Glenbard North’s regional streak hits 11
Saturday’s Class 3A Glenbard North wrestling regional lacked suspense in one regard, but had plenty of drama in another.
The host Panthers easily won their 11th straight regional title 268-180 over second-place Wheaton North. That puts them in the Hinsdale South dual-team sectional later this month.
Glenbard North and Wheaton Warrenville South dominated the championship matches, with the Panthers winning six individual titles and the Tigers four.
The title bouts did provide plenty of excitement, but where the drama really took place was the third-place matches.
Those participating in the championship finals don’t have to worry about where their next wrestling match is coming from. Those in the third-place matches can be done with their seasons in six minutes or less.
Besides qualifying for the dual-team sectional, Glenbard North is sending 10 wrestlers to the Downers Grove North individual sectional that starts Friday. But when you are Glenbard North, expectations are always high. Coach Mark Hahn thought his team could have done better.
“I was not pleased in a lot of places, but I thought in some places we did well,” he said. Hahn said that missing two days of practice because of the blizzard didn’t help matters, but stressed that every team was in that position.”
Going into the championship and third-place matches, Glenbard North had a 71-point lead over Wheaton North, so who was going to dual-team sectionals was pretty much settled. Hahn said that didn’t lessen the intensity of the remaining competition.
“You can not take anything away from an opponent. Individuals still have pride and want to move on and they are going to give you their best match,” he said.
Panthers senior Joey Gosinski, who won his fourth DuPage Valley Conference title the previous week, won his third sectional title with a pin in 1:19 over St. Charles East’s Nick Ruffino.
Gosinski (38-2) started the day winning by falls in 34 and 50 seconds, respectively.
“That’s what it is about, trying to approve every week and getting to state,” he said.
Other sectional champs for the Panthers were Joe Marmolejo (103 pounds), Johnny Gosinski (112), Brayan Gonzalez (119), Brian Murphy (140) and Dan Buyle (285). Second-place finishers were Wade Hazard (125), Tom Collum (135), Dan Eldridge (189) and Zac Durkee (215).
Six Falcons advanced to Downers Grove North, led by sectional champ Mike Swider at 189.
Swider (35-2) edged Glenbard North’s Eldridge 2-0 in the final.
“I want to keep working on my shots (this week in practice). I feel my shots didn’t improve (from conference the previous week),” he said.
Don Hane was second at 145 and Elan Ramos (125), Zach Ewoldt (130), Sean Cleveland (160) and Joel Henley (215) all earned third-place finishes.
Mark Savenok started the Tigers off with a win at 145 and was happy with making a recovery from what he considered a subpar conference meet with a 15-6 major decision over Wheaton North’s Hane.
“I didn’t feel well at conference and my knee was acting up,” he said. “I feel like I’m peaking. I feel great right now.”
Sparty Chino improved his record to 32-1 with a fall over St. Charles North’s San Gustafson in 2:53. He said he just wants to keep what is working for him going.
“I want to be state champ. I’m just trying to wrestle the best way I can. I’m working hard and listening to what the coaches tell me,” he said.
Steve Franke (160) and Joe Hall (215) also won for the Tigers. Evan Welsh was second at 171.
A trio from Glenbard West made it out of Glenbard North.
Zak Hassan won the 125 title. Brendan Gilligan was runner-up at 285. Mike Summerville (189) was third. Summerville had already lost to his third-place match opponent twice this season and was determined not to let it happen again.
“This is a big step,” he said of his 31st win of the season.
For Geneva, Derek Larsen, who finished second at 160, was the top finisher of the four Vikings who qualified for sectionals.
Brad Martens (112), Nick Bradberry (152) and Eric Timko (171) all placed third. Martens prevailed despite taking some lumps during his match and some injury time during his third-place bout.
“We hit heads and I saw stars,” Martens said. “I knew his head hurt because I know mine did. But I was determined to move on. I wrestled in the off-season for this.”
St. Charles East earned one sectional title when Peter Bellino (27-10) beat Glenbard North’s Collum 10-3 to prevail at 135.
“I’m pretty happy. My goal was to make it to sectionals and now I’m going seeded,” Bellino said.
Ruffino was second at 130. Ryan Rubino (103) and Isaiah Veta (119) were third. Rubino had to face his third-place foe for the second time after beating him in his first bout of the day.
“I kept things the same,” he said of the two matches. “But it’s not easy (facing the same foe twice in the same day). He knew what I was going to do and what was coming.”
Willowbrook’s Steve Congenie (27-1) beat WW South’s Welsh by 9-0 major decision to win the 171 title. Congenie returned to the lineup in early December after suffering an ACL tear.
“I feel every day since then that I’ve taken a step up as far as confidence, wrestling ability and endurance,” he said.
Also moving on to Downers Grove North is second-place finisher Dan McLean (140) and Chris Schulte (135), who was third.
Glenbard East’s Angelo San Juan was second at 112 and Andy Smajic was third at 140.
Smajic returned Jan. 6 from an ACL tear.
“Today was a good day. I still have work to do. I’m still trying to get back 100 percent. I’m staying positive and I feel good,” he said.