Scouting individual sectional meets / Northwest
At BarringtonWhen: Friday, 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.; 4 p.m. finals
Mat Chat: Barrington and Prospect lifted championship trophies at regionals last weekend for the second consecutive year, while bringing nearly all of their wrestlers here this weekend, but the top two clubs from the Mid-Suburban League will be hard-pressed to match the firepower Huntley has. The Red Raiders were 100-point victors at Rockford East, celebrated seven individual champions, and qualified 12 of 14. The dominance of Huntley will carry over in some divisions, but there is depth and talent from so many others who feel they have something to prove come Saturday afternoon.
Barrington: Brian Beers (106, 35-7), Cael Dyer (126, 36-10), Marko Hennin (132, 33-10), Sean Cleary (138, 30-13), Kai Conway (145, 34-7), Luke Rasmussen (160, 39-2), Conor Prettyman (170, 16-12), Jack Hartman (182, 34-7), Dayven Shinhoster (195, 27-2) and Tim Nichols (285, 10-12) are the Broncos' entries. Freshman Beers got his club off and running at the Dundee-Crown regional with a victory in his 106-pound final, the first of five on the day. "Beers gave his team a real lift when he won the first final of the day, and after that, the rest fell in place, despite a real strong challenge from Stevenson and Jacobs," said Barrington coach Dave Udchik. The Broncos' head coach says nobody will test Warren senior Sawyer Nash (36-0) at 106, but Beers on the other side of the bracket from Nash stands a good chance of moving on. Fans hope to be treated to a rematch of an earlier bout between No. 1 Luke Rasmussen and No. 3 Brock Emmerich (Deerfield, 43-2) should they meet in the final, with Emmerich looking to avenge a 8-3 decision. First-year starter: Hartman and Shinhoster, fresh off regional titles, are also in position to advance downstate at 182 and 195.
Buffalo Grove: TJ West (220, 26-9) salvaged a tough day at the Dundee-Crown regional to become the only Bison to advance. This will be the first visit to sectionals for the senior, who fell one victory short a year ago when he went 27-11. "It's been a goal of mine since I began to wrestle to get downstate, and now that it's my senior year, I want it more than ever," said West, second at both regionals and the MSL tourney. "I've got to come out strong, and not be passive at any point in any of my matches." A first-round victory sends West against regional champ Trent Williams (34-4) from Glenbrook North.
Fremd: Charlie Fifield (113, 20-18), Michael Mondus (145, 29-12), Jake Riemer (152, 12-11), Jorge Martinez (160, 18-19), Isiah Pettigrew (182, 22-7) and Brian Morel (220, 23-13) carry the Vikings' hopes. In his first year as Fremd coach, former Libertyville star Jeff Keske would guide six of his athletes into sectionals, including rookie Pettigrew and four-year veteran Mondus, who was just 5-20 in his freshman season and is now just one win from reaching 30. Pettigrew moved from Texas and has made an immediate impact in Keske's lineup, earning the lone conference title for the Vikings two weeks ago. "Isiah has a very good chance of getting downstate, despite the fact he's been in the sport for just a short time. "He's impressed with his maturity, and desire to learn and get better, and if he can get to his positions where he's comfortable and can score a lot of points, he should qualify," said Keske.
Hersey: Zach Joyce (120, 28-10) and Austin Korba (285, 26-11) qualified for Hersey. Huskies heavyweight Korba went from four wins a year ago to 26, but he's been the club's most consistent man in the lineup. Joyce returns here for the second consecutive season. The junior was one victory away from his first sectional appearance as a freshman, then fell one victory short of a trip downstate last season when he went 27-6. 78 wins in career thus far.
Palatine: Gio Jackson (220, 26-2) and Brian Fernandez (285, 18-11). Another sparkling performance by Jackson, a first-year starter who pinned his way to a regional title, giving him 18 bonus point victories in the 26 matches he's won. The title gives the junior three on the season after claiming top honors at the Fenton Invite and the MSL meet. Jackson's big season overshadows that of his teammate Fernandez, who coach Brian Winter says has come a long way since his rookie year, thanks in part to being one of the hardest workers in the room.
Prospect: Marcus Santos (106, 21-5), Joe Tobin (120, 24-17), Joe Miller (126, 22-20), Chad Vilchez (132, 32-11), Andrew Baysingar (138, 11-2), Chris Jurek (160, 11-22), Joe Caringella (170, 37-7), William Mikes (182, 26-9), Caleb Smith (220, 24-17) and Jose Ramos (285, 37-2) all qualified for the Knights as they powered their way to a second straight regional title on the strength of individual champions Santos, Vilchez, Baysingar, Caringella and Ramos. No. 2 Ramos is on a collision course with No. 1 Aydin Guttridge (Rockford East, 28-2) in what would be a rematch of an earlier bout in which Guttridge survived during a 3-1 overtime decision. Baysingar has rebounded nicely from an injury which kept him to just 13 matches on the season to become one of the favorites at 138, along with No. 5 Michael Gunther (Libertyville, 36-3) and freshman Brody Hallin (34-8) from McHenry. "Every opponent at this time of the year is dangerous, but so are we. We'll enjoy it, and be at our best when the time comes," said Prospect coach Tom Whalen. "Baysinger is back and in great shape, and he's earned everything he's accomplished through hard work."
Rolling Meadows: Elciro Domingo (106, 24-14), Eric Guerra (120, 21-7) carry the Mustangs' flag. Guerra is back for his second consecutive sectional appearance, but coach Dillin Randolph says there's more to his veteran captain than just his excellence on the mat. "Eric's teammates admire his hard work and dedication. He's someone who puts in hours of work during the offseason, and that work ethic is infectious in the room," Randolph said. "Eric is the type of guy who would volunteer to drive his teammates to workouts, camps and training sessions. He's been just a great leader."
Wheeling: Ryan Tinsley (113, 14-21), Fernando Olvera (126, 24-10), John Quintero (138, 2-1), John Smith (145, 40-6), Andy Madrigal (152, 25-8) and Ben Umansky (170, 22-17) qualified for the Wildcats. Coach Charlie Curran feels his veterans, Madrigal, Olvera, Quintero and Smith, have the greatest chance of advancing, but it's Smith who he sees to have the potential to winning it all, and perhaps in Champaign., "John can wrestle with, and beat any 45-pounder in the state, and he can be the sectional champion if he comes out and wrestles right from the start," says Curran. "He knows his best positions, and has been focusing on getting to them when it's on the line." Smith was sitting in the top five in the state all season long until a loss in the semifinals at conference dropped him below rivals Kai Conway (Barrington) and John Ridle from Jacobs. That duo, along with Giovanni Cassioppi (Hononegah, 35-6) and Martrece Smith (Zion-Benton, 39-3), should provide plenty of intrigue in this weight class.
At ConantWhen: Friday, 4:30 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.; finals, 2:45 p.m.
Mat Chat: The addition of state powers Oak Park-River Forest and DeKalb, along with the top three from the DuKane Conference (Glenbard North, Wheaton North and St. Charles East) takes this venue into another wrestling stratosphere this weekend.
Just over 30 Top Ten wrestlers in the state are here, including No. 1 Jake Rundell (OP-RF) and Abe Assad (Glenbard North), both reigning state champions and nationally-ranked as well. Assad (40-0), on his way to Iowa next fall, brings together two superb rivals to this group - Jon Halvorsen (Maine South) and Dameyn Middlebrooks (OP-RF) with Logan Roach (DeKalb) not far off.
"The top four at 182 will be ones to watch, but you also have a pretty game field which is capable of some real heartbreakers," suggests Schaumburg coach Mike Levanti, who lists 106 and 138 as others to keep an eye on.
Conant: Cougars' qualifiers include Anthony Firovanti (106, 18-16), Joe Gagliani (113, 17-10), Alex Giuliano (120, 27-3), Patrick Kane (132, 7-11), Nicky Amato (138, 24-4), Kobe Gilbert (145, 11-13), Filippo DeFrenza (152, 31-3), Jack Hominac (160, 20-10), Joey Perez (170, 13-6), Stephon Williams (182, 20-15) and Lester Gonzales (220, 22-8).
Last season the Cougars came out of regionals with 11 still alive, eventually sending three to the state tournament. This year, coach Chad Hay is looking to greatly increase those numbers after advancing 11 from the South Elgin regional. The Cougars' coach feels his two-time state qualifiers, Amato and Giuliano, will find a way out of difficult divisions while his captain, DeFrenza, is hungry as a lion after losing in the blood round a year ago. MSL 2018 champ Gonzales is in the same top-heavy group as Ryan Jaffray of Leyden, but Hay says after the senior won the title at South Elgin, it lifted a great weight off his shoulders after failing to advance from regionals a year ago.
Elk Grove: Griffin McEnroe (113, 26-5), Matt McEnroe (126, 26-8), Joe Szplit (145, 21-10), Joey Gaskill (152, 28-7), Brady Tosterud (182, 17-17) will compete for the Grens. There's plenty of talent all throughout the brackets here, including 152-pounds for sophomore Gaskill but coach Dan Vargas said he's stressing just one thing. "The focus this week is to win your first match, and I feel (Gaskill) and the others are all capable," said Vargas. "Joey is a terrific student-athlete, a three-sport guy (football, baseball), great at each. He works hard, has fun, and is a joy to coach."
Leyden: Eagles competing include Daniel Uribe (132, 32-3), Jimmy Lonigro (145, 24-15), Ronnie Massari (152, 30-6), Ben Uribe (160, 9-6), Alejandro Quinonez (170, 9-15), Ryan Jaffray (220, 28-6) and Fernando Corona (285, 23-6). Each of the seven Eagles are in search of their first trip downstate including Corona, Massari, Jaffray and Uribe. Jaffray came the closest a year ago, losing in the blood round but this season Uribe has taken off. The junior enters this weekend at No. 9 in the state polls, and, like the others at 138, will be chasing No. 1 Eddie Bolivar (OP-RF, 36-3) and No. 4 Fabian Lopez (DeKalb, 28-4), a state champ a year ago. Jaffray has the No. 1, 2, 5 and 6 rated wrestlers in front of him, while Corona will look to squeeze in behind No. 5 Justin Hull (St. Charles East).
Maine West: Zak Chrisovitsiotis (120, 23-15), Isco Isuf (132, 25-9), Steve Chrisovitsiotis (138, 18-16), Rahil Sadrudin (160, 12-15) and Jake Bellizzi (220, 24-5) will compete for the Warriors. The story for the Warriors continues to be that of senior Zak Chrisovitsiotis, who in consecutive weekends stunned the field at the CSL tourney, and later the regional field. The three-year starter would open both tournaments in style with easy victories, before grinding out his next two bouts to claim the most important wins of his career. The quest of a third-straight state appearance for Bellizzi is fraught with danger, beginning with the top two in the state, Ramin Abraham (Evanston, 45-0) and DeMarco Lee (Lake Park, 22-1) in addition to No. 6 Sean Kelly (Maine South, 34-4) who sits just in back of Bellizzi in the polls.
Schaumburg: Saxons competing are Joey Phelps (106, 26-16), Nate Aranda (113, 11-10), Tony LaRocco (120, 29-9), Jaylen Claudio (126, 22-10), Grant Hansen (138, 30-13), Jack Lingle (145, 27-2), Tyler Bobnick (152, 28-7), and Hadi Mashhadibolghasem (27-6). The strength of the Saxons all year long has been through 152, but Saxons big man Mashhadibolghasem hopes to navigate his way around and through his rivals over the next two days. The three-year starter made the Junior National Greco team during the offseason, and the experience gained there was obvious with him going from a 19-16 season a year ago, to 27-6 this winter. "Jack (Lingle) has a solid draw, but the others, including Hadi, face a significant challenge this weekend, so it's just going to take some really brave efforts from all of them to advance," says Levanti.