Tri-Cities wrestling preview

Top teams: Marmion, St. Charles East, West Aurora, Geneva, Batavia, Kaneland, St. Charles North

Projected starters: Batavia: 106: Andrew Esch, fr.; 113: Mike Doranski, soph.; 120: Seth Winkle, fr.; 126: Joe Posledni, fr.; 132: Chris Jordan, fr.; 138: Mark Goodin, sr.; 145: Trevor Killgallen, sr.; 152: Eric Wallerstein, jr.; 160: Jake Birkhaug, jr.; 170: Nate Kearney, jr.; 182: Nick Offutt, sr.; 195: Noah Frazier, sr.; 220: Connor McKeehan, sr.; 285: Dylan Uzumecki, soph. Geneva; 106: Evan Baker, soph.; 113: Sean McDonald, soph.; 120: Julian Desens, soph.; 126: Ryan O’Brien, jr.; 132: Colin Parsons, jr.; 138: Thomas Obrien, sr.; 145: Mike Huck, jr.; 152: Brock Perry, jr.; 160: Alex Crowe, soph.; 170: Austin Chaon, jr.; 182: Nick Bradberry, jr.; 195: Nate Montgomery, jr.; 220: Jake Anderson, sr.; 285: Billy Douds, sr. Kaneland: 106: Austin Kedzie, fr.; 113: Adam Mish, jr.; 120: Jacob Shearer, fr.; 126: Matthew Redman, fr.; 132: Luke Eggenberger, fr.; 138: Dane Goodenough, sr.; 145: Riley Vanik, fr.; 152: George Strang, soph.; 160: Austin Parks, soph.; 170: Zach Parker, soph.; 182: Tom Price, jr.; 195: Cullen Murray, sr.; 220: Ryan Bridge, soph.; 285: Justin Diddell, sr. Marmion: 113: Anthony Bosco, sr.; 120: AJ Jaffee, soph.; 126: Johnny Jimenez, sr.; 132: Mike Callahan, soph.; 138: Eli Baltazar, soph.; 145: Matt Ferraro, soph.; 152: Trace Carello, soph.; 160: Riley DeMoss, soph.; 170: Nick Ferraro, sr.; 182: Nathan Traxler, soph.; 195: Josh Meyers, sr.; 220: Lucas Warren, soph.; 285: Pete Capetillo, soph. St. Charles East: 106: Joe Rufino, fr.; 113: Anthony Rubino, soph.; 120; Quinn Doherty, jr.; 126: Austin Hrubec, sr.; 132: Ryan Valesh, sr.; 138: Isaiah Vela, sr.; 145: Jake Mende, sr.; 152: Jason Weber, sr.; 160: Keone Derain, jr.; 170: Ramon Lopez, jr.; 182: Blake Flalka, jr.; 195: Ray David, jr.; 220: Jose Flores, sr.; 285: Will Leite, jr. St. Charles North: 106: Kaleb O’Brien, fr.; 113: Dominic Testa, fr.; 126: Roy Rushing, soph.; 132: Steve Collins, jr.; 138: Jake Chantos, soph.; 145: Ethan Fredricks, jr.; 152: Chad Reynolds, fr.; 182: Gavin Thatcher, jr.; West Aurora: 106: Isaac Jacquez, fr.; 113: Jason Jude, soph.; 120: Carlos Jacquez, jr.; 126: John Doyle, soph.; 132: Anthony Berry, jr.; 138: Brendan French, soph., Erik Olson, soph.; 145: Alex Gonzalez, soph., Sean Anthony, jr.; 152: Rashann Ford, jr.; 160: Brandon Ferias, sr.; 170: Dequan Booker, sr.; 182: Jeremiah Evans, sr.; 195: Julian Lopez, sr.; 220: Karl Fowler, jr.; 285: Jakilo Lee, sr., Sam Deisher, soph.

Scouting report: There was no razor-thin loss at the regional for Marmion last year. After two heart-wrenching defeats in their final two years in Class 2A, the Cadets stormed to the dual-team state-championship match after dominating the Naperville Central regional. Marmion was bested by tradition-rich Sandburg for the Class 3A state championship in Bloomington, but Jimenez headlines another rugged Marmion lineup. The Wisconsin-bound Jimenez will seek to become the 12th wrestler in state history to win four state titles next February. His former teammate, Jered Cortez, also has a chance after back-to-back undefeated seasons at Glenbard North. Jimenez is the consensus top-ranked 120-pounder in the state, and the Cadets enter the season — which began portentously with a victory at Barrington last weekend — ranked behind only Oak Park-River Forest. “Our goal is a state championship,” Marmion coach Ryan Cumbee said. “We’re a year more mature, a year older.” Marmion has taken the sport to a new level with multiple individual state championships the last four years. The program did not even exist until after the turn of the century. But the Cadets have unquestionably benefited from their association with the St. Charles kids’ wrestling program as a staging ground. Dotted with residents from the Tri-Cities, the Marmion wrestling program combines year-round training with a murderous schedule. Traveling to elite national tournaments in Illinois (Dvorak), Wisconsin (Cheesehead) and Minnesota (Iron Man), the Cadets are more than battle-tested when it comes to the postseason. “(The schedule) is definitely a big part of what we’re doing,” said Bosco, a two-time all-state performer. “When you get to the state tournament, you don’t have to worry about freezing up.” In addition to Jimenez and Bosco, Carello is the third returning state qualifier for Marmion. “If they stay healthy, I think Marmion can win a state championship,” Naperville North coach Tom Champion said. Batavia, Geneva and West Aurora were with Marmion at the Shepard sectional last year, but none of the programs have any state returnees this winter. “The sectional was brutal, and we didn‘t get it done,” said West Aurora coach Mike DiNovo, who failed to produce a state qualifier for the first time in his eight-year career. “You had Sandburg, Marist and Marmion in the same sectional, plus traditional powers from throughout the southwest and western suburbs.” Batavia and Geneva will be looking to upend St. Charles East in the Upstate Eight Conference River Division this fall. Graduation losses are inescapable in prep sports, and many of the programs will be fielding teams with untested athletes at the varsity level. “It’s definitely one of the biggest challenges,” St. Charles East coach Jason Potter said of replacing much of his upper-weights. “Even though we graduated a lot of top-(weight athletes), we still have some experience at 220 (pounds) and heavyweight.” The Saints boast the only other returning state qualifiers in the area as Vela and Derain anchor their bid for a repeat conference championship. The Saints’ dream season last year was derailed by traditional wrecking ball Glenbard North in the postseason; the Saints dropped a lone dual match last year in running the table in the River. “They’re one of the best teams in the state,” Geneva coach Tom Chernich said of St. Charles East. The Saints have state-ranked athletes in Rubino, Valesh, Vela and Derain. Mende already has an invitational title to his credit as well. Vela is looking for redemption after failing to replicate his all-state sophomore campaign last year. “I think Isaiah and I are on the same page,” Potter said. “He has refocused. The most important (change) was his strength. In the past he used to get by on his athletic ability. I think (added strength) is going to be the difference for him getting to the top of the podium (at state).” Geneva swept through the Carmel bracketed dual-meet tournament to begin its season with nine straight wins. Chernich also has to contend with a shortage of seasoned performers. “We could wrestle a non-senior lineup if we had to,” the Geneva coach said. But Chernich has grand designs for Obrien once the senior recovers from a nagging injury. Batavia does not schedule any cupcakes in its pursuit for excellence. With seven projected starters missing due to their participation on the state championship football team, the Bulldogs were at the wrong end of one-sided defeats to Glenbard North, Minooka and Lincoln-Way Central in the same quadrangular. “Every season we get baptized by fire,” Batavia coach Scott Bayer said. “It’s going to take some time for (the football players) to get into (wrestling) shape. I think they’re bringing an air of confidence with them into wrestling.” Doranski is the lone sectional returnee for the Bulldogs after heavyweight Mitch Krusz was lost for the season with a football injury. West Aurora will be particularly solid in the lower weights behind the Jacquez brothers. “I’m planning on dropping to (1) 13 (pounds) in coming weeks and expect to do some big things,” said Carlos Jacquez. “(Older brother) Greg (Jacquez) has been telling me for years that Isaac is the best (wrestler in the family),” DiNovo said after the siblings both won titles at Antioch last weekend. “I enjoy coach (the Jacquez brothers).” Doyle and Ferias also bear watching for potential state berths for the Blackhawks. Kaneland coach Monty Jahns had to replace seven starters, including Class 2A state champion Danny Goress. But the Knights have several promising underclassmen. “I’m very pleased with where they’re at,” Jahns said. “These (freshmen) have been wrestling for quite a while.”

Key Dates: Dec. 7, Wheaton Warrenville South Mega Duals; Dec. 13-14, Iron Man; Dec. 20-21, Hinsdale Central Rex Whitlach; Dec. 27-28, Dvorak; Jan. 3-4, Cheeshead; Jan. 11, Geneva Invite; Jan. 11, Batavia Quad; Jan. 18, Batavia Invitational; Jan. 24-25, conference tournaments.

— Compiled by Kevin McGavin