Marmion dominates SCN, Waubonsie Valley

In its seventh full season as a program, Marmion wrestling has made tremendous inroads in fielding a legitimate contender.

But Dean Branstetter, the Cadets' coach, is the first to admit there is an obstacle as symbolic as it is formidable to overcome.

"I have coached at four different schools," Branstetter said. "I hope in the (upcoming state series) that we are able to have some state qualifiers and state place-winners. Until that happens, there's always going to be that void."

The way the Cadets wrestled at home against out-of-conference opponents St. Charles North and Waubonsie Valley, though, the postseason drought is no longer looking like a mirage.

Marmion steamrolled forfeit-addled St. Charles North, 57-10, and used a 37-point unanswered blitz to conclude its 55-12 win over Waubonsie Valley to sweep its triangular Thursday night in Aurora.

The Cadets improved to 12-3 on the season. Waubonsie Valley (9-8) defeated the North Stars (3-16, 1-4) 54-12 in the teams' Upstate Eight Conference makeup dual.

The Cadets' annual match against St. Charles North has assumed added significance in recent years as the program has been infused with a wealth of talented St. Charles residents.

"I never had any anticipation of going (to St. Charles North)," said Marmion junior Nico Jimenez, who dropped down from his customary 171-pound class to earn a forfeit at 160. "St. Charles is my hometown. I still have friends who I grew up with who are going there. It really wasn't that weird to wrestle against them."

Eddie Breen is the Cadets' starter at 125 pounds, and highly-regarded North freshman Timmy Noverini stood in his way of a successful outcome.

But the showdown never materialized as the Marmion junior dominated with a double-digit major decision.

"It's definitely weird wrestling against a school that you would go to," Breen said. "I kind of felt like I was getting to (Noverini), and it kind of opened up from there."

Joe Gregario and St. Charles resident Pat Greco opened the one-sided match with a third-period pin and technical fall, respectively, to release the floodgates for Marmion against St. Charles North.

C.J. Miller, the only North wrestler to win both of his matches in the triangular, shut out his opponent at 145 pounds.

The North Stars' junior also had a first-period fall against Waubonsie Valley.

St. Charles North also received back-to-back wins from Kasey Ro and Ryan Fasbinder at 215 pounds and heavyweight.

But it was all Marmion for the rest of the match.

Eddie Greco improved to 20-2 on the season, filling in for a third potential St. Charles North student, Ryan Riggs, at 112 pounds, and Angelo Silvestro, who hails from Geneva, was equally unblemished for Marmion at 119 pounds.

"(The Marmion) kids are tough," St. Charles North coach Ken Moromi. "I would like to have (kids) like that. I don't care where (they are) from."