Schaumburg takes top honors at Rex Lewis Invitational
The Schaumburg wrestling team built a commanding lead entering the final round and never looked back Saturday afternoon at the 14-team Rex Lewis Invitational in Buffalo Grove.
Led by four individual champions, the Saxons stormed to the team title with 203 points while Lake Zurich put together a strong effort to take home runner-up honors with 157.5 points.
Elk Grove was another Mid-Suburban League squad with a strong showing Saturday as the Grenadiers took third place with 144.5 points. The host Bison edged Larkin 110-109 for seventh place in the huge field while Palatine placed 10th with 97 points.
Among Schaumburg's champions were 152-pound junior Tyler Bobnick (14-0), who remained undefeated on the 2018-19 season with a pin in the finals over Elk Grove sophomore Joey Gaskill.
"The team did well, we all fought hard after losing to Barrington (Friday) night we came back strong," said Bobnick, who has his sights set on a potential trip to the state meet in February. "I just have to stay focused, keep my eyes on the prize, and I think I can upset a lot of people."
Other first-place winners for the Saxons were Tony LaRocco (10-2) at 120, Grant Hansen (12-2) at 138, and Hadi Mashhadiabolghase (11-2) at 285. Two-time state qualifier Jack Lingle (145) did not wrestle for Schaumburg due to a shoulder injury.
"There are a lot of good, younger people on the team along with four seniors now," LaRocco said. "My goal is to place at state. I've put in a lot of work the last four years so I think I have a good chance to place at state."
Matt Hosp placed second for the Saxons at 160 while teammate Hiroshi Avila placed third at 113.
"I think it was a pretty good effort. We lost a few matches we could have won, but overall I'm pretty pleased," said Schaumburg coach Mike Levanti. " (Bobnick) has really come a long way. He wrestles at a fast pace and he scores a lot of points."
Lake Zurich was led by undefeated Ian McGee (12-0) with a decision over previously undefeated Griffin McEnroe of Elk Grove at 113, and teammate Joey Mrazek (10-2), who won the 170-pound crown with a pin over Larkin's Dejuan Akins.
"For the most part we wrestled really well and we were scoring some bonus points in the first two rounds," said Lake Zurich coach Jake Jobst. "Both of them (McGee and Mrazek) have been wrestling really tough, and Joey has been on kind of a hot streak lately."
Elk Grove sophomore Tuvshin Zuunbayan (13-0) also remained undefeated with a narrow 3-2 decision over Lake Zurich's Jason Wollard at 132.
" (Zuunbayan) is doing great, he's smart, he's very tough, and he's never out of position," said Elk Grove assistant coach Mike Nevel. "These kids are all about team, they're all about picking each other up, and we have very good leaders which helps out."
Buffalo Grove teammates Andy Polk (11-2 at 160), and Michael Goubine (9-3 at 182) took home first-place medals while Lake Zurich also got seconds from Justin Wollard (126), and Cristian Gavriluti (145).
"It was a pretty impressive day for them (Polk and Goubine), and they're both having really good seasons," said Buffalo Grove coach Kurt Kutska. "We're a little banged up, we've got some guys coming down in weight classes so we're looking decent so far."
Larkin's Diego Facio improved to 10-0 with a pin in the 195-pound finals while teammates Isai Rios (285) and Alan Facio (182) placed second.
"Diego had a hard time in the semifinals, but he really did well in the finals," said Larkin coach Mike Hodge. "It was a close match at 285. (Rios) didn't pull it off, but I think both of those heavyweights have a chance to go to state this year."
Other third-place finishers were Lake Zurich's Mitch Wayne (106), Elk Grove's Matt McEnroe (126), Buffalo Grove's Alejandro Mejia (138), Elk Grove's Joe Szplit (145), and Buffalo Grove's T.J. West (220).