Barrington just too tough
The superiority Barrington exerted over the rest of the Mid-Suburban League last weekend was again evident Saturday.
The Broncos ran away and hid from 10 other teams en route to a resounding 82-point victory and the team title at the Deerfield regional.
The MSL champs will face Notre Dame in the dual-team sectional Feb. 22 at a site to be determined by the IHSA after outscoring Hersey 225-173 and host Deerfield (148).
MSL runner-up Wheeling was fourth with 118.50 points and Stevenson fifth with 98.
“We did what we had to today, and win or lose, everyone in our lineup gave a 100 percent effort, and that’s something you have to admire and be very proud of,” said Broncos coach Al Strobl.
The Broncos featured three champions and nine qualifiers to their own sectional Friday after advancing 13 wrestlers to the regional semifinals.
“Once again it was real team effort by everyone, and while I feel for the seniors who didn’t move on to the sectionals I am still happy that our team is still alive and they get a chance to help the cause when that begins in a couple of weeks,” said the Broncos’ Aaron Castagna (35-4), who won a title for the second consecutive week when he defeated Igor Romanowski of Wheeling 5-1 in the 285-pound final.
The senior was joined by teammates Matt Sheehy (28-9, 103) and Adrian Gonzalez (23-4, 112) in the winner’s circle. The junior Gonzalez, who was back in the lineup after missing the MSL meet, was a regional champion last season at 103 pounds and earned a state medal. Gonzalez defeated junior teammate Jared Parvinmehr in a wrestle-off match during the week to earn his chance.
Parvinmehr moved up to the 119-pound slot, where he advanced with a 16-8 major decision over Jack Eisman of Deerfield.
“It was a tough week for sure, but I know that with me at 119, I can help solidify our lineup and make us that much stronger for the state dual series when that gets started after the tournament in Champaign in two weeks,” said Parvinmehr, who before this weekend was the state’s No. 2-rated 112-pounder.
The trio of Danny Sabatello of Stevenson, Luke Smith of Wheeling and Hersey’s Jeff Koepke showed why they are No. 1 in the state at their respective weight classes.
Koepke (41-2) dominated at 160 pounds, finishing off Barrington junior Cameron Thomson (35-8) with a fall at 5:40 to capture the Huskies’ third and final regional title — joining Stephfon Scales (41-2) at 119 and sophomore Hunter Rollins (38-5) at 152.
“Just getting ready for the second of three important weekends of wrestling,” said Koepke, a senior whose victory sent the two-time state qualifier into one of the nastiest weight divisions of the Barrington sectional that will include No. 2 Josh Anthony (Harlem), No. 6 Kean Loupee (Crystal Lake South) and No. 9 Joey Caprio (Rolling Meadows).
Rollins rebounded from a second-place finish at the MSL tourney to win his first postseason title, beating Barrington junior Michael Lurz 13-3, who was in the lineup for the injured Nick Shealy.
“If there is such a thing as a good loss, then losing to (Brandon) Thompson (Prospect) in my final last weekend came at a perfect time for me,” Rollins said.
Ten area wrestlers took a precarious route to the Barrington sectional, recording victories in the consolation bracket to qualify.
Fremd’s 2010 state qualifier Ronnie Hauser (29-7) edged Barrington’s Steven Polasik (27-12) by a 5-3 decision in his third-place bout.
“It was really nervewracking to be in that match, and it wasn’t an easy one, but I got through, and that’s all that matters,” said Hauser, a junior who lost a tough 3-2 match to Lake Zurich’s Alex Nigro (24-9) in the semifinals.
“I knew (Hauser) was strong and liked to tie up, but I felt I was able to shoot on him pretty easy,” Nigro said.
Nigro, who dropped his final to Deerfield’s Lenny Bloom (37-1) will join Bears freshman Sean Lynch (130, 19-4) and senior Zach Ullman (31-6) at 145 in the sectional.
Ullman was sent packing into the backdraw after a 5-4 loss to eventual runner-up Dakota Wapotish (Barringon, 33-7). But Ullman used a 7-0 decision and fall at 1:18 over Stevenson’s Justin Weber (26-16) to secure a sectional spot.
“It was a very tough at 145, and I feel fortunate to advance in a group which could see all 3 of us qualify into the state tournament,” said Ullman.
Lynch fell short in his final against Buffalo Grove junior Jordan Rathje (24-6) by the score of 6-0, while teammate Eugene Blackmon (26-5) was runner-up to Gonzalez.
Wheeling’s Luke Smith (37-0) won his fourth straight regional, and cousin Mike Smith (31-8, 145) took his second title in as many weeks.
The Wildcats’ Chris Johnson (34-2) won his second straight regional title after a hard-fought 3-1 decision over Willie Goldberg (36-5), the second time this season the No. 5 rated Johnson has beaten the No. 9-ranked Highland Park senior by the same score.
The defending state champion Sabatello (35-0) gave the Patriots their only titlist, but three other seniors qualified — Marc Futterman (152), Ken Waks (25-14, 171) and Brandon Weber (32-6, 215).
“I still a lot of work to do, and some film ahead of me before the sectional begins on Friday,” said Sabatello.
Weber, the No. 2 seed and sixth-rated 215-pounder, was stunned in the semifinals by No. 3 Jason Olson (Hersey, 34-9). Weber was forced to win 2 matches in the backdraw, his second a 5-1 victory in the third-place match over Daniel Davidson (Barrington, 28-13).
“I didn’t finish my shots in my match with (Olson) and (it) cost me, but it was a real good wake-up call for me,” said Weber, who was third last weekend at the North Suburban Conference tournament.
Hersey’s Fred Scales saw his career end when Barrington junior Ryan Wilt (27-13) pinned the senior at 2:30 in the third-place match at 189 pounds.
“It’s always tough seeing such a great kid like Fred being eliminated,” said Strobl, who watched Broncos seniors Connor Mannina (28-8, 125), Michael Weisshappel (21-8, 171) and Polasik fail to qualify.