Wheeling season gets even better
Wheeling is heading back to the dual-team sectionals for the sixth consecutive year.
Coach Neal Weiner's Wildcats outscored the host Pirates 183.0-148.50 to capture the Palatine regional team title and guarantee their berth in the Libertyville dual-team sectional in two weeks.
MSL champion Wheeling will face Grant in one semifinal, with Libertyville and Stevenson meeting in the other.
"It was a great tournament for us," Weiner said. "We had a lot of guys make contributions today, especially Joe Kent, who achieved something that to the best of my recollection hasn't been matched by very many in the MSL since I've been coaching here."
Kent (35-4) grabbed his fourth regional title when he earned a 5-2 win over Wauconda junior Scott Carlson (33-8) in the 145-pound final.
"Winning four straight (regional) titles is pretty nice, but to honest, it's been a lot of one-and-done results in the sectionals the past three years," Kent said. "This year I am physically and mentally ready to qualify out of the sectional and into the state tournament with my eye on a state medal when I get there."
Other Wildcats regional champions included Max Nowry (103), Luke Smith (112), David Aranda (140) and Danny Vargas (189).
The Wildcats advanced nine wrestlers to the Barrington sectional, while Palatine will bring seven.
One of the meet's biggest surprises came at 171 pounds, when Lake Zurich's Sam Wrobel -- the 2007 fourth-place state medalist, failed to advance. Wrobel (9-1) who was given the top seed despite the fact he has missed most of this season because of a severe knee injury, was stunned 11-7 in his opening match by Hersey senior Brad Carmody (28-14).
Wrobel was forced into the back draw, where he collected a major decision victory and a fall to bring him into the third-place qualification match.
But his opponent was Carmody, who was awarded an automatic advancement since he beat Wrobel earlier in the day.
"I knew that (Wrobel) probably wasn't (still) 100 percent, but I (still) didn't go in taking him lightly because he is such a great wrestler," said Carmody, who fought back himself after dropping his second match to Jack Joyce of St. Viator.
Joyce (33-9) later earned a regional title by injury default over Palatine junior Ryan Cortez.
Carlson had helped to turn the 145-pound bracket topsy-turvy when he earned a 3-1 overtime win in the semifinals over Buffalo Grove's Jamie Zabrin, who a week ago was in the MSL final at 152 pounds.
Carlson prevailed over Zabrin in the third extra period after both traded shots in OT. The Wauconda star and two-time sectional qualifier scored an escape with 15 seconds remaining for the win.
Zabrin's season ended at 33-6 when up-and-coming sophomore Luke Miller (23-10) of Barrington beat Zabrin 4-3 for third place.
"I've been thinking about this match all day after dropping into the back draw, so I knew exactly what I wanted to do when the match finally began," Miller said.
MSL champion Ross Grande (38-2) of Palatine beat Wheeling's Matt Smith (28-5) by a 5-2 decision for the 145-pound title.
"(That) was really tough to watch Jamie not making out of his bracket today," Smith said. "You just never know what's going to happen this time of the year."
Buffalo Grove which finished fifth behind Fremd, advanced five wrestlers, including 160-pound champion Kyle Czarnecki (35-2) -- who defeated Palatine's Dan Sutton (22-17) in the final.
"Last year it was all about just getting (there) to sectionals," Czarnecki said. "This year my confidence is up and I feel like I can go there and win it all."
Palatine coach Dan Collins saw the Pirates collect 3 first-place medals.
They included Dale Jarosz (130) and Grande, plus the surprising Zach Zordan's victory at 135 which saw the senior bounce No. 2 seed Enkhbaatar Erdene-Ochi of Wheeling in the semifinals and James Blackman of Buffalo Grove 10-7 in the final after Blackman earlier upset top-seed Andy Lynch of Lake Zurich.
Lynch later qualified for the Bears.
"Our best overall effort of the season," Collins said. "The guys wrestled in Palatine tradition today, working hard for every point and in every match. There's a lot to be proud of."
Fremd's 1-2 upper punch of Bryan Opitz (27-7) at 215 pounds and John LaPointe (21-1) at 285 were also crowned.
Travis Laschiava (112) and Lucas Megleo (119) will join their Vikings teammates at Barrington.
The Broncos will send Miller, plus sophomore Troy Morrison (14-16) who fell to Opitz in his final.
Barrington's Sabatello brothers -- freshman Danny (third at 112) and two-time sectional qualifier Vince (second at 130), also advanced.
At Glenbrook South
Five individual regional champions helped propel Prospect to second place in the Glenbrook South regional.
The Knights of retiring coach Gary McMorrow totaled 153 points, runner-up to Stevenson (172) in the nine-team field.
The top three wrestlers in each weight class earned berths in the individual sectionals this week.
Leading off the Prospect parade of champions was senior Jonny Brennan (29-3) at 119 pounds. He won his title by fall in 52 seconds.
Senior Tyler Rossdeutcher (22-8) prevailed with a decision at 125 pounds,
At 135, junior Matt Boggess (38-0) was a winner by injury default.
Senior Brendan Smith (29-12) was crowned at 160 pounds in a decision.
Senior Peter Zintak (38-1) earned a 189-pound sectional berth by fall in 3:19.
Finishing second were 140-pound senior Andrew Mercer (22-13); 145-pound senior Mike Kraak (21-16); 171-pound senior Jeff Kissel (18-19)
At Lake Park
Glenbrook North ran away with the regional team title, rolling up 240½ points.
A distant second was Wheaton North with 162½.
Among area teams, Rolling Meadows was third (131); Conant fifth (79½); and Hoffman Estates sixth (54½) in the nine-team field.
Three area individual champions were crowned, including 171-pound junior Joe Patricelli (31-7) of Conant, who won by decision; 189-pound junior Thomas Davidson (36-3) of Rolling Meadows, a winner by fall in 1:43; and Mustangs teammate Mikal Johnson (33-7), who prevailed by a 4-3 decision at 215 pounds.
Other area sectional qualifiers by weight class were:
103 pounds: Conant freshman Vince Gottardo (26-15), second; Rolling Meadows junior Mike Medsker (29-11), third.
112: Hoffman Estates sophomore Patrick Scully (35-9), third.
119: Schaumburg junior Evan Hafner (29-7), second.
125: Schaumburg senior Sergio Gomez (32-7), third.
130: Hoffman Estates junior Nico Silvestri (28-11), third.
135: Rolling Meadows senior Riley Albers (31-11), third.
140: Hoffman Estates junior Tommy Wadas (28-11), second.
145: Schaumburg senior P.J Starnes (35-3), second.
160: Hoffman Estates junior Andrew Pettit (19-15), third.
171: Rolling Meadows senior Sebasian Matei (28-10), second.
189: Schaumburg junior Craig Cruz (24-12), second.
285: Rolling Meadows senior Mike Atkins (26-10), third.
At Leyden
Featuring three individual regional champions, host Leyden powered to the team title at its regional.
The Eagles of coach Jason Potter finished with 229 points, outdistancing runner-up Oak Park-River Forest with 213½ in the 10-team field.
The top three wrestlers in each weight class earned berths in the individual sectionals this week.
The Eagles' Bahvik Patel (31-7) won the 103-pound crown by fall in a snappy 13 seconds.
Teammate Matt Soch pinned his opponent in 1:18 to earn the 152-pound title.
Dan Keibler won by fall in 2:50 to bring home the 215-pound crown.
Taking second places for the Eagles were Isaiah Recinos (33-5) at 119; Adam Schammert (34-6) at 145; Mike Feldmann (30-9) at 160; Nick Casano (31-8) at 171;
Third-place finishers for the Eagles included 130-pounder Mike Coccoza (30-12), who kept his season alive by a fall; 135-pounder Brian Andronic (24-8); and 285-pounder John Burke, also a winner by fall, in 3:39.
At Fenton
York overpowered the nine-team field, scoring 194 points.
Maine South was second (157). Maine West took fourth (105½) and Elk Grove seventh (70).
Area qualifiers by weight class included:
125: Elk Grove senior Dean DiMaso (16-13), third.
130: Elk Grove senior Kamil Broda (17-10), third.
135: Elk Grove senior Greg Reddington (10-8), third.
140: Elk Grove senior Robert Pechacek (33-4), third.
171: Maine West senior Tyler Gratz (28-13), second.
189: Maine West senior John Cirone (7-12), third.
215: Maine West senior Josh Gustafson (21-9), third.
289: Maine West senior Oscar Herrera (21-8), second.