Meadows qualifies nine to sectional
After school cancellations and disruptions because of the blizzard Tuesday, the Class 3A Notre Dame wrestling regional went off without a hitch Saturday.
Host Notre Dame captured the championship with 221 points. Rolling Meadows grabbed second with 203.5, New Trier was third at 144.00 and Prospect (136) took fourth.
“We’ve got some work to do, but I was pleased,” said Notre Dame head coach Augie Genovesi. “We got some good kids here. They are good listeners and for the most part have bought into the team philosophy. We’re going to be underdogs going into Barrington next week. If we play our cards right, we can go with anyone (in the state). We have to take one match at a time.”
Notre Dame (29-1) advanced wrestlers in 11 weight classes, and eight competed for first place.
“(Notre Dame) just kept winning,” said Rolling Meadows coach Dave Froehlich. “In all my years coaching here, I don’t remember having five champs. We had two guys with losing records do really well, and one of them (senior Tom Devona 11-18) went through to sectionals. This is really what it’s all about at this point in the season. I’m hoping we can get some people down state.”
The Mustangs, who set a school record by going 21-3 this season, reached a milestone by sending nine wrestlers to the Barrington sectional.
Mustangs junior 103-pounder Aaron Kohlberg (32-4) led things off by beating Notre Dame’s Matt Sommers 7-5 for the title. Senior Zurabi Khornauli (125 pounds) defeated Notre Dame’s Sean Heneghan 9-7; senior Kory Jauch (135) beat St. Viator’s Elliot Hilgert 18-2; senior Matt Herff (145) earned an 8-4 decision over New Trier’s Devonte Reed; and junior Jordan Diaz (215 pounds) won by fall in 4:42 over Prospect’s Max Triveline. All claimed titles.
“I’ve never won a tournament before,” said Herff (35-10). “We have to drill really hard this week. I have to get my head into it so I’m mentally prepared for Barrington. I think we’ll have some state qualifiers this year.”
Other Mustangs qualifiers were junior Joe Caprio (second at 160 pounds); senior Devona (third at 171), senior Chris Sanchez (third at 112) and senior Martin Markovski (third at 285).
Prospect (14-12) sent six to the sectional.
“The MSL conference match prepared us well,” said Prospect head coach Tom Whalen. “I’m really pleased with having six in the finals. (Brandon) Thompson and (Mike) Geweniger wrestled phenomenal. We’ll find out what our (sectional) draw is soon. I hope to send some of our guys to Champaign.”
Thompson, a senior, beat Notre Dame’s Joe Cortese 6-3 at 152 pounds, and Geweniger (189) defeated Loyola’s John McPike 8-2 to take regional crowns.
The Knights also advanced four second-place finishers — sophomore Josh Boggess (130), senior Joe Randazzo (140), junior Max Triveline (215) and senior Terry Thomas (285).
“I thought I’d have a shot in the beginning of the season, but I didn’t know how it would turn out,” said Geweniger (25-17). “I knew if I wrestled smart that it could happen. We have all the building blocks in place to make some people state qualifiers. I’m confident and looking forward to see who my next opponent is.”
St. Viator junior Elliot Hilgert (27-13) advanced to the sectionals after falling 18-2 in the 135-pound final Rolling Meadows’ Jauch.
“The kids wrestled as hard as they could, and that’s all you can ask for,” said Viator coach Jeff Kramarczyk. “I’m extremely happy with the way we ended the season. Our 135-pounder (Hilgert) is a hard wrestler. He’s on the hill of being a great wrestler. This is sort of his coming-out party. He’s really turning it up on the mat right now.”
At York
Lyons racked up 213.5 points to run away with the team title at the Class 3A York wrestling regional.
Leyden was fifth with 138. Leyden’s sectional qualifiers included junior Jake McCabe (30-8), who won the 125-pound title; junior Jesse McCabe (29-10), who was second at 130; senior Andy Nguyen (28-11), champion at 140; senior Stephan Kunca (30-8), champion at 160 and senior Tramon Thomas (25-6), third at 215.