23-2 on the season, with losses only to top-ranked competitors Brian Murphy (Glenbard North) and Nick Fishback (Sandburg).
“We’re going to have to make a decision to see where he is strongest,” said North coach Ken Moromi, on whether Noverini will compete at 140 and 145 pounds for the state series. “It will be interesting to see what we do. He is certified at 140.”