Schuck, Maroder, Vincent win titles for BC

BELVIDERE -There wasn't going to be a come-from-behind team victory for the Burlington Central wrestling team this year.

Sycamore ran away with the Class 2A Belvidere regional wrestling title Saturday, but the Rockets did nab 3 individual titles. Kaneland added a pair of regional titles as the two teams combined to send 11 wrestlers to next week Class 2A Sterling sectional.

"The kids wrestled tough," Central coach Tony Rigitano said. "Now we have to look to next week."

The Rockets (160), who finished second to Sycamore (205) as a team, recorded their first regional crown as Taylor Schuck (26-2) pinned Marengo's Bobby Gaines (23-5) as time expired in the second period at 171 pounds. Schuck scouted Gaines' first match with Belvidere North's Josh Pagan and watched him take down Pagan in 1:02 with a headlock.

Schuck was determined not to let Gaines get any sort of offensive momentum going.

"I had to wrestle solid, so I didn't get out of position," said Schuck, who claimed his second straight regional crown. "I knew I was capable, so I wanted to go out there and get the pin."

Schuck was followed by Tim Maroder (189) and Tim Vincent, who both claimed regional crowns. Maroder (33-4) took a more dramatic approach, grinding out an 8-6 victory over Marengo's Angel Botzoc (34-5) after taking a 6-1 lead in the third period.

"In the first two periods I was attacking," said Maroder, who also claimed his second-straight regional crown. "Then I had the lead and I was wrestling defensive. It's always good to win, but I would have liked to win more dominantly."

Vincent (26-12) defeated Sycamore's Matt Copple (16-11) with a pin in 4 minutes, 49 seconds.

Kaneland wrestlers faced off and defeated a pair of familiar opponents in winning its two regional titles.

Devan Scholl (125) took the rubber match with DeKalb's Jake Jones (31-10) with a 2-0 victory. Scholl (32-6) was walked over at last year's regional and did not soon forget the feeling. Nor did he forget the feeling Jones left him with after pinning him in last week's Western Sun Conference meet.

"I was trying not to give up a bunch of opportunities for him to score," said Scholl, who makes his first trip to sectionals. "(Last year) I had no control over it. (This year) It wasn't going to happen again no matter what."

Heavyweight Jimmy Boyle (37-3) also downed a Western Sun opponent when he ended the day with a 3-2 victory over Sycamore's Zach Fraedrich (22-18).

"I wanted to make sure I could get a bye for sectionals," Boyle said. "As far as my technique, it really wasn't the best day."

Also qualifying for Central was Demitrius Phillips, who finished second at 140 and Johnny Major, who took third at 125 pounds. The Knights got third-place finishes from Esai Ponce (34-7, 103), Kyle Davidson (32-9, 145) and Ben Kovilick (28-15, 215).

Second-year program Hampshire did not advance a wrestler to the championship round.