Wheeling again faces sectional disappointment
Wheeling could rightly consider its the unluckiest of all teams in dual team wrestling state tournament.
During the past six seasons, the Wildcats have delivered regional championships only to be sent to sectional venues where state powers Grant and Libertyville always seem to be stationed as well.
Tuesday night was no different for Neal Weiner's club, who met No. 7 Grant (21-2) in a Class AA semifinal match at Libertyville. And once again No. 22-ranked Wheeling (21-3) was unable to get past the North Suburban Conference champions.
The Bulldogs used 3 straight victories from the middle of its lineup, including an important 3-1 decision by seldom-used Nick Guenther at 135 pounds, to take the lead for good at 29-18 en route to a 33-30 triumph.
"We came in here and asked the guys to compete as best they could against a perennial top 10 team, and we made a good run at (them), but we came up just a little short tonight," said Weiner.
On paper, it had appeared Wheeling could make a serious run at ending its bad luck against the NSC. The Wildcats, after all, boasted six individual state qualifiers, including 103-pound state champ Max Nowry.
However, things did not begin well for the reigning MSL champs. Grant opened by winning three of the first four bouts, leading off with 171-pound state qualifier Josh Deluca (39-9) who recorded a fall just before the second period to get his club going.
Wheeling junior and first-time state qualifier Danny Vargas (39-7), who would have liked to match Deluca's pin and 6-point bonus on the scoreboard was unable to do so as a stubborn Jake Brown held the talented 189-pound Vargas to just a 2-0 decision.
Dave Monroy (215) then followed with a fall, and teammate Andrew Zapfel (285) helped extend the Bulldogs' lead to 15-3 with a 5-1 decision over Eric Tolendano.
"We've recently lost a couple of guys and we weren't really at full strength tonight, but you have to have a lot of respect for Grant and with the way they wrestled," said Vargas.
The Wildcats got themselves back in the match with 15 unanswered points, pins from Drew Patel (103), Nowry (44-0) who bumped to 112 and freshman Luke Smith (39-5), who outlasted Jason Montemayor 11-7 with a late near-fall at 119.
But the Bulldogs didn't flinch.
Trailing just by 3 (18-15), they battled back and immediately took the lead (20-18) when 125-pound state runner-up Izzy Montemayor (41-4) unloaded a technical fall on Mike Smith at 5:36, then watched Shelby Temple strike a fall at just 1:53 over Joe Cacchione to help set up the Guenther heroics.
"I am so happy for (Nick) tonight, he made a big contribution (for) us when we needed one in what might have been his first varsity start of the season," said Geist.
With its now 29-18 lead, Grant could breathe a little easier after Wheeling's David Aranda (140, 29-9) and Joe Kent (152, 40-5) sandwiched victories around a major decision win by Tyler Becker at 145 to bring the score to an insurmountable 33-24 before Wheeling senior Matt Smith took a forfeit win and 6 points to end the night.
"It's a little too soon to reflect on tonight and my high school career being over," said Smith, a three-time state qualifier. "But it has been a very rewarding senior year for me and the team, and that's one of the things I'll remember.
"This team was made up of a lot of stars, and plenty of guys who came through all throughout the season to help make it a successful one," said Vargas, who along with Aranda, Luke and Matt Smith and Erdene-Ochir gives Weiner a solid core upon which to build.
"This team had a terrific season, one that included, among other things, winning the MSL championship and regional title, and watching Max (Nowry) win the first state championship in school history in our sport," said Weiner.
"There is nothing to be disappointed about tonight at all."