Wheaton North's Nelson cleans up at regional
Wheaton North senior Duncan Nelson reached unfamiliar wrestling territory Saturday at the Class 3A Leyden individual sectional.
The 2016 state qualifier and previous two-time sectional qualifier was in his first regional final.
After spending last summer improving with an Oak Park-based off-season training program, the opponent was Oak Park-River Forest junior Jack Fisher.
"He's actually my practice partner during the summer so we know each other really well," Nelson said. "It wasn't weird. I expected to see him in the finals. And I think he expected to see me. It was fun."
Nelson (34-5) won 8-1 to be among the Falcons' three champions and 12 qualifiers for the Conant individual sectional with top-three regional finishes.
Wheaton North seniors Devin Donovan (38-2), an all-state sixth in 2016, and Nick Yanan (24-11) also won regional titles at 160 and 285.
Also advancing were second-place seniors Frankie Indelli (38-4), Riley Lomenick (30-11) and Bob Wall (15-6), juniors Natan Jara (21-17), Bo Neidballa (25-11) and Jaime Suarez (28-8) and sophomores Jeff Dowell (16-10) and Quinlan Nelson (16-20) and third-place sophomore Anthony Indelli (25-14).
"We're always working for the postseason," Wheaton North coach Travis Cherry said. "I've got 4-5 seniors that have aspirations of having their hand raised down (at state) on Saturday night. They're still going to work for it and hopefully it ends well for them."
Glenbard West advanced six individuals, Leyden five, Addison Trail three and York two.
Glenbard West senior Charles Faber (37-1), an all-state fifth in 2016 at 113, lost his 120 final 6-5 to OPRF sophomore Eddie Bolivar (18-6) in their first meeting this season. Also second were York junior Justin Miramontes (20-20) at 285, Glenbard West junior Catron Frazier (34-5) at 106 and Addison Trail sophomore Christian Arellano (25-12), who had an injury default during the first period of the 113 final.
The Falcons' great season was ended by OPRF, the three-time defending Class 3A team champion. Ranked No. 11 in 3A by illinoismatmen.com, the Falcons won the DuPage Valley Conference to end Glenbard North's streak of 18 straight titles.
Only regional champions advance to team sectionals, and No. 2 OPRF held off the Falcons 264.5 to 216.5 with Leyden third at 102.
OPRF beat Wheaton North in 8 of 10 head-to-head finals.
"Obviously, they're better and they've been winning it, but there's a lot of teams (among the 16) at team sectionals that we've beaten," Donovan said. "It's kind of discouraging when you look at it, but it is what it is."
In their finals Donovan beat OPRF's Brian Holloway 5-2 and Yanan pinned Miramontes in 1:55. Yanan, 20-25 overall and 0-2 at 285 regionals last year, has bulked up from 220 to 240 pounds.
"(Winning regionals) was definitely a feat. It feels good but I've got to keep the train rolling," Yanan said. "This year it feels good to see that improvement. I'm still giving up weight, but I'm wrestling better."
Faber hopes to become only the second multiple all-stater in Glenbard West history. Senior Patrick Mackey (24-15), juniors Aaron Castellanos (37-10) and Connor Skryd (16-8) and freshman Will Skowronski (28-15) were third Saturday.
Castellanos is a transfer from Downers Grove North, where he was 11-18 overall and 1-2 at regionals last season.
"I've worked really hard to try and improve this much. I do see a difference," Castellanos said. "Just working with Charlie (in practice) has pushed me a lot. He's telling me to go hard every mach. I really think I benefitted off of that."
Senior Shane Dziadosz (29-11), one sectional victory from his first state berth in 2016, led Leyden's five third-place finishers. Joining him are junior Shouwayne Johnson (18-16), sophomores Anthony Aguilar (17-15) and Ryan Jaffray (23-12) and freshman Daniel Uribe (28-14).
Quickly behind 4-0, Uribe won his third-place match with a first-period pin just before the buzzer.
"Our arms were tangled so I knew all I had to do was just throw in my hips and he would go over, and then he was on his back," Uribe said. "I'm only a freshman but (qualifying) was something that if I didn't do I would be really disappointed with myself."
Also third were Addison Trail senior David Hernandez (20-8) and freshman Nick Skamra (30-14) and York junior Austin Hoffmann (35-11) at 145 after being third at 138 in 2016.
Skamra won freestyle and Greco-Roman state titles last year in the Schoolboy 175 division and a 2015 folkstyle state championship at Novice 156.
The only freshman at 170 won his third-place match 4-3.
"It was pretty hard but I think I can pull through better at sectionals," Skamra said. "It's really nice (to qualify), especially as a freshman, and hopefully I can continue on to state."