Area stars punch tickets to Champaign

For the second time in nearly a year, Lee Munster sauntered into the Barrington fieldhouse and created a nightmare for every competitor who stood opposite the Grant junior on the mats in his weight class.

The No. 1-ranked 171-pounder was superb over the two days of sectional wrestling, and he appears seemingly unstoppable in his march to an individual state title this weekend in Champaign despite an impressive cast of challengers.

Munster (41-0) prevailed over a trio of opponents with a victory by fall and back-to-back technical falls Saturday, his second over Barrington junior Dan Santoro (37-8) in the sectional championship. Munster led four other Grant qualifiers who will be performing inside the Assembly Hall on Friday.

"Except for a frustrating semifinal match with (Deerfield's Jeremy) Fahler in which he just wrestled not to get pinned, it was a very good weekend for me and one that helps set me up for next week at the state tournament," Munster said. "Last year opponents would have me figured out because I didn't change things up and became too predictable, and it caught up with me at the state tournament.

"This year that is not the case, and I am taking each (match) and opponent differently, and I am ready for the challenge that comes with being No. 1 and the wrestler everyone is after."

"If you would have told me that we are sending five to the state tournament from a tough sectional like this one, I would have said GREAT," said Grant coach Ryan Geist. "But if you told me that group would not include both Tyler Dempsey (145) and (Tyler) Becker (152), I would have said you have to be kidding me."

Geist was quick to add how important a role Dempsey would play as the Bulldogs cheerleader and moral support agent for the rest of his teammates; Chad Alex (125), Roque Busos (130), Jason Montemayer (135) and heavyweight Carl Williams, who will join Munster in Champaign.

"You know Tyler was just hurting inside after being eliminated, but you wouldn't know as he became the consumate teammate, and the first guy over to congratulate his friends on making it downstate," Geist said.

Matt Boggess (39-0), a state runner-up last year, can understand how Munster feels. Boggess also has a big target on the back of his Prospect singlet, as the four-year star is rated No. 1 at 140.

"I've got pictures, stories and plenty of memories of what happened last year at the state tournament in the final (where he was injured and forced to take an injury default against Josh Kratovil) and there is only one way to erase that from my memory this year," said Boggess, who cruised to the sectional championship.

MSL counterparts Patrick Scully (Hoffman Estates, 119), Luke Smith (Wheeling, 125), Demetrios Mitchell (Hersey, 145), Luke Miller (Barrington, 152), Kyle Czarnecki (Buffalo Grove, 160), Danny Vargas (Wheeling, 189), Joe Patricelli (Conant, 215) and heavyweight Jimmy Norris (Fremd) joined Boggess as sectional titlists.

Scully (37-6) overcame a highly stressful day away from the mats Friday to rebound on Saturday, He pinned, JP Hough of Carmel in his semifinal and won by fall over Libertyville's Lous Mazzetta for the title.

"It was so much easier to get everything behind me from yesterday, and to concentrate soley on my wrestling today," said Scully, a two-time state qualifier.

Smith needed to erase a frightful scare thrown his way Friday, and he did so in spectacular fashion with a major-decison victory in the semifinals over Josh Katz of Deerfield and a win by fall over Dundee-Crown senior Jermaine Lee in the final.

"That scare on Friday night in my quarterfinal match with Erick Ramirez was the wake-up I needed to help me get back and refocused on what I need to do the rest of the way," Smith said.

Libertyville junior Matt Bystol (40-5) brought home a title with a superb effort in his 112-pound final against Ben Schwartz of Highland Park.

"Last year I was just happy to get downstate for the first time, but this year I won't be happy if I don't come home with a medal," said Bystol, ranked No. 2 behind Edwin Cooper of Providence.

Mundelein freshman Matt Ornoff began the evening session with a stunning upset of No. 3 Tom Laskowske of Palatine at 103 pounds.

Ornoff (37-5), who looked calm and collected despite his rookie status, won this fiercely contested match after building a 3-0 lead near the end of the second period.. then adding a late takedown in a 6-3 decision.

"Here's a kid who put all of the extra work in during the summer with training and trips to camps, and tonight you saw the fruits of that labor rewarded with a championship," said Mundelein coach Tom Buenik.

Mundelein's Eduardo Dominguez, a 2008 state medalist, failed to advance into the backdraw after St. Viator's Danny Sabatello beat hm Friday night. Dominguez (35-3) was eliminated Saturday when he lost in the semifinals to Schwartz.

Sabatello 37-5) did advance, but only after Conant sophomore Vince Gottardo (29-13) stunned the Lions junior in the third-place bout.

Libertyville's Pat Callan (135) and Josh Ronne (160) joined Bystol and Mazzetta as state qualifiers.

Lake Zurich boasted individual champion Kevin Fanta (135, 38-2) and qualifiers Cameron Shaffer (130), Anthony Pace (145) and Wade Self (215), with Fanta and Schaffer heading downstate for the second-straight season.

"I really believe that I've outworked nearly most everyone in my weight class this season and that's been the main reason for my success this year," said Fanta, who was devastating with a trio of major-decision victories en route to his title.

Warren's Connor Drew (119) and Justin Santiago (152), Stevenson's Jordan Sherman (135) and Nathan Millman (145) and Carmel's Shane Siefert (31-7 at 135) all earned state berths.

"It's been a dream of mine since going downstate in eighth grade to get there myself," said Santiago, with a big, wide smile.

The championship won by Barrington's Miller helped fuel two others for second-year coach Al Strobl, as Santoro and freshman Adrian Gonzalez are going along for the ride for the first time.

"Did I ever imagine winning a sectional title this year?" said Miller, who shut down a three foes by a combined score of 10-4 before rolling over Santiago 12-4. "Maybe not, but you always have to come into a tournament like this thinking you can."

Hersey sophomore Jeff Koepke (38-13) lost to Czarnecki for the third straight weekend, but gained a well-deserved trip to Champaign, as did 160-pound rival Andrew Petit (36-12) of Hoffman Estates, who fell short last season at the Naperville North sectional.

Hoffman teammates Jose Flores (215) and Mike Eisele (285) are also going, while Luke Smith's cousin Mike (130) and Leo Smith (152) will also need to books rooms.

Rolling Meadows senior Thomas Davidson advanced at 189, as did Buffalo Grove junior Jamey Zabrin at 171.

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