Boys wrestling: Noble, Stewart bring home state titles for Warren

CHAMPAIGN — There is nothing like the boys state wrestling tournament held every year on the campus of the University of Illinois inside State Farm Arena.

If you're a fan of Antioch, Grayslake Central, St. Viator and Warren, your top wrestlers delivered championship efforts before a big crowd on Saturday.

The duo of Caleb Noble (46-1) and Aaron Stewart (190) showcased the immense talent each of them have when the Warren pair each won their third consecutive state title.

Noble won his 113-pound contest 4-0 over Montini’s Erik Klichurov with a workmanlike effort.

“I am usually all about getting a lot of takedowns, (technical) falls, and pins, but tonight I had to be a little different — only taking what was there for me and being smart,” said Noble.

Stewart (39-4), who will play football and wrestle at Illinois next year, will finish with a 132-6 overall record.

“It's kind of hard to believe my four years at Warren have come to an end, but I'll take a lot of memories along with me,” said Stewart, whose 15-0 technical fall in 1:47 would end the hopes of Wheaton North senior Ryan Rosch.

Vince DeMarco (41-7) was on the wrong end of a thrilling but heart-breaking 15-12 loss in last year’s 106-pound final, but the Grayslake Central junior made his third trip his best yet.

The Rams star, No. 1 at 113 pounds in Class 2A, grabbed the lead and never let it go en route to a hard-fought, well-deserved 4-2 victory over No. 3 Christian Corcoran (35-10) from Providence Catholic.

“My focus (only) this year is about what this season is about and not looking back about what happened in my final this year — being smart and composed with my opponent and nothing else,” said DeMarco, whose title gives the Rams program its sixth state title.

Staying in 2A, Antioch senior Owen Shea stunned No. 1 Cody Moss of Glenwood.

Shea, who lost to Moss (2-0) during the first weekend of the season, saw something back then — saved it in his vault — then unloaded an early seven-point explosion to take a lead he never relinquished.

“I made a move on Moss in that match and almost hit (it) — when I saw it there again for me, I knew I could hit it,” Shea said.

Shea becomes just the second in Antioch history to claim a state title, joining 2017 state champion Patrick Schoenfelder.

Jaxon Penovich (48-5) proved he was the worthy No. 1 when he defeated Marco Casillas of Mahomet-Seymour with a 5-3 decision.

“It feels great to win a second state title (his first came when he was a sophomore at Prospect) — and to do it while dominating my opponents all throughout a very difficult schedule we had,” Penovich said.

Unfortunately, some rain fell on the championship parade of a pair of area wrestlers: No. 1 Vince Jasinski (45-6) of Grant fell in his 144-pound final with No. 2 Demetrios Carrera of Marmion Academy 3-1.

Hersey sophomore Oleksandr (Sasha) Havrylkiv (42-4) saw his hopes of bringing a state title home were dashed when the No. 2 man at 126 dropped a 5-1 decision to No. 4 Jamiel Castleberry (36-3) from Oak Park-River Forest.

“(Sasha) pinned me earlier in the year, but I learned some things from that loss, and the adjustments we made and my ability to slow his attack really frustrated him tonight,” said Castleberry, now a three-time state medal winner.

MSL champion Barrington, which next weekend will compete in the Class 3A dual-team state tournament in Bloomington — collected three state medals.

Kaleb Pratt (120 pounds), Ryan Dorn (132) and Daniel Blanke (150) increased the program medal count to 48, with Pratt taking home his second in three visits to Champaign.

“We all want to be wrestling in the state final, but I am happy with my third-place finish here, and really excited about our chances to bring home a dual-team state trophy next weekend,” said Pratt (48-6), who finished third overall.

Just an hour before wrestleback semifinals were to begin, Stevenson coach Shane Cook admitted his best man — senior Shawn Kogan “needed“ to go home with a state medal after two previous shutouts here.

Perhaps inspired by a large contingent of teammates dressed in fluorescent yellow T-shirts way up in the third level, or this being his last chance, Kogan came out with the winds in his sails — recording one impressive victory after another to earn a third-place state medal.

“(This) is just so amazing right now (two) times I was here, I dealt with a labrum injury, a few other things in my career, and went home with nothing to show for my effort,” who was overcome with emotion following he crushed Isaac Zimmerman (Lockport) to guarantee a state medal.

In the stories history of wrestling at Grant Community High School, there were only two occasions the Bulldogs garnered a trio of state medals in 2003 and 2004.

On Saturday the 2026 club would equal the achievements of their early heroes when Jayce Glauser and Erik Rodriguez (138) joined Vince Jasinski on the podium.

Rodriguez (41-8) finished with a fourth-place medal to go along with his third-place finish a year ago.

“(At) this level you always want to be wrestling for a state title, but (two) state medals is something to be proud of, as well as a program that in my four years has turned into something really special,” Rodriguez said.

Hersey senior Frank Tagoe (40-7) could hardly contain his excitement after his dominating 16-3 major decision in his wrestleback quarterfinal to guarantee his first state medal.

“I cannot even believe how I feel right now, it's kind of surreal, but I feel I've been at my best during the past couple of weeks that has helped me come here and bring home a state medal,” said Tagoe, who won a fourth-place medal at 165 pounds.

Over in Class 2A, it was a record-setting year for Grayslake Central, which brought back a program best four medal winners: Dominic DeMarco (106 pounds), Krish Sahu (126) and Warren Nash (157) who joined the Rams’ newest state champion, Vince DeMarco.

Seniors Sahu (42-11) and Nash (40-13) were sixth overall.

“This was my last chance, so I wanted to make the best of it,” Sahu said.

Wauconda stars No. 4 Brian Hart (157 pounds) and sophomore Finn Loomis gave the Bulldogs program two state medals to add to its collecting, running the total to (22) after No. 4 Hart (44-8) who finished fourth and Loomis at 215 pounds.

Along with Owen Shea's memorable state championship run, Antioch added another pair of state medals to its trophy case when Chase Nobiling (144, 33-8) and Dominic Garcia (150, 36-8) both finished sixth overall.

The Sequoits duo are now two-time state medal winners, Nobiling was fourth a year ago, while Garcia third.

For the first time in program history, St. Viator collected three state medals to go with the state title won by Jaxon Penovich.

Sophomore TJ Emery was sixth in his first visit here, while senior Wynn Philippi was sixth at 285 pounds.