South Elgin's Pych brothers shine at UEC meet
A matchup Saturday of 170-pound wrestlers both ranked in the top 5 in the state highlighted the Upstate Eight Conference meet at Bartlett.
Fifth-ranked South Elgin senior Cody Pych beat fourth-ranked Connor Swier of Neuqua Valley for the second time in less than two weeks, winning by fall in 2:24 in the championship match.
“I feel good right now,” Pych said. “Going into regionals, hopefully hitting my peak.”
Pych (27-3) won 3-2 a decision over Swier (30-3) in the team's dual meet last week. In Saturday's match, the pair wrestled to a scoreless first period. Swier choose to start the second period on the mat and Pych quickly got Swier on has his back, earning the fall 24 seconds into the second period. Pych, who won the conference title last season at 160, did not lose in Upstate Eight competition this season.
“He was staying still. He wasn't moving,” Pych said of second-period action. “He had his head down and that just opened up my offense.”
Pych's junior brother Cory also went unbeaten in UEC action, completing the feat by beating Bartlett's Anthony Zipparro, 3-0, in the 113-pound championship match for his first conference title. Cory Pych (23-6), who pinned his first two tournament opponents, finished second his freshman year and third last year as a sophomore.
“It feels really good to finally win one,” Cory Pych said. “My goal is to go to state. This is just a stepping strong to get there.”
“It's always fun watching your little brother win and pump you up for your match,” said Cody, who wrestled about an hour and half after his brother.
The highest-ranked wrestler at the meet was Lake Park senior Blake Santi, who is ranked No. 1 at 138 pounds. Santi scored a technical fall victory and a 9-3 decision to reach the championship match against East Aurora's Nestor Rodriguez. Santi (33-3) beat Rodriguez, 9-1, in the title match for his first UEC crown. He finished second last year at 135 pounds and third his sophomore year.
“I've got to enjoy it now, but have to look forward to regionals,” Santi said. “That's the next goal. I'm going to have tough competition there.”
Santi knows the expectations that come with such a lofty ranking.
“There is a little bit of pressure because when you're at a higher ranking, even though rankings don't always mean anthying, everyone is trying to knock you down and come after you,” Santi said. “I just have to keep wrestling tough and not let it get to my head or anything like that.”
Sanit's victory helped Lake Park go a perfect 3-for-3 in championship matches. The Lancers' Austin Schoen dominated the 126-pound division. Schoen (10-1), a junior, won his first two matches by falls and then scored a 19-3 technical fall victory over Waubonsie Valley's Andrian Morrison in the championship match.
Lake Park's Farai Sewera continued his impressive season by claiming the 160 title. Sewera (32-1), who is ranked No. 5, beat Waubonsie Valley's Elton Manuel 7-3 in the championship match.
Metea Valley's Eddie Gonzalez cruised to crown at 145 pounds. Gonzalez (30-1), a sophomore, won a technical fall and advance in the semifinal finals by default. He pinned Geneva's Mark Henriksen in 3:32 in the title match.
The host Hawks had one champion. Junior Sal Annoreno earned his second UEC title by beating Waubonsie Valley's Jimmy Davis, 10-2, in the championship match. Annoreno (29-3) won the at 119 pounds last season.
“It feels great. A good feeling going into regionals,” Annoreno said.
St. Charles North's Tim Noverini is ranked fourth at 145 but went up a weight class to 152 for the conference meet. The senior scored a 5-1 victory over Neuqua Valley's Matt Slavik, who is ranked 11th at 152, in the championship match. Noverini beat Slavik in the 145 championship match last season.
“I kind of exhausted myself in the first match (a 15-0 technical fall victory),” said Noverini, who won by fall in 2:40 in the semifinals. “These guys aren't weak so they don't go over easily.”
Noverini said he is undecided on which weight class he will participate in the IHSA postseason.
Geneva's Brad Martens (28-4) also went up a weight class to 120 and captured the title. Martens, who is honorable mention at 113, beat Streamwood's Alex Curtis (22-7) by an 11-6 decision in the championship match.
Neuqua Valley was in six title matches, all in the top seven weight classes, winning four championships.
The Wildcats' Nick Parker (27-11) held off Bartlett's Tom Gbean (20-8) for an 11-10 victory in the 182-pound title match. Neuqua's Vince Marrone earned a 5-2 victory over Geneva's Jake Boser at 195.
The Wildcats' Casey Greenberg (31-5) won the 220 crown on an injury default. South Elgin's DJ Greene (17-9) scored a first-period takedown, but his right knee was rolled on, forcing Greene to default at 1:06.
Neuqua's Andrew Geers, ranked fourth, finished the meet by beating Waubonsie's Adam Szott 4-0. Geers, a junior, is now 29-2 after winning his second UEC crown. He also won the heavyweight division last year.
“It's another great feeling just like last year,” Geers said. “Now it's regional, sectional and state. Everything has been about getting ready for these for tournaments. I feel like I'm peaking when I need to be peaking.”
At 103 pounds, St. Charles East's Ryan Rubino avoided a first-period fall from Elgin's Jeffery Morrow (25-3) and then dominated the final two periods for a 17-9 victory to earn the title.
“Very pleased with the way I wrestled. I had a good tournament,” said Rubino (26-3), who had a technical fall and a fall in 2:36 in his first two matches.
No team score was kept at the 14-team meet as Neuqua Valley (Valley) and Batavia (River) were crown division winners previously based on dual-meet records.