Lemont nips hosts for Batavia title
Batavia made a serious move at its 14-team wrestling invitational during the consolation bracket to make Lemont nervous about the championship finals.
But for the Bulldogs to haul in the top team trophy for the fourth time in five years, the three showdowns between the schools were pivotal. Lemont closed the door in the finals, winning all three matches with Batavia to claim its only individual titles while earning a 19-point overall victory with 190 points.
Batavia senior stalwart Logan Arlis was the sole champion for the Bulldogs, who had 171 points for a clear-cut runner-up status over third-place Downers Grove North. Bartlett had a pair of champions and another runner-up to place seventh with 95.5 points. Streamwood had two place-winners to finish with 26 points.
Arlis met highly-regarded Downers North senior Jimmy Nehls for the second time this season for an invitational title. The Bulldogs' reining state runner-up continued his undefeated season by claiming a tournament crown for the third time in four years with a 4-3 decision over Nehls at 125 pounds. Arlis trumped Nehls' three escapes with a pair of escapes.
"All he was trying to do was try and shut me down, go after my feet try to beat me 1-0," Arlis said. "I knew he can't beat me on my feet. I had a full tank left (with the decisive third-period takedown)."
Unfortunately for Batavia, its other four finalists were left with the major consolation prize. Defending Class 2A heavyweight state champion Angel Cabral cruised to the championship with a first-period fall over Batavia senior Pat Martin.
"That was a nice start to the finals (championship matches were started at opposite ends of the spectrum and worked their way to the middle on two mats)," Lemont coach John St. Clair said. "The first three years (Cabral) came here he didn't wrestle very well."
Luis Campos, the Bulldogs' 189-pound senior, had a chance to narrow the Indians lead when he encountered Lemont senior Connor Nagel in the finals. Nagel, however, was never threatened in posting a major decision.
"I feel that little mistakes cost me," said Campos. "I dug myself an early hole that I couldn't get out of."
At 135 pounds, Batavia senior Tyler Patton was the last person standing to deny Lemont senior Matt Leibforth from becoming a four-time tournament champion. Leibforth, third in Class 2A last year, shut out Patton over the first two periods in registering a 9-2 victory.
"I needed to come out a little harder than I did," Patton said. "It was my first week back (from illness). I wish I could have won that one."
With Martin beginning the upper-weight finals on one end, freshman Joey Shump was also denied, losing the 103-pound title to Sterling sophomore Branden Cater 11-1.
"I wasn't as prepared as the style of wrestling he had," Shump said. "I did really well for my first two matches."
"Overall, we wrestled a very good tournament," said Batavia coach Tom Arlis. "We have a good tournament team. I have some real point-winners. They (Lemont) had one more kid in the finals (5-4) than we did. That was too much too overcome."
Bartlett senior Eric Moreno improved his gaudy record to 27-1 by storming to the championship with two falls.
In the 160-pound finals against Lemont junior Cody Kamberos, Moreno was command from the start. The Hawks' leader allowed a pair of harmless escapes while cementing his 10-2 verdict with a takedown and 2-point near fall in the waning seconds.
"I was busting my butt this week in practice," Moreno said. "I could see that he was really tired. I was in better shape than he was."
In the 112-pound finals, Bartlett freshman Sal Annoreno whitewashed Lemont junior Andrew Mason, 5-0, to earn the Hawks' other championship.
"Both boys wrestled very well," said Bartlett coach Gary Cotie. "This is a big thing for a freshman to win. We're a young program. Our coaching staff has helped us out a lot this year."
Nick Mokodanski had his quest for a title at 152 pounds end when Maine South junior Joe Brewster secured a third-period technical fall.