Glenbrook South scratches 50-year itch
Glenbrook South earned a portion of its first conference wrestling title in 50 years, capped by a third-place finish at the Central Suburban League meet Jan. 22 in Vernon Hills.
The Titans beat New Trier early in the season then fell to Maine South in a later dual meet, each team earning a share of the CSL South title.
At Vernon Hills, CSL North champion Deerfield's 281.5 points led all 12 teams, followed by New Trier (218.5), Glenbrook South (210) and Maine South (204). The conference tournament does not determine champions in the CSL's North and South divisions.
Glenbrook South, which Titans coach Pat Castillo said last won a CSL wrestling title in 1972, sent nine all-conference wrestlers to the mat at Vernon Hills. All-conference designation is earned by coaches' vote based on dual-meet performance, plus automatic bids for tournament winners, Castillo said.
At 106 pounds, Glenbrook South freshman Andrew Haritos (17-4) was the Titans' sole tourney champ, dealing Maine South sophomore Christos Vaselopulos an 8-2 defeat by decision.
Glenbrook South's fellow all-conference wrestlers were: Arnold Park (113 pounds), Max Brown (120), Marcos Santos (126), Jack Downing (145), Will Collins (152), Patrick Downing (160), Ilkin Badalov (170) and Drew Duffy (285).
Collins (14-2), like Duffy also an all-conference football player this past season, is a senior who has twice qualified for the Illinois High School Association state meet.
Downing (21-6) qualified last year for the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials state tournament, held in lieu of the IHSA meet suspended by COVID.
New Trier, which went 18-3 in duals during the season, fielded two conference champions at Vernon Hills.
At 220 pounds, sophomore Ty Stringer (19-5) topped Evanston's Sheldon Kinzer in a 12-3 decision.
In a battle of 25-win seniors at 195 pounds, the Trevians' Jack Cummings (25-2) defeated Vernon Hills' Jake Psaras by technical fall.
After a first-round bye, Cummings pinned his next three opponents to earn the league award as George Elias Outstanding Wrestler, New Trier coach Marc Tadelman said.
All 13 wrestlers New Trier brought to Vernon Hills placed in the top six of their weight divisions, Tadelman said.
Freshman Tagg Miller (22-10) was second at 145 pounds as were Matthew Boyer (31-5) at 152 and Tyler Jackson (19-11) at 182. Freshman Walter Garrett (12-8) finished third at 106 pounds and junior Wilson Wright (27-6) advanced to a third-place finish at 120 pounds.
Glenbrook North, which placed 10th in team standings, earned two top-four league finishes.
Senior Nate Glazebrook (15-8) advanced to fourth before Stringer beat him at 220 pounds. All-conference senior Patrick Herbst (13-13) reached fourth place at 160 pounds, eliminated by conference champion Stamos Tsakiris.
Maine East finished ninth at Vernon Hills. At 120 pounds, senior Chris Kish (24-1) beat New Trier's Wright in the semifinals and Glenbrook South's Brown in the final, by 9-3 decision, to take the title.
Glenbrook North, Glenbrook South and New Trier wrestlers move to the Class 3A regional at Glenbrook South on Feb. 5. Maine East competes at the 3A Maine South regional.