Batavia ends St. Charles East's streak
The St. Charles East Upstate Eight River three-year wrestling winning streak was on life support after Batavia won seven consecutive matches.
Batavia sophomore Joe Posledni made it official four matches later when the 138-pounder outlasted the Saints' Quinn Doherty in a 15-12 free-for-all.
The final two matches were academic Friday night in St. Charles as Batavia captured a surprisingly easy 35-18 victory over the two-time defending league champions.
"We got some talent in our lineup," Batavia coach Scott Bayer said after the Bulldogs (5-6, 2-0) edged closer to .500 in remaining unbeaten in the River. "To me, I knew we could come in here and win this dual."
Posledni, like many wrestlers, has a long memory.
"I was thinking, '(Doherty) beat me last year and I can't let him beat me this year," Posledni said. "All these thoughts were going through my mind (knowing any kind of win would seal the match). 'I can't lose. I'm just going to beat this kid.'"
St. Charles East, which was missing three starters, including returning state qualifier Ramon Lopez - still recuperating from a football injury - fell to 3-4, 2-1.
Keone Derain, the Saints' other returning state veteran, gave St. Charles East a promising start with a technical fall in the match-opening class of 160 pounds.
But the Bulldogs hit the Saints with a 30-0 run behind victories in succession by Derek Nutley, Jake Birkhaug, Noah Frazier, Dylan Uzumecki, Mitch Krusz, Josh Fischer and Dylan Doranski between 170 and 113 pounds.
The Saints' cause was further eroded by having no competitor at heavyweight.
"We knew that's where they're good," St. Charles East coach Jason Potter said of the Bulldogs' upper weights. "It's not a secret, so I'm not letting the cat out of the bag. It's disappointing that for a school this big we don't have anyone who can suck it up and wrestle heavyweight for us."
Doranski gave Batavia a 30-5 lead with his third-period fall at 113 pounds.
"Once I saw all those (teammates) win, I was really hyped," Doranski said. "I was just ready to wrestle, looking for the fall anyway I could get it."
The 120-pound clash featured a showdown between state-ranked contenders in the Bulldogs' lone returning state qualifier, Michael Doranski, and the Saints' unbeaten Anthony Rubino.
The later stayed undefeated on the season with his 10th victory in the 7-2 decision.
But the Saints dearly needed bonus points to reverse the tide. Batavia simply was not cooperating.
St. Charles East extended its run to three in a row behind Niko Derain and D.J. McDermott, but the only bonus point Batavia surrendered was for the wrestling equivalent of a bench technical foul.
Podsledni secured the Bulldogs' win in the next match.