For openers, Marmion shows its toughness
Marmion had few issues with its three opponents at its annual wrestling quadrangular on Saturday in Aurora.
The nationally-ranked program dispatched fellow Chicago Catholic League rivals St. Rita and Marist, in the words of coach Donny Reynolds, "by about 50 points."
DuPage Valley Conference power Wheaton North did likewise to the two city programs.
But the Falcons would have few solutions for the Cadets in the final dual meet of the day.
"Marmion is very good," Wheaton North coach Travis Cherry said after the Cadets downed his squad 51-16 in the final match. "Compliments to coach Reynolds and the rest of his staff. I think they're going to do some special things at the end of the year."
The unquestioned match of the day came between St. Rita three-time state champion Austin O'Connor and Harvard-bound AJ Jaffe of Marmion.
One of five Division-I recruits for Marmion (3-0), Jaffe bumped up a weight class to challenge O'Connor at 145 pounds.
"Coming into the weekend, I knew I wanted another shot at him," said Jaffe. "He is also a good friend but a really tough guy. We have had a rivalry every since we were little kids. It came down to the end and, unfortunately, it didn't go my way. Now I have to go back to the drawing board."
"It was a great match between two kids who are both ranked No. 1 in the state," Reynolds said of the O'Connor 3-point decision. "There was a lot of action."
Jaffe holds the same distinction as O'Connor in Class 3A at 138 pounds.
Nathan Traxler is also ranked No. 1 in the state for Marmion at 195 pounds. The reigning 182-pound state champion had nothing but pins in his three matches Saturday.
"I have six falls and one major decision," the Stanford-bound Traxler said of his seven matches on the season. "Right now, I am just trying to keep on improving. I am trying to prove to everyone that I am force to be reckoned with in Illinois."
Traxler has not lost to an in-state opponent since dropping the third-place state match his sophomore year. The St. Charles resident is ranked in the top five in the nation at 195 pounds.
The 160-pound collision between Marmion and Wheaton North featured returning state qualifiers Trace Carello and Devin Donovan. Carello, a returning all-stater headed to the Air Force Academy, had the only offensive points in a 3-2 tactical struggle.
"My focus is to be one of the best in the country," Carello said. "My goal is a state championship as an individual and as a team as well."
Reynolds was pleased with the Cadets' progression as the day progressed.
"I think the first two meets we came out a little flat," Reynolds said of the matches against St. Rita and Marist. "We came out with a little more fire in the last dual meet against Wheaton North. The boys wrestled a little bit harder."
Wheaton North 220-pounder Robert Wall had the highlight of the Falcons' match against Marmion with a first-period fall. The senior was undefeated on the day in leading the DVC traditional power.
"Everyone was wrestling really well, and we came out tough," Wall said of the Falcons' triumphs over the two city schools. "I just looked for the opportunity (against my Marmion opponent) and I got it. My drill partners help me in the (practice) room."
"We wrestled well," Cherry said of the Falcons' respective 57-18 and 43-16 victories over St. Rita and Marist. "We put ourselves in situations to take guys down."
Brendan Gambill was instrumental to the Falcons' twin wins over the two Catholic League schools with falls.
"I came out strong," the 170-pounder said.
Wheaton North is 3-3 on the infant season.
The Falcons are particularly strong in the lower to middle weights as Jamie Saurez, who earned a rare victory against Marmion, Jalen Griffin, Bryce Thurston and Frankie Indelli all have legitimate all-state candidacies at 120, 126, 132 and 138 pounds, respectively.