Scouting the MSL/ESCC wrestling tournaments

By Mike Garofola

Mid-Suburban League

Where: Conant High School

When: starts at 5 p.m. Friday; resumes at 10:30 a.m. Saturday with finals at 3 p.m.

East champions: Hersey, Rolling Meadows.

West champion: Barrington

2010 champion: Schaumburg

Outstanding wrestler candidates:

Luke Smith (Wheeling, 31-0): Four-year star looks to become just the second in MSL history (Dan Weber was the other) to win four straight titles and his 149-11 career record says he just might do so. No. 1 rated 140-pounder in the state.

Josh Marchok (Schaumburg, 25-0): 22 pins, 20 in the first period, No. 1 at 215-pounds, and the favorite to win a state crown later next month. Isn’t that enough?

Weight watching:

189 — Chris Johnson (Wheeling, 29-1), Joe LaManna (Schaumburg, 30-1), Fred Scales (Hersey, 24-8), Tom Geweniger (Prospect, 20-14), Greg Johnsen (Elk Grove, 18-10), Ryan Wilt (Barrington).

Two of the giants in the state reside in this division and the anticipated Johnson vs. LaManna (13 pins) in a rematch of last year’s championship match is what everyone will be watching for. Last year’s 5-0 decision by No. 4 Johnson is ancient history, and while neither star shares results from common opponents this winter, the Wheeling senior has won 3 tournament titles thus far, with the Nebraska-bound LaManna nabbing the crown at Lake Park, after finishing second at the Feutz to nationally ranked Gage Harrah (Crystal Lake Central) in his only defeat of the year.

160 — Jeff Koepke (Hersey, 35-2), Joe Caprio (Rolling Meadows, 30-4), Cameron Thomson (Barrington), Matt Zabrin (Buffalo Grove, 25-7), Eddie Scanlon (Wheeling, 22-6).

If the 189 pound class is No. 1, then 160 became No. 1A after Koepke and Caprio officially dropped down for good last week in advance of this tournament and the state series. The defending MSL champs, didn’t face each other in the Mustangs’ thrilling victory last Friday to share the East title, but now it’s for real as the No. 4 rated Koepke (at 171) hopes to establish himself from here on out. Should Zabrin stay here, and not move up, the division becomes much deeper along with the gritty first-year Thomson and Scanlon, who shows he belongs with the best after losses to Thomson (11-9), Caprio (5-1) and Koepke (5-2).

145 — Dakota Wapotish (Barrington, 29-5), Mike Smith (Wheeling, 25-7), Marc Herff (Rolling Meadows, 29-9), Will Lang (Schaumburg, 22-5).

Breakout season for four-year veteran Wapotish gives him the early nod over all the others here, but don’t overlook the two-time state qualifier Smith, who is battle tested. Same goes for the senior duo of Herff and Lang, anxious to jump-start the final postseason run of their prep careers.

135 — Kory Jauch (Rolling Meadows, 28-3), Vince Gottardo (Conant, 25-7), Ronnie Hauser (Fremd, 23-6), Steve Polasik (Barrington), Brian Egan (Buffalo Grove, 19-10).

This was the weekend Hauser began his mercurial run to the state tournament last season, as did Gottardo two seasons ago. Can the senior (Jauch) be next?

125 — Conrad Bugay (Hersey, 34-7), Connor Mannina (Barrington, 20-4), Joe Abu-Bakr (Prospect, 28-8), Christian O’Campo (Buffalo Grove, 20-6), Zurabi Khornauli (Rolling Meadows, 23-10), Kevin Lejman (Conant, 18-8), Joe Hauser (Elk Grove, 19-11).

Lots of depth in this division, this is where the seeding meeting, and eventual draw will play a key role in a division filled with plenty of diverse technical and tactical skill.

Others to watch: At 112, No. 2 Jared Parvinmehr (Barrington, 25-3) vs. No. 7 Eugene Blackmon (Buffalo Grove, 22-3).

Team outlook:

While building its impressive resume throughout the season, which includes fifth-place finishes at the Moore-Prettyman and prestigious Dvorak, and an eye-popping perfect dual record, it’s easy to see why all around the MSL, coaches say Barrington is the favorite to host the big trophy Saturday night.

“They are well-coached, and they wrestle hard, and up and down the lineup, they know how to win matches,” said Schaumburg coach Matt Gruszka. Adds Rolling Meadows coach Dave Froehlich: “Nothing is for certain in this conference, but that said, Barrington can get medals at every weight, and is capable of winning a handful of weight classes, making them (on paper) the team to beat.”

The Broncos ability to score points, both in the championship bracket, and in the back draw have made them a superb dual and tournament team this season, and one reason the club did so well at the Dvorak, despite just one individual champion (Parvinmehr) and even better at the Dick Mudge Memorial where the No. 5 rated team in the state outdistanced No. 9 York by 50-plus points. “Obviously, being one of the best in the MSL speaks volumes for our program, because the league is such a tough wrestling conference, but there are so many things out of our control once we get there, such as the seeds, lineup changes, injuries, etc., so we ask our guys to focus on themselves and their partners,” said Barrington coach Al Strobl.

MSL East powers Hersey and Rolling Meadows have plenty of talent in their lineups to make the Broncos earn everything they get over the two days of competition, while clubs such as Wheeling and Schaumburg each have a trio of stars who can run over and through all others in their respective weight class to gobble up points the top teams can use.

“You look at some of the scores and results from Barrington, and it’s amazing — they were just crushing teams,” observed Wheeling coach Neal Weiner. “But I’ve seen it all in my 25-plus years, and you can bet that Al is reminding his guys to wrestle hard and smart.”

“All we can do is be our best, and (to) put the best product out there,” says Strobl.

East Suburban Catholic

Where: Marian Catholic High School, Chicago Heights

When: 3 p.m. Friday

2010 champion: Marist

Outlook: This is a two-team race between Marist and Notre Dame, with the Redhawks (16-5) firing the first salvo with a 12-point conference triumph to put them in control over the Dons for the regular-season title. No doubt the No. 6 rated team in the state clearly has the advantage with seven of its first 14 in the top 10 in the polls, including Ryan Conlin (103) and Sean Raddatz, who is gunning for his third conference crown, this year at 130 pounds.

If Joe LaMantia (concussion) returns this weekend, the 145-pounder will help strengthen the middle of the St. Viator lineup where head coach Jeff Kramarczyk feels his club has its best chance to succeed. “Joe, Mike Licari (152) and Eliot Hilgert (135) have been working hard, and pushing each other in the room, and they will give us our best opportunities to win medals,” Kramarczyk said.