Wrestling roundup: Stevenson, Glenbard West bring home tournament crowns
Stevenson roared out of the blocks in Franklin Park on Saturday, taking control of Leyden’s Randy Conrad Invite en route to lifting the championship trophy inside historic Chuck Farina Fieldhouse for the sixth consecutive time.
Shawn Kogan (26-1) and Mikey Polyakov (21-8) won back-to-back titles at 132 and 138 pounds, respectively, to help the Patriots earn 200.0 points on the day, 26 more than second-place Notre Dame at 170.0.
Conant was third overall with 155.5 points, followed by Burlington Central (115.5) and the host Eagles (113.0) who would round out the top five.
"We've had a little break from the tournament competitions, and I really feel like (it) was exactly what we all needed because we all came out ready to compete today," said Kogan, No. 5 in the state at 132 pounds, now a two-time champ here.
Polyakov came back from a tough loss to rival Erik Rodriguez (Grant) in his Berman Holiday Classic final to record a pair of pins in advance of his 9-0 major decision victory over Matt Goolish (16-7) from Conant.
"(Kogan) is a great partner in our room, and he's helped me so much to get myself ready for the second half of the season," said Polyakov.
Goolish’s teammate Victor Chevganov (144, 22-6) won his first major title of the season with ease, as did Burlington Central sophomore Eduardo Vences (17-9) at 113 pounds.
The No. 2 in 2A, Ilia Dvoryannikov (23-1) from Vernon Hills, continues to be a one-man wrecking crew at 165 pounds following his masterful performance that would earn him his third major title of the season, and the Outstanding Wrestler award.
"I'm feeling better and better each time out," said the Vernon Hills junior who was the state runner-up last season.
Hometown hero Erick Worwa won his second Randy Conrad crown after a stunning effort that saw the Eagles star register three tech-fall victories en route to his 215-pound title.
"It feels good to win here in my home gym. I feel like the commitment to wrestling has made a big difference for me," said Worwa.
At Glenbard West
The tourney host Hilltoppers dashed the hopes of Libertyville from claiming a second straight Chris Chappell Invite championship with a sensational team effort in Glen Ellyn Saturday afternoon.
The Hilltoppers used five individual titles, two coming from the front end of its lineup by Aidan Ortega (106, 24-3) and Carson Prunty (19-3) at 126 pounds to help the home side amass 246.5 overall points.
Last year’s champion Libertyville finished just ahead of Lockport (175.5-173.0) with fourth-place Cary-Grove coming in with 121.5 points. Bartlett was fifth with 106.0 points.
Ortega and Prunty were joined atop the podium by teammates Alejandro Aranda (138, 25-4), Jondelle Malunay (144, 3-2) and Vince Tortoriello (22-7) at 150.
No. 5 Caleb Baczek (19-1) was unstoppable at 215 for runner-up Libertyville, who would celebrate another individual champion at 175 in James Scanio, now 19-9 on the season.
A state qualifier last year, Mikey Milovich (22-5) grabbed his first major title of the season after a hard-fought 1-0 decision over Lucas Burton (Cary-Grove, 13-2) currently the No. 2 man in 2A.
Milovich's teammate Zander Spatafore (20-5) won at 113 as did the Cary-Grove duo of Hunter Lenz (120, 5-1) and No. 5 Noah Pechotta (24-1) at 165.
The Trojans’ duo were state qualifiers a year ago.
Conant girls invitational
Forty teams were on hand Saturday in Hoffman Estates, and although team scores were not kept for this annual mega-tournament, there were plenty of individual champions to report on.
Montini senior Kat Bell (25-3), who became the first in program history to earn a state medal last season, smashed the competition at 100 pounds to win her third major title of the season.
Two-time state qualifier Ireland McCain (26-4) from Round Lake won her second major title of the season after she pinned her way to the 115-pound crown.
Kaneland senior Brooklyn Sheaffer, a 2024 state qualifier, won it all at 125, as did Conant junior Jasmine Zavaleta (20-4) who recorded three straight pins to earn the top spot at 130.
Hinsdale South junior Callie Carr, who would dominate the 155-pound field at the Sally Berman Holiday Classic, did so again here on Saturday to run her record to a perfect 22-0.
Larkin senior Ashley Hammond was the 105-pound champion.
Reigning 130-pound state champion, and nationally ranked Claudia Heeney (Lockport, 29-2), cruised to the 135-pound title as did another nationally ranked star, Ariella Dobin (Glenbrook North, 28-0), who easily went past a trio of rivals.