Barrington can take pride in memorable season
When powerhouse Sandburg ended Barrington's season in the IHSA state team quarterfinals Saturday in Bloomington, the Broncos suffered their only defeat in one of the most memorable campaigns in program history.
“I didn't know what to expect this season after losing so many great guys from the year before, but I also knew we had a terrific core of guys returning along with a solid group ready to step in who had been training so hard after sitting behind seniors who graduated,” said Broncos coach Alex Strobl, who is leaving his coaching position to prepare with his wife, Betsy, for the birth of twins in mid-May.
“We may have been overlooked a little bit at the start, but this group really came together to become not only a championship team but also a group of kids that was a joy to coach.”
The Broncos' brilliant two-year run included a 61-5 overall record, a Mid-Suburban League title this season, back-to-back regional crowns and their first-ever state trophy — fourth place in 2010.
“There's a lot of moments during these past two years that are unforgettable, but I can honestly say our victory over Notre Dame in the sectionals to help us qualify into the state tournament might be the biggest highlight for me,” Strobl said.
The former Lake Zurich star and two-time state champion described how the Broncos overcame injuries to key starters to defeat the Dons in resounding fashion to earn their state berth.
“Dakota (Wapotish) and Jared (Parvinmehr) were really banged up and each came through with big wins that night, and just as it has gone throughout the season, so many others did what they had to do to make that a fantastic night for our program,” Strobl said.
Newcomers who made an instant impact for the Broncos included Cameron Thomson (39-9), Ryan Wilt (33-16), Daniel Davidson (29-13) and Michael Lurz (17-5), who all recorded victories against Sandburg. They are expected to return next season, along with Parvinmehr (34-9) and two-time state medalist Adrian Gonzalez.
The Broncos' new coach has not been announced.
Magnificent Mid-Suburban:
Fans of Mid-Suburban League wrestling will fondly look back on the 2011 state tournament after Luke Smith of Wheeling and Schaumburg's Josh Marchok ran the table to go a combined 82-0 en route to capturing state championships.
MSL competitors brought home seven medals, including a second-place finish by Wheeling senior Chris Johnson — who began as a raw freshman 4 years ago and quickly rose to become a dominating figure during his sensational two-year run as an uppeerclassman.
“Most kids who you see competing in the state finals usually have worked their way through the club and through the ranks of the IKWF and IESA, but Chris wasn't really a part of those organizations,” said Wildcats coach Neal Weiner. “He basically started from scratch, so I never thought he would eventually be in the Grand March and competing for a state championship. That's what makes all of his accomplishments that much more impressive.”
As a sophomore competing behind Wildcats star 189-pounder Danny Vargas, an undersized Johnson still managed to be a sectional qualifier at 215 pounds while winning 30 matches. Last season, he went 41-6 en route to earning a sixth-place state medal.
His senior campaign finally ended when Lockport's Brad Johnson prevailed 9-2 in the 189-pound final.
“Chris is such a great, hard-working kid, but he came to us technically not sound and with little wrestling experience,” Weiner said. “But he is so bright and he was such a sponge that he picked things up so fast. Suddenly, we really had something special with him.”
“I remember thinking after he won 30 matches as this unfinished sophomore, how special he could become once he's back wrestling at the weight he belongs (189) and with another year under his belt of training and competition,” said Wildcats assistant J.P. Akouri, who with Vargas proved to be persons that Johnson looked to for inspiration and guidance.
“Chris has such great character and a work ethic second-to-none, and I really feel like his best wrestling is still ahead of him,” said Akouri, a state medal-winner for the Wildcats in 2004.
Determined to become a mechanical engineer, Johnson's 5.30 GPA and his success on the mats have brought interest from Northwestern and Illinois for the Wildcats' sixth multi-state medalist in school history.
Sizing up the sectionals:
Which sectional was the toughest? The Downers Grove North venue featured six competitors who won state titles — including Schaumburg's Josh Marchok, who earned the first wrestling crown in program history.
Fans of the Barrington sectional could make a case after Wheeling's Luke Smith, Stevenson's Danny Sabatello and Derek Elmore of Machnesney Park Harlem each took a state title among the 17 wrestlers who won medals.
Ranking the sectionals' comparative strengths by eventual state medals won is not always the best indicator. Take the 2005 season.
Then under a two-class system, the IHSA ran eight sectionals to determine the finals field. The Morton sectional produced four eventual state champions.
From Barrington, only Fremd's Robert Panayi 215 pounds took a state title — but 10 wrestlers earned medals. Grant's Jimmy Kennedy and Daniel Dennis, who became superstars at Illinois and Iowa, respectively, joined with teammates John Deneen and Joe Barczak on the podium.
Dave Paramski, who is finishing up at Cornell College, was a medalist for Libertyville (fourth at 135 pounds), and teammate Ted Strychalski was sixth.
Jack Danilkowitz, who is in his final season at Virginia and was a national qualifier at 285, broke through the following year to capture a third-place medal.
MSL medalists inclued Adam Snow (Schaumburg, fourth); Jamie Smith (Wheeling, second); Justin Milos (Prospect, third); Cleo Walker (Fremd, fifth); and future Northwestern starters James Kohlberg (Rolling Meadows, third) and Conant's Dominic Marella, runner-up at 160.
Marella, a brilliant four-year wrestler recently returned from South Korea after undergoing two critical, lengthy surgical procedures to repair a shattered pelvis and multiple internal injuries he suffered during a fall from a third-level walkway of a soccer stadium in Busan.
Marella, a 2010 graduate of Northwestern, was teaching English to young children and was just two months into his stay when this near-fatal event occured.
“I cannot tell you how fortunate I feel to be alive and how all of the prayers and support from family and friends back home helped fuel my recovery and eventual return home,” said Marella, who also suffered a collapsed lung and ruptured diaphram. “I am back home and anxious to get back to training and maybe getting out on the mats one day soon while I begin to sort out what direction I will be going and in what venture in the work force I will take.”
Marella, a three-time state qualifier with over 150 victories, watched the recent MSL meet at his alma mater. Despite an obvious limp, he still looked ready for a rematch with Travis Hammons of Chicago Hubbard of their epic final late on that Saturday night Feb. 19.
“I still remember thinking, if I had only finished (my) double leg,” said Marella, who said Hammons' cradle caught him and proved to be the decisive moment in their championship bout.
“Dominic is an incredible young man and will always be one of my favorites of all time here,” said Conant athletic director John Kane, the Cougars' coach at the time.
Marella, who won 26 matches during the 2007-08 season for Northwestern, is currently associated with Warrior Dash, an organization that puts together wild, unique 3-plus-mile obstacle course runs in several North American cities.
Prairie pride:
Montini, Crystal Lake Central and Marmion Academy dominated Class 2A this season.
But the trio from the North Suburban Conference Prairie Division — Antioch, Vernon Hills and Wauconda, along with Grayslake Central from the Fox Valley Conference — grabbed seven top-four medals at the 74th IHSA individual state tournament at the Assembly Hall on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign.
Vernon Hills star Gideon Yim (40-2) completed his career with 142 victories during his 4 years with coach Jerry Miceli. This season, Yim was second behind Carbondale star Zane Richards (45-0), who stormed through the competiton at 125 pounds.
“There isn't much more to say about Gideon that hasn't already been said, except that he's been an unbelievable leader both on and off the mats and has led by example each and everyday during the season,” said Miceli.
The Cougars' coach said that the success of Yim and Jeremy Brazil (runner-up at 285) has helped boost the program.
Grayslake Central's Kevin Hein became a two-time state medalist following his exciting run through the consolation bracket at 215 pounds. He brought home the third-place medal by rallying to beat Chicago Bowen junior Dequence Goodman 8-6 in overtime.
“Of course I am happy for myself, but I am also happy for my teammate Joey Valdivia (third at 189 pounds) and for our entire program which were here to experience what a state tournament is all about and be inspired to go out and work as hard as they can to improve and maybe get here next season,” said Hein (35-11), whose takedown of Goodman completed a dazzling final 15 seconds in which he scored 3 unanswered, decisive points.
Wauconda now has three Class 2A state medalists. Brian Kent (215, 35-2) and Pete Kootstra (160, 37-8) joined 2009 state champion Scott Carlson.
Antioch doubled its Class 2A medal count when junior George Gonzalez (43-6) took home a fourth-place medal at 145 pounds. Two years ago, the Sequoits' Tom Gerstner (171, 37-8) dropped a 5-4 overtime decision to Andrew Brewer (Mahomet-Seymour) in the title bout.
State of the state:
More than a handful of area coaches would like new IHSA director of wrestling Craig Andersen to take a look at these concerns:
1. Three Class 2A regional sites — all Chicago Public League venues — had so few competitors that in some cases athletes advanced with just 1 victory. The coaches contend that at high-profile regionals, winners of 30-35 matches often are eliminated.
2. The historic Assembly Hall is the place where every wrestler wants to compete. But under the three-class system, the arena has become nearly obsolete. What the state tournament needs is 8-10 mats to avoid dreadfully long 6½-hour sessions to open Saturday. A possible solution might be to run both the Class 1A and 2A first-round matches at nearby Huff Hall (where the Illini compete).
3. Start the Grand March and subsequent championships on time and avoid having the 285-pound final completed after 10:30 p.m.