Scouting Fox wrestling regionals
The postseason is here, and not too soon for the wrestling community.
Let's face it, the regular season is a grind, weekday contests, weekend tournaments and its sometimes long travel, nagging injuries, plus the possibility of seeing opponents two, maybe three times before regionals or sectionals.
Now is the time when it really counts. The top three advance to sectionals, and team champions move on to dual-team sectionals after the state tournament.
Here's a quick look at where area teams will compete.
Class 3A DeKalb
Time: 9 a.m., finals 1 p.m.
Advancement: Barrington sectional for individuals, Glenbrook North for team champ
Outlook: St. Charles East was moved closer to home, but unfortunately the Saints are now presented with the daunting task of chasing 3A power DeKalb.
"(DeKalb) is the best public school in the state," said Saints coach Jason Potter of the Barbs, who sit behind private school giants Montini Catholic and Mt. Carmel in the current state polls.
Potter's club will need plenty of help to overtake DeKalb and will receive some from UEC champs: Eric Santana (Elgin), and the South Elgin duo of Nico Cliente (120) and Mike Roath at 220.
Mikey Caliendo (32-1) continues a brilliant junior season at Batavia that has seen the No. 4 rated 145-pounder roll over and through the competition, including last weekend at the DuKane Conference Tournament.
Teammates Kaden Fetterolf (106, 26-9) and Riley Woods (138, 24-8) claimed titles as well, as did St. Charles East seniors Gavin Tatar (160, 23-14) and Carter Maggio (32-7) at 170.
Geneva senior Ian Huck (28-7), DuKane champ at 126, begins his quest toward a second consecutive appearance at state.
Santana (145, 28-6) and Roath (220, 20-3) have plenty of momentum. Roath was a sectional qualifier a year ago, while Santana has improved dramatically after his 18-13 2019 campaign.
Class 3A Huntley
Time: 9 a.m., finals 2 p.m.
Advancement: Barrington sectional for individuals, Glenbrook North for team champ
Outlook: Not once has BJ Bertelsman seen his club from Huntley be at full strength, making the Red Raiders' spot at No. 11 all the more impressive.
"College visits, injuries, illness, not making weight, you name it, and it has kept our guys off the mat at various times all throughout the regular season," said Bertelsman, who figures if healthy he could watch 11 or 12 advance.
Reigning state champion David Ferrante (170) leads a terrific Huntley threesome, with the four-year star joined by No. 3 Sam Spencer (126) and No. 7 Jeremy Jakowitsch at 138 alongside the Northwestern-bound Ferrante, who is 35-1.
FVC rival Jacobs brings its own mighty trio, beginning with No. 3 Jake Harrier (138, 32-1), Alex Epstein (145, 25-3) and Ryan Golnick, No. 1 at 220 pounds, and 29-3).
A Harrier-Jakowitsch final could be the highlight of the day, with the victor earning a top four seed at the Barrington sectional next weekend in one of the high profile weight class divisions in the state.
Class 3A Lake Park
Time: 9 a.m., finals 3 p.m.
Advancement: Conant sectional for individuals, South Elgin for team champ
Outlook: Lake Park and Wheaton North saw first hand just how much talent and quality No. 7 Glenbard North has last weekend at the DuKane Conference tournament in which the Panthers amassed nearly 280 points.
West Chicago, third at the UEC tourney, and Streamwood are here, as well Conant and Schaumburg from the MSL, who, with Wheaton North and Lake Park, should see several of their guys advance into sectionals next weekend.
Bartlett, who lost the UEC crown to Glenbard East by 1.5 points (219.5-218) could be the one club to come closest to Glenbard North at day's end.
Coach John Glorioso has watched senior and two-time UEC champ Jacob Cwenar (195, 28-2) enjoy a marvelous season thus far.
Class 3A Marmion Academy
Time: 9 a.m., finals 1 p.m.
Advancement: Hinsdale Central sectional for individuals, Sandburg for team champ
Outlook: When the Saturday afternoon trophy presentation comes around, look for No. 13 Naperville Central (21-4) to lift the championship ahead of a young Marmion Academy club, as well East Aurora, West Aurora and Wheaton Warrenville South.
The top man from this regional is Marmion junior Diego Sotelo (37-2) who is No. 1 at 113 in Illinois, and No. 8 in the nation.
The reigning state champion was first at Barrington, Granite City and the Chicago Catholic League finals, and third at the prestigious Ironman in mid-December.
Last season, Dzhabrail Khurshidov led West Aurora to its first UEC title with his victory at 195. Two weeks later, the-then sophomore advanced downstate, which led to a regular spot in the top 5 in this year's state polls, making him the man to beat here in his weight class.
One name to watch is East Aurora senior Jaycee Gonzalez, UEC champ at 160, and undefeated at 24-0.
Class 3A Willowbrook
Time: 9 a.m., finals 2 p.m.
Advancement: Conant sectional for individuals, South Elgin for team champ
Outlook: It's Montini Catholic all the way here, so the rest will set their eyes on advancing as many as possible while the No. 4 rated team in the nation collects most of the first place medals.
Class 2A Sycamore
Time: 9 a.m., finals noon
Advancement: Rochelle sectional for both individuals and the team champ
Outlook: Aurora Christian is after its fourth consecutive regional title, but host Sycamore, with plenty of 20-match winners in its lineup, will have plenty to say in the final outcome.
After coming off its 1A state title in 2018 and second place finish at year ago, AC moved up to 2A, where it has enjoyed its share of success, which it has parlayed into the No. 8 spot in the state polls.
Top-rated Cameron Johnson (126) is after his third state title, while teammate Noah Villarreal (132) looks to add his third consecutive crown.
Over at Hampshire, coach Randy Mitty is excited for the postseason to begin.
"Right now we're firing on all cylinders, and all season long we've been flying under the radar, which has been nice, because it has allowed our guys to come together without any pressure," said Mitty.
Junior Palmer Larson (126, 23w) is looking to return to sectionals after missing out one year after advancing as a freshman.
Nathan Larson (152) leads the Whips with 26 victories, while freshmen Anthony Marlett (120, 23w) and Niko Skoulkaris (132) figure to be in the hunt to advance.
FVC rival Burlington Central and coach Ashton Brown likes the chances of five of his men to go through.
"Our regional is very tough, but Gavin Underhill (138), Nathan Kim (145), Greyson Gardner (152), Colin Wrobel (182) and Noah Ross at 195 have all been wrestling really well heading into this weekend," said Brown.
Class 2A Woodstock North
Time: 9 a.m., finals 2 p.m.
Advancement: Deerfield sectional for individuals, Fenton for team champ
Outlook: Marian Central Catholic will run away from the field here which includes plenty of quality all throughout the weight divisions.
Cary-Grove and Crystal Lake South have several top-flight men to challenge for individual titles.
Both clubs have a quartet of terrific wrestlers beginning with Amador Castro (106, 20-5), Christian Olson (18-3), Peyton Timmons (26-3) and Shane Moran (152, 15-3) from CLS.
"This is the time of the year all of us working toward, so the drive is on to get downstate and win it all," said Timmons, No. 4 in the state at 145, whose teammate Olson, the returning state champ, holds the top spot at 113.
Charlie Gruen (132, 26-7), Brad Peters (160, 21-8), Isaac Rands (195, 18-5) and Joey Swanson (220, 25-7) each is in the top 10 in the most recent state polls at Cary-Grove.