Addison Trail's Matthews advances in sectional
A magnificent defensive performance by Addison Trail's Jake Matthews helped him move one victory away from earning his third consecutive individual state wrestling tournament appearance.
Matthews used a second-period escape to take the lead on over Damien Lopez (29-4) - then rode out the No. 3-rated 152-pounder from DeKalb to ensure his safe passage into the championship bracket with his 1-0 victory.
"My focus all week long was on (this) match, and I knew if I could keep my mind and focus clear (I) could beat Lopez," said an exhausted Matthews, who appears 100% healthy after missing time with an oblique injury.
With the Matthews-Lopez match perhaps the highlight bout of the night, it was business as usual for No. 1 Montini, which brought 14 to the sectional and will have 13 in the 9:45 a.m. semifinals at tourney host Conant High School.
The Broncos' No. 1-rated Dylan Ragusin (126 pounds, 35-3) and Fidel Mayora (145, 37-4) were untouchable, as was teammate, Josh LaBarbera (32-8) who has transitioned wonderfully over to Montini after spending his first three seasons at Metea Valley.
"I still remain close to my friends at Metea, but at this point in my wrestling career, to move into a dynamic room that includes several nationally ranked teammates and to have the opportunity to travel the country and face all of the top teams was a move I had to make," said LaBarbera, who bumped from 195 to 220 pounds for the postseason.
Matthews' teammate at Addison Trail Nick Skamra (33-11) pinned his way into the semifinals, while his opponent Saturday morning, No. 6 Alonzo Smiley (Glenbard North, 40-3), dazzled in his only bout of the day.
Glenbard East 106-pounder Miguel Garcia's victory total is at 41 after he won two on Friday. West Chicago sophomore and UEC champion Pierre Baldwin (113, 27-5) drew closer to his first trip downstate.
The same goes for 195-pound semifinal opponents Elijah Brockie (36-8) of Willowbrook and Glenbard West senior Jakub Maciorski, now 33-10 after recording a tech fall and fall.
"I lost twice before to Brockie this season, so it was good to avenge those two losses (to) stay out of wrestlebacks," Maciorski said.
Third-round action begins at 9 a.m. Saturday with wrestlebacks, followed by another round of wrestlebacks, plus the semifinals.
Finals are set to start at 2:45 p.m., with the top four advancing into next weekend's state tournament in Champaign.