Grayslake North holds off Round Lake

Starting at 285 pounds, host Grayslake North and Round Lake went back and forth Thursday night in Northern Lake County Conference wrestling action.

The Knights built a 24-10 lead after seven matches only to see the visiting Panthers bounce back to take a 32-24 advantage with three bouts remaining.

But Grayslake North came through in the end, posting a 42-32 victory to improve to 6-4 and 2-1 in the NLCC.

Erik Tellez got Round Lake (9-11, 0-3) going with a pin in 1:30 at 285, before 106-pound teammate Ahad Aziz captured a 14-0 major decision for an early 10-0 lead.

But the Knights showed their power at the lower weights. A forfeit win by 113-pounder Caden Smith, and an 8-3 decision by Armen Jerikian over Jonathon Cermano at 120 pulled them within 10-9.

Grayslake North sophomore Frank Salcedo (13-1) added a 7-3 decision over Alex Ros at 126, before pins by seniors Jake Jozwiak (132) and Nick Kozanecki (138) staked the Knights to a 24-10 lead.

"We're tough at the lower weights, and after 145 we have a lot of guys who are new to the lineup," Grayslake North coach Collin McKillip said. "It was nice to see Andy (Fuentes) get a win at 182 in his first year of wrestling. He was able to get the pin so that was really good for him."

The Panthers took control of the meet at the middle weights. Senior Ender Kongkaeow (20-2) got a forfeit at 145, before teammate Dominic Tovar earned a 14-6 major decision over Justin Mendoza at 152 cut Grayslake North's lead to 24-20.

Then Round Lake got pins from Jason Wooten at 160 and Aiden McCain at 170 to cap a run of 22 unanswered points.

"It was a good meet, it was a fun meet, and it was winnable for both of us," said Round Lake coach Mike Hruska, whose team is at the powerful Rus Erb tourney this weekend at Glenbrook South. "Ender is 20-2 now, he's a straight-A student too, and if he has a good sectional he has the potential to get to state."

After battling Round Lake's Alejandro Mora to a scoreless tie, Fuentes recorded a pin with just 11 seconds left in the second period to cut the Panthers' lead to 32-30 with two matches left.

But 195-pounder Noah Green clinched the team victory for the Knights with a pin in 2:41. Grayslake North's Jacob Black-Mishaan won by forfeit at 220 to account for the final score.

"This is probably one of the hardest-working teams we've had since I've been here so I'm really happy with where we're at," McKillip said. "(Jozwiak) missed the first week of the season so he's really had only two full weeks of competition. He and Nick (Kozanecki) put in a lot of work in the off-season."