Wrestling/Scouting Fox Valley at state
CLASS 3A
Where: Assembly Hall, Champaign
When: Friday: 8:30 a.m. (first-round matches), 6 p.m. (quarterfinals); Saturday: 9:30 a.m. (semifinals), 4:30 p.m. (3rd and 5th place matches, 6:30 p.m. (finals)
Weight watching: 103- Austin Ryan (Jacobs, 32-7), Aaron Kohlberg (Rolling Meadows, 35-5), No. 1 Matt Garelli (Fenwick, 43-1), Jordan Northrup (Harlem, 39-4), Ryan Conlin (Marist, 27-5), Jon Marmolejo (Glenbard North, 41-4): The rookie sensation is on the nastiest side of this superb overall bracket, and will open with No. 4 Marmolejo, then if successful, feeds into No. 1 Garelli.
“For sure, Austin has a tough bracket, but he has all season long, but he’s risen to the occasion all throughout his first season with us, and has helped set the bar for the rest of the team by his example and leadership in the room,” says Jacobs head coach Chris Taylor, who had to be impressed with how his top guy went after No. 2 Northrup last weekend in the final at Barrington. In a weight class normally dominated by freshmen and sophomores, this year there are 7 upperclassmen including Garelli, who in 2010 was a junior national freestyle champion.
112 - Nick Fontanetta (Crystal Lake South, 39-0), Israel Santiago (Warren, 23-6), Johnny Gosinski (Glenbard North, 43-2), Angelo San Juan (Glenbard East, 36-7), Trayvon Zabala (Joilet Central, 37-4), Sebastian Pique (Hinsdale South, 40-1), Nate Smith (Chicago Austin, 20-7): The No. 1 rated Fontanetta appears to have a clear path into the finals from the top half of his bracket, but the Gators’ junior will not allow himself to get into that conversation after his stunning second-round loss last season here.
“I can say now that I maybe took things for granted last year, expecting to get into the final then getting stuck and pinned by (Demechico) Spragins (Belleville West) in the quarters, and ending my dream to win the 103-pound title,” Fontanetta said. “Since that match, I have worked as hard as I could, doing all the extra work to get myself ready for this season.” Since suffering his only loss of his high school career, Fontanetta has reeled off 43-straight, including 3 consecutive postseason titles to help earn him the top-seed here, and a first-round match with Smith from the Chicago Public League. Next up would be the No. 3 rated Gosinski in tonight’s quarterfinals.
125 - Trent Atkins (Cary-Grove, 27-7), Danny Sabatello (Stevenson, 38-0), Eddie Klimara (Providence, 37-0), Nicholas Drendel (Aurora West, 38-0), Steve Galliardo (St. Patrick, 43-0), Dylon Viglasky (Belleville West, 41-3): The sophomore from Cary-Grove finds himself in the land of the giants in his first trip to Champaign, with no less than 4 medalists in this 16-man field, including the 4 top seeds arriving with a dazzling 156-0 record. Atkins’ first bout this morning will be against the ESCC champ Galliardo, back for the second time in as many years, and someone who should continue through the championship bracket, making it easier for the young Trojan to stay alive in the consolation bracket.
130 - Corey Meyer (Cary-Grove, 29-8), Luke Gaeth (Libertyville, 36-11) Matt Ornoff (Mundelein, 33-6), Jordan Rathje (Buffalo Grove, 27-8), Jesse McCabe (Leyden, 32-11), Joey Gosinski (Glenbard North, 41-2), Jameson Oster (Lockport, 17-1), Drew Bates (Lyons, 24-5), Jimmy Nehls (Downers Grove North, 39-5), Sean Raddatz (Marist, 28-9): Never lacking for confidence, the Trojans’ captain likes were he sits in his bracket, and is looking forward to his opener against the 4-time state qualifier Nehls, who finished 3rd last season at 125 pounds.
“Hey, everyone is good here, in fact, there isn’t an easy opponent all throughout the bracket. But right now, I am wrestling at my highest level of the season, and if I go, and stay with my game plan, then I will have an excellent chance to advance, and stay alive in the championship bracket,” Meyer said. Should the senior get past Nehls, a likely second-round opponent would be No. 6 Raddatz, whom he lost to in the finals of the Moore-Prettyman. On the top of this side of things awaits the No. 1 seed Gosinski and No. 7 Bobby Zabel of Minooka.
140 - Tom Gerszewski (Crystal Lake South, 38-7), Luke Smith (Wheeling, 40-0), Blaise Butler (Boylan, 39-1), Brian Murphy (Glenbard North, 39-2), Tyler Argue (Mt. Carmel, 37-7), Leo Ruettinger (Minooka, 28-6): The Gators’ star progressed so quickly and would reach his goal of getting downstate after a superb weekend at the Barrington sectional led to a third-place medal behind the two best in the state in No. 1 Smith and No. 2 Butler. Gerszewski opens play this morning against a gritty southside performer in Ruettinger, who qualified last season, and would later help lead Minooka to the 3A team title. The junior finds himself on the toughest side of the bracket, with Butler, No. 3 Murphy and No. 4 Argue all there and waiting to fight it out for a place in Saturday night’s final.
160 - Kean Loupee (Crystal Lake South, 36-5), Cody Pych (South Elgin, 38-4), Jeff Koepke (Hersey, 44-2), T.J. Parker (Warren, 37-6), Josh Anthony (Harlem, 31-3), Malik Taylor (Brother, Rice, 26-1), Justin Valencia (Granite City, 38-8), Josh Anthony (Harlem, 31-3), Angelo Rivera (DeLaSalle, 36-5), Kalvin Hill (Minooka, 22-1): Loupee is back for a second consecutive time, and is armed with plenty of confidence after the experience of going 1-2 last February, including a less-than-sparkling first-round loss to Joe Strocchia from Hinsdale Central.
“That’s the match that I would have wanted to (do over) because I was so nervous, but I thought I did a good job of getting back to wrestling the way I knew I could by pinning Anaya (from Downers Grove South) in my next match before dropping a 1-0 match to Josh Ronne (Libertyville),” said Loupee.
The senior is familiar with his first-round opponent from a previous match at the Sycamore Invite, where he majored Valencia (16-5). If Loupee duplicates that result, he will likely take on No. 3 (Taylor) who is a two-time state medalist. “My goal all along is to place, and as a senior, I know is the last chance that I’ll have to do,” says Loupee, “so I am going to make the most of my opportunities this weekend.”
The arrival of Pych to the tournament is just the second for the Storm in their short history, yet it came with a bit of drama after the junior fell ill after winning his first regional title two weeks ago.
“Cody began to feel terrible after regionals, and we really began to think the worse when he didn’t practice for two days, then missed school (altogether) last Wednesday,” said South Elgin coach Mark Cameron. “But that day off seemed to be just what he needed, and although he had some trouble breathing (through his nose) at sectionals, he went out and did what he had to do, and that was to win his first two matches to qualify.”
Pych is on the opposite side of Loupee, in the top half of the bracket where Nos. 1, 4 and 5 (Koepke, Anaya, Hill) reside. But he faces a first-round opponent (Rivera) whom both he and Cameron saw when the Storm competed at the Leyden Invite in early January.
“Cody couldn’t go that weekend, but we saw some things that day (with) Rivera, which should help us prepare for that first match,” said Cameron. A victory would send Pych against Hill, who is making his third consecutive appearance here.
171- Josh Symbal (Huntley, 34-10), Pat Felde (Schaumburg, 34-7), Eddie Scanlon (Wheeling, 29-11), Pablo Mata (Mundelein, 24-9), Steve Congenie (Willowbrook, 30-1), Sam Brooks (Oak Park-River Forest, 25-3), Jahwon Akui (St. Rita, 26-0), Julius Johnson (Proviso West, 22-4): The first trip to Champaign for the junior from Huntley finds him surrounded by one of top divisions in the tournament this weekend, including a trio of 2010 state champions (Congenie, Brooks, Akui) who have a combined 81-4 record, with 2 of Brooks’ losses coming at the hands of Akui. Symbal opens up against No. 10-ranked Johnson, who earned a tournament crown from the Hinsdale South, and a victory over the senior would send Symbal against Congenie, who won it all last season at 152.
“We don’t know a whole lot about our first opponent (Johnson), but we hear he is real quick, and probably likes to throw (if) given the chance,” said Red Raiders coach BJ Bertelsman. “But Josh is tough on the mat, especially on top, and if he wins that first one, he gets a chance at the state champ (Congenie) and that’s all you can ask for.
“The four sectional champs and (Brooks) are so tough, and it will be hard to crack the top six, but anything can happen at the state tournament, and it usually does.”
CLASS 2A
Friday: 11 a.m. first-round matches, 6 p.m. quarterfinals
Saturday: 9:30 semifinals, 4:30 p.m. third-place matches, 6:30 p.m. finals
Outlook: Burlington Central advanced five into the quarterfinals of wrestlebacks Saturday evening at the highly competitive Rochelle sectional, but the Rockets were only able to send just one downstate in the person of junior Johnny Major (34-9) who returns for the second time in three seasons under coach Tony Rigitano.
“Johnny kept his head up (high) and battled as hard as he could to make his way back into contention by winning four wrestleback matches to earn another trip downstate,” said Rigitano. “He has without a doubt been our leader, and the heart and soul of this team this year, and I cannot tell you how happy I was for him when he won that third-place match to guarantee his spot in the state tournament this weekend.”
“It feels real good to back in Champaign this weekend, but I have to admit it wasn’t easy to wrestle those four matches on Saturday,” said the two-year BC captain, who admits he felt the extra added weight on his shoulders during his state qualifying match with Jared Glascock of Morton, which he won by a 5-2 decision.
Majors says his 135-pound state bracket is a tough one, and should be, when theoretically, the best 12 in the state are competing under one roof inside Assembly Hall.
Majors’ opener will be against Lakes senior Tyler Booth (33-10) with a victory sending him straight into No.1 Chris Williams (Civic Memorial, 39-1), a four-time state qualifier and runner-up last season at 130 pounds.
“Williams is the man, but if I get (to) him on my side of the bracket, then I am that much closer to a medal,” said Majors.
CLASS 1A
Friday: 11 a.m. first-round matches, 6 p.m. quarterfinals
Saturday: 9:30 semifinals, 4:30 p.m. third-place matches, 6:30 p.m. finals
Outlook: St. Edward heavyweight Evan Finnane (22-12) will be hunting for the 11th state medal in Green Wave history and the program’s first since 2002, when Ron Pena carried home fourth place at 285 pounds.
“It might be the first time in six or seven years that someone has gone downstate in wrestling, and my friends in school are all asking me how I am going to do, so they are all excited for me,” said the junior, who becomes the first member in a wrestling family to punch his ticket to Champaign. “But I am really thrilled to be there, and competing for a possible state medal.
“My dad wrestled at (Glenbard South), then in college, and he inspired my brother Shane (now at West Point) and that’s one of the big reasons that I took up the sport.”
Finnane opened his sectional tournament at Plano with a hard-fought 10-8 decision over Trent Bowers, and later wrestled back to a fourth-place finish before getting another solid six minutes of wrestling and defeating Denzil Wilson (Prairie Central) to secure his advancement and set-up a final match with Spencer Butler, the No. 5-rated heavyweight from Wilmington.
“I thought I had a terrific first period, and I was feeling good heading into the second period, but I made a quick mistake, and it was over — he got me on my back and pinned me at 3:15,” recounted Finnane, who will open things up on Friday morning against Alex Wilson (31-9, Rock Island Alleman).
“Everyone in the tournament are big, strong boys, so I just have to be ready from the very beginning, and go out there and give it my best.”
A first-round victory would feed Finnane into Tanner Crum (Mount Carmel), who was third here last season and is a four-time state qualifier.