Swider, Murphy get off to good start at state
CHAMPAIGN — A star-studded cast, led by top-ranked headliners Brian Murphy of Glenbard North and Mike Swider from Wheaton North, all won their first-leg matches Thursday as Day One of the state tournament finally came to an end late into the night inside Assembly Hall in Champaign.
Murphy (152 pounds, 28-0) and Swider (220, 42-0) both coming off brilliant sectional performances last weekend at Glenbard North, each ripped through the competition in Class 3A, sending both into today’s quarterfinals. Murphy had far too much pace, power and speed for Matt Slavik of Neuqua Valley in his 11-2 major decision and will face Marist’s Peter Andreotti, who slipped by Libertyville sophomore Kayne MacCullum 3-2.
“We all had a long wait between (weigh-ins) and our first match, but I felt really good, and all that time didn’t seem to affect me as I got a really good six minutes of wrestling in during the my match of the tournament,” said Murphy, state runner-up at 140 last season.
Swider, who stunned the wrestling community by defeating then-No. 1 Josh Marchok of Schaumburg in the sectional finals, eased into his state quarterfinal match with Grant big man Quinton Quarles by pounding Hinsdale Central’s Justin Katzovitz by a major decision 13-2.
State powers Montini and Glenbard North enjoyed a good night of success all the way around, beginning at the lower weights, where the wrestling giants were perfect through 132, with Tommy Pawelski (40-5) leading the way for Montini. The Panthers’ Jered Cortez (44-0), No. 1 in the state at 120 and favored to win his second state title in as many years, hit the mats running in his opener and never looked back.
Senior Chris Gonzalez (113 pounds) is in a key quarterfinal bout with top-rated Mark Duda of Marist this morning, while sophomore Jon Marmolejo (42-5) goes up against another sophomore, Nick Gil of Crystal Lake South, who has lost three close matches this season to No. 1 Zach Synon of Prairie Ridge.
Glenbard East senior Angelo San Juan enjoyed not only his first-round victory, his 40th of the season, but also the atmosphere and experience of this mega-tournament.
“I was excited to be out there tonight, and I feel like I came out and wrestled a very good first match, but the bottom line (is) that this is a great tournament, and it’s great fun for (me) to be a part of it,” said San Juan, who faces Austin Strzelcyk of Lockport this morning.
San Juan’s upbeat attitude must have inspired several of his area rivals, including Glenbard West 120-pounder Rockdrick Smith, Lake Park 160-pounder Farai Sewera, Neuqua Valley’s Connor Swier, WW South 182-pounder Evan Welsh, Naperville Central 195-pounder Ryan Berg and Neuqua big-man Andrew Geers, who shut out Colin Goebel of Naperville North to book his place in the quarters against Dion Wells.
Berg will face downstate star Edwardsville’s Blake Blair in a breakfast special, while Swier meets up with No. 1 Ricky Robertson of Sandburg, a three-time state qualifier and transfer from Mt. Carmel, where he spent his first two seasons.
The news wasn’t as good for others, particularly Blake Santi (38-5), who lost his 145-pound opener to Jim Spangler of Joilet West. His teammate Austin Schoen also lost at 126.
Wheaton North junior Sean Murray put a scare into Belleville West’s Mech Spraggins, who nearly saw his championship hopes erased in the first round, when Murray took the three-time state qualifier and two-time state runner-up right to the brink of wrestlebacks before the Belleville West star held on to grab a 3-2 victory.