Marmion tops St. Charles N. in final match
Even with four slots unfilled in its lineup, the St. Charles North wrestling team is like a caged animal.
Forced to forfeit 24 points to Marmion in the teams' nonconference dual meet Thursday night in St. Charles, the North Stars were still alive when the match-ending heavyweights collided.
A simple decision or better would have given St. Charles North the victory, but Marmion sophomore Connor English had other plans in mind.
The Marmion heavyweight turned back a valiant North Stars' comeback with a second-period fall to solidify the Cadets' 38-30 victory.
Marmion improved to 10-2; St. Charles North fell to 7-10.
"There is a lot of pressure (with the meet on the line)," English said. "I'm trying not to lose. I guess (the difference) was being patient and waiting for the opportunity to present itself."
The draw came at 103, and the North Stars were in trouble early.
St. Charles North had to forfeit four of the first five weight classes as its sole competitor -- 119-pounder Dan Dunklau -- secured a second-period pin to leave the squad trailing 24-6.
Marmion then had back-to-back major decisions; Mike York captured his first-ever varsity win for the Cadets with a 16-4 verdict at 135 pounds, and Pat Greco, moved up to 140, surprised the North Stars' three-year starter, senior Dave Trizzino, with a 13-5 win
The state-ranked Greco improved to 25-1 with the victory.
"I wasn't planning on bumping up," the St. Charles resident said. "I have a lot of confidence after winning the Geneva tournament. I have been on a roll lately."
Marmion held a commanding 32-6 lead at this juncture, but St. Charles North proceeded to win the next six matches between 145 and 215 pounds to make the final match of the night the most important.
Eric Justice began the North Stars' uprising with a first-period fall, and the North triumvirate of Lin Stacey, Joe Allegretti and Matt Orzalek earned decisions in succession to slice the Marmion lead to 32-24.
But a critical factor in Marmion maintaining its lead despite the North Stars' run, which reached five in a row when Brian Landerville won 6-2 at 215 pounds, was Marmion not surrendering bonus points.
"That's the match right there," Marmion coach Dean Branstetter said of the North Stars' four consecutive decisions. "Bonus points make all the difference in dual meets."
The North Stars' Dan McSweeney, one of five seniors honored before the match, extended the unanswered burst to 24 points with a fall 41 seconds into the second period at 215.
But English ended the North Stars' Senior Night with his dramatic fall.
"We're getting better, but we've got to get our numbers up," said Justice. "It's hard to come back from (four forfeits)."