Broncos connect four
CHAMPAIGN - Montini was the dominant team at this year's Class 2A individual state tournament, sending 10 medal winners to the awards stand inside Assembly Hall.
The Broncos saw four state champions scale the highest step: Stephen Robertson (125 pounds), Isaiah Gonzalez (160), Carl Foreside (189) and Grant Goebel (215).
Robertson, Gonzalez and Foreside all returned to the title mat after posting second-place finishes last year, and they each made Saturday's title efforts count.
"It's a major relief, knowing that all this hard work I put into it in the last four years finally paid off," Gonzalez said after winning a 12-4 decision over Manley's William Hadley.
Foreside posted a major decision in his title match, raising his season mark to 50-3 in his senior year.
"My mindset in the finals was just to get it done," Foreside said. "Move after move, chain wrestling. I just did my best."
Robertson posted a 9-4 decision over Yorkville's Jed Lightfoot to win his first state title in his sophomore season. Goebel's title came the hard way, in a 2-1 decision win in overtime against Oswego's Dan Howell.
"He's the strongest kid I wrestled down here," Goebel said.
"It feels great. I've been working all year for this."
"It's fitting that Grant wins his title that way," said Broncos coach Mike Bukovsky. "He has worked so hard for us." "The kids wrestled well, but it's always bittersweet. I'm happy for the four boys that won, but I feel bad for the two that lost heartbreakers in the finals."
Colton Rasche lost a 2-1 decision in overtime at 130 in placing second, and heavyweight Ross Ferraro also placed second in an overtime match. Montini's other place-winners were Kevon Powell (103 pounds), Christ Divito (112), Frank Baer (140) and Dimitri Willis (152).
Senior Josh Castellano earned a second-place medal for Fenton at 145, becoming the first Bison wrestler to medal downstate since Brian Sbertoli placed sixth in 2001.
"He's been such a great example for the other guys in the program," said Fenton coach Brian Hastings. "I know he's extremely disappointed that he didn't win (a state title), but he left it all on the mat and accomplished a lot this year."
Driscoll sophomore Jake Randich topped his brother Tom's effort from last season, earning a spot on the Class A title mat and placing second at 189 pounds.Tom Randich was the Highlanders' first state placer last year, when he was fifth at 171 pounds.