Wauconda, VH wrestle strong at sectional
No big surprises meant great news for Lake County area individuals Friday night at the powerful Class 2A Fenton wrestling sectional.
With numerous individuals from No. 1-ranked Montini and No. 2 Crystal Lake Central competing in the large field, the road to today's semifinals (11 a.m.) was not easy to reach.
But the stage is now set for four individuals in each weight class to advance to the Assembly Hall in Champaign next weekend with first- and third-place matches starting at 5 p.m. today.
Unlike the new Class 3A format with 16 wrestlers in each bracket, the Class 2A state meet will have only 12 wrestlers in each bracket.
Top-ranked senior Matt Holmes (38-4) of Lakes rolled to his quarterfinal victory at 135 pounds with a pin in 57 seconds, while top-ranked senior Scott Carlson (152) of Wauconda improved to 37-3 with a technical fall in a time of 2:53.
Holmes will have a huge semifinal test against Rockford East's Kyle Logsdon (36-0) in the semifinals. Lakes junior Phil Cappitelli (35-8) will also have a tough semifinal match against Rockford East's Andrew Simmons (33-3).
"I just wanted to go in there and wrestle tough (against Vernon Hills' Nick Capozzoli)," said Holmes. "It's going to be a tough match (against Logsdon), and I have to make him wrestle my match to win."
Carlson will be joined by 130-pound teammate Jeff Costa (29-8) and 135-pounder Peter Koostra (27-7) in the semifinals, but 285-pounder Cody Smith fell to standout senior Ricky Peisker of CLC in the quarterfinals.
"There are a lot of quality wrestlers here, and we would like to have gotten our heavyweight through," said Wauconda coach Tom Nance.
"We have some shots to get some guys through in consolations, and we're pretty sure Carlson will get to Champaign and win a lot of matches yet."
Wauconda has the unenviable task of facing Montini in the Burlington Central team sectional in 10 days. Montini was the 2008 Class AA state champion before now moving down to the new Class 2A.
After a late-season knee injury kept him out of the post-season altogether last season, 171-pound Antioch senior Tom Gerstner (33-6) also appears to be poised to take that trip south on Route 57 next Friday.
Gerstner was very impressive in his 7-1 decision over Montini's Alex Saunders.
"The last two weeks I was overworking my legs, I feel really confident, and it feels like I have completely new legs," said Gerstner.
"I'm a completely different wrestler than last week, and I'm going to take it to him (CLC's Trevor Parlberg)."
After Gerstner lost to Parlberg by two points at regionals, a finals rematch should be a given Saturday.
"Tom wrestled smart, and we were a little worried the last couple of weeks when he wasn't wrestling well," said Antioch coach Wilbur Borrero.
"It's going to be interesting to see the (CLC) kid again in the finals and I think (Gerstner) will be a different wrestler."
While not as highly ranked or experienced, Vernon Hills enjoyed a great night in the opening rounds.
Freshman Dan Peterson (103), sophomore Gideon Yim (119), senior Edgar Cuevas (33-11 at 130), and junior Joe Brignon (32-11 at 140) all reaching the semifinals for Cougars coach Jerry Miceli.