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Marmion headed to state once again

Since being elevated to the Class 3A in wrestling, Marmion has never not failed to advance to the team state tournament.

Sandburg, a storied power with multiple state championships in its history, was hoping to deny the Cadets at the Downers Grove South sectional Tuesday evening.

But the schools' single-digit regular-season dual match - captured by Marmion - was ancient history after the Cadets' five all-state performers all recorded pins in a 42-24 victory.

Marmion (16-11) advanced to the Elite Eight for the sixth consecutive year and will face Catholic League rival Montini (21-1) on Saturday morning in Bloomington.

Top-ranked Montini defeated another conference foe in Mt. Carmel, 45-15, in the other sectional final at Downers South.

The five-time state-champion Eagles had their season close at 17-3.

"I was hoping we could compete a little bit better," Sandburg coach Clinton Polz said. "They didn't have (Brad) Gross and (Nathan) Jimenez (the first time we wrestled)."

Jimenez, a Michigan State-bound two-time runner-up at 170 and Gross, also second last weekend in Champaign at 160, both had falls in less than a minute as Marmion scored 33 of the first 39 points.

"Now it's for the team," Jimenez said. "I can't dwell on the past. I have to be a leader, a senior captain. I am very confident of each and every one of my teammates."

Trevor Chumbley, the Cadets' 138-pound state champion, moved down to 132; the junior had no issues in recording another first-period fall for Marmion.

"I am a lot bigger and a lot stronger than other 32-pounders," Chumbley said. "It was nice to get the pin for the team. We wanted to show how much we have improved from the start of the season with all the injuries."

Diego Sotelo, the Cadets' fourth finalist last Saturday at the University of Illinois, capped the Cadets' 18-point win with a second-period pin at 106 pounds.

The Sotelo match-ending fall came after Sandburg scored the maximum 18 points in the three previous matches as Marmion is forced to forfeit 220 pounds and heavyweight.

But Michael Jaffe, fourth for Marmion at 113, began the Cadets' victorious march with a fall at 113 pounds.

"To come out and dominate was pretty awesome," Jaffe said.

Nathan Callaway and Jacob Tinajero triumphed for Marmion with simple decisions at 126 and 145 pounds, respectively.

Tinajero made his season debut with his 16-9 victory.

Tyler Surges is the only Marmion senior starter other than Jimenez; the 182-pound state qualifier won his match 4-2.

  Marmion's Michael Jaffe wrestles Sandburg's Carson Bruce at 113 pounds during the Class 3A Downers Grove South team dual sectional on Tuesday. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  Marmion's Walter Green wrestles Sandburg's Jimmy Ferguson at 120 pounds during the Class 3A Downers Grove South team dual sectional on Tuesday. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  Marmion's Nathan Callaway wrestles Sandburg's San Wojcik at 126 pounds during the Class 3A Downers Grove South team dual sectional on Tuesday. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  Marmion's Tyler Surges wrestles Sandburg's Alex Hirschfield at 182 pounds during the Class 3A Downers Grove South team dual sectional on Tuesday. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  Marmion's Matthew Welch wrestles Sandburg's Nate Goodman at 195 pounds during the Class 3A Downers Grove South team dual sectional on Tuesday. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
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