Will Glenbard North’s reign continue?
No program has dominated its DuPage Valley Conference rivals like Glenbard North in wrestling over the past decade or so.
The Panthers will seek a 12th consecutive league title this weekend at WW South.
“They put out 14 good wrestlers,” host coach Ryan Ferguson said of last year’s third-place Class 3A state finisher. “Right now, they are definitely the frontrunner (for another conference championship). They have earned that (distinction).”
The Panthers enter the tournament with a 3-point team lead over West Aurora; Wheaton North was third in the regular-season dual results and will start 3 points behind the Blackhawks.
“Glenbard North is favored by far,” said Naperville North coach Tom Champion. “They have so many big guns.”
The nucleus of the Panthers’ lineup is found in the six weight classes between 103 and 140 pounds. The Gosinski brothers have been the face of the program the last two years. Joe Gosinski, the defending state champion at 125 pounds, had his two-year winning streak snapped over the holidays when he dropped a decision to Marmion national champion and Naperville resident Ben Whitford. The senior is the top-ranked 130-pounder in the state.
But he has no easy path this weekend. West Aurora senior Miguel Venecia is ranked sixth, and Naperville North senior Max Obriecht is riding high after giving three-time Downers North state qualifier Jimmy Nehls a rare defeat last week. West Chicago sophomore Robert Svestka has been a main factor in turning around the Wildcats’ program.
“I think West Chicago is going to have their highest (team) finish ever,” Champion said.
Joe Gosinski is the fourth-rated athlete at 112 pounds in the latest state rankings. The sophomore should face his sternest test from Glenbard East junior Angelo San Juan.
One-hundred and three pounds could very well produce the signature moment of the tournament: Jon Marmolejo and Tyler Svestka are on a collision course. The former, from Glenbard North, and the West Chicago ninth-grader are ranked third and fourth, respectively.
The Panthers’ Bryan Gonzalez is the class of the field at 119 pounds; the senior is ranked third in his weight class. Naperville Central senior Jon Williamsen is the best bet to give West Aurora senior Nicholas Drendel, a returning state runner-up, his first loss of the season at 125 pounds.
The 140-pound division is another with tantalizing possibilities. The Panthers’ Brian Murphy is No. 2 in the state rankings, but the talented sophomore has stiff competition from fellow state-rated athletes Mark Savenok (WW South, No. 5) and Greg Jacques (West Aurora, No. 9). Savenok, a two-time returning state medal-winner, has been slowed by a knee injury.
“He has been outstanding all year,” Ferguson said of Savenok.
Ferguson also has potential jewels in Spartak Chino, the favorite at 160 pounds, and Joe Hall, ranked No. 2 at 215 pounds.
“Our strengths are in the upper weights,” Ferguson said.
Vinny LaMontagna is another quality athlete for the Tigers at 189 pounds, and Wheaton North junior Mike Swider has designs of his own.
The heavyweight division may very well feature seniors Dan Bugle and James Mitchell in a Glenbard North-Naperville Central final showdown.
Familiar places, familiar faces:
It was a homecoming for brothers Claudio and Roberto Torres last weekend at East Aurora for the top individual honors at the Upstate Eight Conference Tournament.
Claudio Torres, an East Aurora graduate, has been directing Metea Valley in its first full varsity season. Roberto, known as “Tito,” is a first-year teacher and coach at East Aurora. The younger Torres moved to the Waubonsie Valley school district during middle school and was the anchor of the Warriors’ program from 2001-03.
“I have a lot of (lasting memories of Tito),” said Waubonsie Valley coach Brad Caldwell. “The one that sticks out was how he handled when his brother (Claudio) was deployed overseas (during the second Gulf War).”
East Aurora has a significant Hispanic population. “Giving back to the Hispanic community means a lot,” Tito Torres said. “I’m from the east side of Aurora.”
The younger Torres was part of a memorable local wrestler crew his senior season. In a year that produced four local Class AA state champions, including three undefeated ones from Naperville North, Torres entered the state tournament with a gaudy 39-2 record.
“I choked at state,” Tito Torres said after placing as a junior. The elder Torres, meanwhile, has the well-documented task of gaining a measure of legitimacy against much more established programs.
“Our goal coming into the tournament was to wrestle to close the gap,” Claudio Torres said. “We have been trying to impress on the kids that if they continue to work hard and do the right things that they can close the gap.”
Tough break:
Willowbrook junior Steve Congenie also had his extended winning streak snapped. The reigning Class 3A 152-pound champion, who ran the table last year, suffered his first defeat since the state tournament two years ago under a most undesirable circumstance. This year he’s wrestling at 171 pounds.
“He was disqualified for an illegal slam at the Sycamore tournament,” Willowbrook coach Bryan Murphy said. “It was a judgment call by the referee. The problem was (his foe) couldn’t continue, so (the referee) didn’t have much of a choice.”
Murphy noted Congenie has been undaunted by his first loss.
“He is having an outstanding season,” Murphy said. “He is 23-1, with 15 falls. We fully expect him to win the state championship.”
The 171-pound division is arguably the most difficult in the pending state series with three defending state champions in the field in Congenie, Oak Park junior Sam Brooks and defending titlist St. Rita senior Jawon Akui.