Area competitors find little success downstate
Looking back, it seems impossible to think that the always powerful North Suburban Conference and its surrounding neighbors were unable to advance but three wrestlers into a medal match in the Class AA state meet at Champaign.
No less than 11 area wrestlers were alive and in the running for a medal-round appearance.
But only Grant 125-pound senior Izzy Montemayor reached a title bout -- he finished second -- and the duo of Mundelein 112-pound junior Eduardo Dominguez and 135-pounder Ryan Lund of Grayslake Central survived the intense wrestle-back atmosphere.
Lund (44-6) was on the cusp of an appearance in the evening session at the Assembly Hall, but a loss to No. 1 Josh Kratovil (Lincoln-Way Central) by technical fall in the semifinals, followed by 6-0 defeat in the wrestlebacks to St. Rita's John Majka and a defeat to Sandburg senior Tyler LePretre ended Lund's season.
"We're as proud of Ryan as you can imagine," said Central head coach Bret Pitt.
Defending state champion Lee Munster of Grant looked like he would recover from his quarterfinal loss to state finalist Reese Taylor of Rock Island. The Bulldogs sophomore pinned Jake Dengel of Oak Park-River Forest in his wrestle-back opener, but then was eliminated by Marian star Elias Larson 7-2 to end his season.
Dominguez (41-8) came as close as anyone from the NSC when he advanced to the fifth-place match at 112-pounds, where he defeated Kent Williams (Mascouta) 12-6 to earn his prize.
"I was happy to qualify into the state tournament, but what was more important was coming away with a medal," said Dominguez, who thrilled the Mustangs' faithful with a 7-5 overtime win in his opening bout of the day and added an 8-7 victory over Highland Park sophomore Joe Schwartz which saw the Mustang survive a late rush.
Matt Bystol (Libertyville, 37-7, 103), Josh DeLuca (Grant, 38-9, 171) and Carmel senior Ryan Williams (171, 27-8) all were first-round wrestle-back casualties -- as were area big-men Adam Avalos (Mundelein, 189, 39-7) and Round Lake's Vince Nicoline (215, 38-12).
Lakes junior Matt Holmes, who lost 8-1 to Jimmy Chase of Glenbard North in the quarterfinals, was sent home after going 1-1 in wrestle-back action that included a season-ending 6-4 defeat to Andrew Zobac.
"The last 90 seconds of his match with (Zobac) is the way we knew that Matt could wrestle and attack," said Lakes coach Curt Onstad. "Matt will be back, and better than ever because of his experience here."
Lake Zurich junior Kevin Fanta dropped a tough 11-10 decision in his wrestle-back opener Saturday morning against Daryl Thomas of Edwardsville.