W. Aurora’s Drendel has Saturday showdown
CHAMPAIGN — The wrestling gods have delivered at 125 pounds after the first day of the Class 3A individual state tournament.
West Aurora senior Nicholas Drendel was never threatened in extending his season-long winning streak to 40 matches with his pair of wins.
The defending state runner-up will face Providence Catholic senior Eddie Klimara in the semifinals this morning.
Klimara improved to 39-0 with his two wins; he was runner-up at 119 pounds last year for the Celtics.
Stevenson senior Danny Sabatello, who vanquished Klimara for the title last season, is in the other 125-pound semifinal.
Therefore, there will be no lack of drama at the University of Illinois’ Assembly Hall on the final day of the individual wrestling season.
“I have to stick to my game plan and keep (Klimara) guessing,” said Drendel. “I just think I have to go out there and wrestle him tough.”
“I’m sure it’s going to be a great matchup,” said West Aurora coach Mike DiNovo. “(Drendel) scored a lot of points in both of his matches. He had two quality wins.”
In the largest-school division on Friday morning, St. Charles East freshman Isaiah Vela was the only other local athlete to win both of his matches.
The 119-pounder will have a formidable task this morning in the person of Loves Park Harlem senior Derek Elmore, who is the top seed, sporting a 43-1 record.
Vela dispatched Elk Grove junior Alex Mertes with a stunning 19-7 verdict in his opening match.
“I was able to get back points when I needed them,” Vela said.
Vela then turned back Joliet Central senior Carlos Garcia in the quarterfinals.
“I knew I could beat all those kids — at least hang with them,” said Vela.
“(Vela) is something special,” said St. Charles East coach Steve Smerz. “He’s wrestling like we knew he’s capable of.”
Two of the other local contenders are still alive in the consolation bracket after first-round wrestle-back victories.
Batavia senior Augie Watson was on the verge of having his standout four-year career come to a close at 152 pounds.
Trailing 6-2 with the final minute looming, Watson turned disaster into triumph, literally reversing his position against Hersey sophomore Hunter Rollins and recording a fall with 59 seconds remaining.
“He made a mistake, and I capitalized on it,” said Watson. “I wasn’t wrestling as aggressively as I should have been. My defense wasn’t working.”
West Aurora senior Miguel Venecia also won his consolation match with a convincing victory at 130 pounds.
Brandon Walz and Greg Jacquez, the Blackhawks’ two other qualifiers, had their individual seasons come to a close.
The same fate befell St. Charles’ Nick Ruffino and Tim Noverini.
The latter, the first two-time state qualifier in St. Charles North history, had his season end with back-to-back losses at 145 pounds.
Ruffino, the three-time Upstate Eight Conference champion for St. Charles East, lost his consolation match in overtime.
“You have to give the opponent (Chicago Mather senior Nikko Liotta) some credit for taking away his offense,” said Smerz.
Marmion has major plans to extend its number of program state champions after advancing six individuals into the Class 2A semifinals.
Jonny Jimenez began the Cadets’ express at 103 pounds; the freshman was later followed by Jered Cortez (112 pounds), George Fisher (119), defending state champion Ben Whitford (130), Bryce Brill (135) and heavyweight Alex Fritz.
“All I have been doing the whole year has been preparing for (the state tournament),” said Fisher.
Angelo Silvestro, the Cadets’ sectional champion at 140 pounds, was denied a takedown in the last five seconds of his 9-8 loss to Sterling senior Tyler Balsley.
“I feel bad for Angelo,” said Marmion coach Dean Branstetter. “He works hard in the classroom, he works hard on the mat — he can’t catch a stinking break down here. That’s two years in a row something bad has happened at the end.”
Kaneland heavyweight Jimmy Boyle was knocked into the consolation bracket with his loss by fall.
Burlinton Central junior Johnny Major (35-10) is still in search of a medal at 135 pounds after going 1-1 on his day, which included an opening round victory (6-3) over Tyler Booth (33-11) from Lakes in Lake Villa.
“It felt real good to get my first victory down here,” said Major, who was winless here in his rookie season under coach Tony Rigitano, two years ago.
“Johnny has worked real hard to get back to the state tournament, and very happy to see him get that first-round win as well,” said the Rockets’ Rigitano.
Major would later get thumped by No. 1 Chris Williams (Civic Memorial, 43-1) who appears on the fast track to his first state title, after earning a trio of medals in his 3 previous tournament appearances.
The Rockets’ captain’s fate now lies in the back-draw, which begins today at 12:30.