Tournament roundups: Seneca, Sterling, Plainfield North

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

Seneca’s Irish Invite

Whenever you can send nine wrestlers to the title mat in a 17-team field, odds are you’re in the driver’s seat of a tournament. And Central kept its hand on the wheel on Saturday, winning six individual titles and seeing 12 wrestlers finish in the top five of their weight classes.

Comets coach Travis Williams couldn’t have been happier with the team title his boys from Clifton won at this year’s Seneca Irish Invite, and their second consecutive Irish Invite crown.

“The boys did amazing,” Williams said. “We’re excited to get everyone in the early season weight classes where we feel like we can compete at our best. exciting to win a tournament back-to-back seasons as well, especially by a convincing margin over some other top 20 programs in 1A.”

Central finished with a 270-219 win over second-place Seneca. Orion (165) placed third, Ottawa (151) was fourth, and Kewanee (131) rounded out the top five team finishes.

The Comets got individual titles from Everett Bailey (126), Kayden Cody (132), Gianni Panozzo (144), Evan Cox (150), Chris Andrade (165), and Noah Gomez (285), and seconds from Blake Hemp (120), Giona Panozzo (138), and Hunter Hull (175).

Central also got to-five finishes from Brody O’Connor (3rd at 215), Beau Williams (4th at 113), and Max Joseph (fifth at 190).

“Nine finalist and placing twelve of thirteen exceeded expectations and gave us an amazing run early on the team points,” Williams said. “We had a stretch where we pinned twenty matches in a row today.”

The freshman Bailey won the first tournament title of his high school career, the senior Cody won his second career tournament title, and Cox bumped up two weights to win his first tournament crown.

Gomez pinned his way to his second consecutive Seneca title, and after winning a wrestle-off to earn his spot in the Central lineup, all Andrade did was reach the finals and gut-out a 4-2 sudden victory decision.

And all Gianni Panozzo did in winning his title was post four falls and go un-scored upon. Panozzo was also named the tournament’s Lower Weight Most Valuable Wrestler.

Hull lost by decision in the finals at 175 to Manteno’s Carter Watkins, but beat Seneca’s Asher Hamby by 4-2 decision in their semifinal match, and had “a great individual day,” Williams said.

Second-place host Seneca got individual titles from Nate Othon (157) and Chris Peura (215), and coach Todd Yegge got seconds from Raiden Terry (106) and Jeremy Gagnon (285). 

Beardstown’s Chuck Dailey (285) posted five pins in 3:48 to lead the tournament in the most pins in the least time; the most tech fall wins in the least time went to Walther Christian’s Caleb Peterson (126), with two tech falls in 8:30; the tournament’s fastest fall came in 10 seconds by Heyworth’s Jack Rutledge (120).

Three wrestlers tied for the most team points scored with 30, in Central’s Gianni Panozzo (144), and Seneca’s Nate Othon (157) and Chris Peura (215), and 11th-seeded champion Othon ended with the largest seed-place difference. 

Walther’s Peterson’s 24 points were the most in any single match; his 64 total match points also led the tournament; and the day’s closest title match came when Orion’s Maddux Anderson won a 2-1 decision at 190 against King’s Calvin Savage. Also winning titles at the Irish Invite were Streator’s Nick Pollett (106), Ottawa’s Ivan Munoz (113), Amboy’s Landon Blanton (120), Kewanee’s Benjamin Taylor (138), Manteno’s Carter Watkins (175), and Orion’s Maddux Anderson (190).

Other wrestlers placing second included Kewanee’s Kingston Peterson (113) and Alejandro Duarte (215), Nolan Lowe (126), Ethan Lowe (144), and Joshua Caraballo (157) of University (Normal), Eureka’s Owen Stoller (132), St. Bede’s Logan Pineda (150), Orion’s Nolan Loete (165), King’s Calvin Savage (190), 

Third-place finishers also included Orion’s Tyler Olson (106), Pontiac’s Kooper Wiles (113), Seneca’s Ethan Othon (120) and Asher Hamby (175), Walther Christian’s Caleb Peterson (126), Kewanee’s Chance DeSplinter (132), University’s Hayden Washum (138) and Grayson Moody (165), Ottawa’s Malachi Snyder (144) and Ryan Wilson (190), Eureka’s Sam Hoffman (150), Streator’s Steven Goplin (157), and Beardstown’s Chunk Dailey (285).

Placing fourth at Seneca were Ottawa’s Giovanni Hernandez (106), Andrew Ristau (165), Wyatt Reding (175) and Ethan Day (285), University’s Joshua Butler (120), Orion’s Cole Perkins (126), Cavan Terry (132) and Kaden Edmunds (157), Manteno’s Joe Carney (138), Beardstown’s Luis De La Cruz (144) and Shadrach Mafhina (215), Pontiac’s Sam Hoffman (150), and Seneca’s Landen Venecia (190).

Championship matches at Seneca’s Irish Invite:

106 — Nicholas Pollett (Streator) D 4-2 Raiden Terry (Seneca)

113 — Ivan Munoz (Ottawa) F 5:43 Kingston Peterson (Kewanee)

120 — Landon Blanton (Amboy) F 5:35 Blake Hemp (Central)

126 — Everett Bailey (Central) D 11-8 Nolan Lowe (University)

132 — Kayden Cody (Central) F 1:33 Owen Stoller (Eureka)

138 — Benjamin Taylor (Kewanee) F 3:05 Giona Panozzo (Central)

144 — Gianni Panozzo (Central) F 4:00 Ethan Lowe (University)

150 — Evan Cox (Central) D 9-6 Logan Pineda (St. Bede)

157 — Nate Othon (Seneca) F 2:36 Joshua Carabello (University)

165 — Chris Andrade (Central) SV-1 4-2 Nolan Loete (Orion)

175 — Carter Watkins (Manteno) D 8-2 Hunter Hull (Central)

190 — Maddux Anderson (Orion) D 2-1 Calvin Savage (King)

215 — Chris Peura (Seneca) F 1:17 Alejandro Duarte (Kewanee)

285 — Noah Gomez (Central) F 5:01 Jeremy Gagnon (Seneca)

Final team scores: Central 270, Seneca 219, Orion 165, Ottawa 151, Kewanee 131, University 123, Amboy 84.5, Beardstown 84, Streator 69, Eureka 63, Pontiac 59, Manteno 54.5, St. Bede 39, Heyworth 31, Walther Christian 25, King 22, Somonauk 0

Sterling’s 45th Annual Carson DeJarnatt Invitational

With five individual champs and two runners-up, Dixon snared the team title at Saturday’s 45th annual Carson DeJarnatt Invitational, hosted by Sterling.

Dixon’s 228.5 team points topped the nine-team field with host Sterling (179.5) taking second placed. Galesburg (166.5), Clinton, IA (151), and Newman Central Catholic (132.5) rounded out the top five, followed by Limestone (103.5), Fulton (84), Rock Falls (75) and Oak Lawn (72).

Dixon coach Micah Hey got individual titles from Jack Ragan (106), Ayden Rowley (113), Cade Hey (150), Steven Kitzman (175) and Will Howell (215), plus seconds from Gavin Kramer (132) and Jayden Weidman (144). The Dukes also got a third from Jayce Kastner (165), fourths from Riley Paredes (120), Jacob Renkes (126), and James Simpson (138), a fifth from Spencer Pleskovitch and a sixth from heavyweight Kit Wedekind.

“I was real proud of the way we wrestled this weekend,” Hey said. “Our 106-pounder Jack Ragan has gotten us off to great starts this year and did it again this tournament. Cade Hey at 150 pinned his way through the tournament and looked real sharp. Really they all did a nice job and contributed in some way.”

Second-place Sterling got individual titles from Zyan Westbrook (120) and Isaiah Mendoza (157), and Golden Warriors coach Nolan Baker got seconds from Gage Tate (175) and Oswaldo Navarro (285).

Sterling’s long-time tournament is named for IWCOA and National Wrestling Hall of Fame coach Carson DeJarnatt, who retired in 1990 after coaching Sterling for 21 years, 19 as head coach.

Rock Falls’ Logan Thome (126) had the tournament’s most pins in the least amount of time, posting three falls in 3:11, while teammate Jacob Hosler (285) had the fastest pin in 13 seconds. Limestone’s Dakota Hentz (113) had the fastest tech fall win at 3:34, and Sterling’s Isaiah Mendoza (157) posted the most points in a single match with 20, and the most total match points with 34. Honors for the largest seed-place difference went to Brady Jennings from Clinton, Iowa; the ninth-seeded Jennings placed second at 150 pounds.

Also winning individual titles in Sterling were Galesburg’s Rocky Almendarez (126) and Gauge Shipp (138), Rock Falls’ Adan Oquendo (132), Newman’s Carter Rude (144) and Daniel Kelly (165), Clinton, Iowa’s Mason Luckritz (190), and Limestone’s Taylor Dixon (285).

Others placing second in Sterling were Newman’s Blair Grennan (106), Zhyler Hansen (120), and Brady Grennan (138), Oak Lawn’s Ryan Bisoyana (113) and Ammar Elayyan (126), Clinton, Iowa’s Brady Jennings (150) and Chandler Hayden (215), Galesburg’s Josiah Carter (157) and Anthony Makwala (165), and Fulton’s Mason Kuebel (190).

Championship matches at Sterling’s Carson DeJarnatt Invitational:

106 – Jack Ragan (Dixon) F 2:41 Blair Grennan (Newman)

113 – Ayden Rowley (Dixon) F 2:00 Ryan Bisoyana (Oak Lawn)

120 – Zyan Westbrook (Sterling) F 1:35 Zhyler Hansen (Newman)

126 – Rocky Almendarez (Galesburg) F 3:17 Ammar Elayyan (Oak Lawn)

132 – Adan Oquendo (Rock Falls) D 7-2 Gavin Kramer (Dixon)

138 – Gauge Shipp (Galesburg) D 6-2 Brady Grennan (Newman)

144 – Carter Rude (Newman) F 1:00 Jayden Weidman (Dixon)

150 – Cade Hey (Dixon) F 2:57 Brady Jennings (Clinton, IA)

157 – Isaiah Mendoza (Sterling) D 7-6 Josiah Carter (Galesburg)

165 – Daniel Kelly (Newman) D 5-2 Anthony Makwala (Galesburg)

175 – Steven Kitzman (Dixon) D 13-6 Gage Tate (Sterling)

190 – Mason Luckritz (Clinton, IA) F 2:17 Mason Kuebel (Fulton)

215 – Will Howell (Dixon) D 7-6 Hayden Chandler (Clinton, IA)

285 – Taylor Dixon (Limestone) F 2:51 Oswaldo Navarro (Sterling)

Final team scores: Dixon 228.5, Sterling 179.5, Galesburg 166.4, Clinton, IA 151, Newman Central Catholic 132.5, Limestone 103.5, Fulton 84, Rock Falls 75, Oak Lawn 72

Lincoln-Way East captures Plainfield North Dual Team Tournament

Lincoln-Way East defeated Plainfield North 48-17 to claim top honors in the 16-team Plainfield North Dual Team Tournament in Plainfield to repeat as champions in the competition while the host Tigers moved up one spot from a year ago.

Glenbard North won 43-30 over York to finish third, Minooka and Moline tied for fifth place and Joliet West beat Canton 42-36 to finish in seventh place.

Coach Kevin Rockett’s champion Griffins went 5-0, beating Morris 57-18, Joliet West 63-17 and Hinsdale Central 56-15 to open the event and then won 39-27 over York before meeting the hosts for the title.

Coach Adrian Cervantes’ runner-up Tigers won 59-16 over Round Lake, 78-6 over Willowbrook and 45-23 over Canton before earning their spot in the finals with a 40-27 victory over Glenbard North.

Turning in 5-0 efforts for Lincoln-Way East were Kaidge Richardson (126), Domanic Abeja (150) and Alexander Lizak (157) while Tyson Zvonar (132), Brayden Mortell (138), Jackson Zaeske (175), Isaiah Williams (190) and Ryan Stingily (285) went 4-1. Christian Darnell (165) went 3-0 and Colton Zvonar (165) went 2-0.

Plainfield North received 5-0 showings from Maddox Garbis (113) and Leonardo Tovar (190) while Luke Grindstaff (138), Lucas Frydrychowski (144), Robert Tota (150), Sam Zito (157/165) and Ralphael Tovar (157/165) all went 4-1.

Going 5-0 for Glenbard North were Dominick Marre (120) and Kalani Khiev (126) while Jaiden Quito (106/113), Christian Chavez (132), Rylan Kradle (150), Julian Holland (175), Tyler Ott (190) and Brian Petrancosta (215) all turned in 4-1 efforts.

York got 5-0 efforts from Zachary Parisi (132), Frankie Nitti (138), Danny DeCristofaro (175) and Austin Bagdasarian (215) while Jake Kubycheck (120) and Jackson Hanselman (144) went 4-1.

Turning 4-0 records for Minooka were Cale Stonisch (138), Kaden Meyer (157) and AJ Frescura (165) while Mason Vogt (106), Casey Janicki (113), Noah Avina (120), Francisco Ditrolio (144) and Ben Cyrkiel (150) all posted 3-1 records.

Moline got 4-0 records from Collin Ledbetter (106) and Zander Ealy (165) while Issac Perez (113/120), Jack Sibley (150), Deanthony Simpson (157), Jaxson Krantz (175/190) and Bennett Gorgal (285) had 3-1 records while James Soliz (190) and Nehemiah Lenzen (215) went 2-0.

Leading the way for Joliet West with 5-0 records were Joseph Pedrosa (120) and Carson Weber (144) while Coehn Weber (126) and Adrian Hernandez (138) both went 4-1.

Canton was led by Connor Williams (285), who went 5-0, while Jacob Hardesty (106), Gus Lidwell (175), Danny Murphy (190) and Grant Kessler (215) all had 4-1 records, Jack Jochums (132) went 3-0 and Maddux Steele (113/120) posted a 3-1 record.

Dundee-Crown and Sandwich tied for tenth, Morris and Willowbrook tied for 12th and Hinsdale Central, Hoffman Estates, Prairie Ridge and Round Lake were also in the competition.

Dundee-Crown was led by 3-1 efforts from Chris Gerardo (126), Jose Gavina (165/175) and Teigen Moreno (215) while Sandwich got 3-1 records from Jacob Ross (106) and Cooper Corder (132).

Morris got 4-0 showings from Owen Sater (106) and Brock Claypool (113) while Brandon Anderson (120), Carter Skoff (132), Tyler Semlar (144/150) and Andrew Paull (157/165) all went 3-1. Willowbrook’s Noah Brockie (175) went 4-0 and Emiliano Cokalli (165) was 2-0.

Hinsdale Central was led by Brady Koschik (215) and Marko Ivanisevic (285), who both went 3-0. Hoffman Estates’ top performers were Abdulhamid Olowu (285), who went 3-0, and Alazar Eyob (132/138), who went 3-1.

Prairie Ridge’s top performers were Mikey Meade (126), who went 4-0, as well as Jake Lowitzki (113), Xander York (157) and John Fallaw (285), who all went 3-0, and Christian Pease (138), who went 3-1. Round Lake was led by Grayson Kongkaeow (126), who went 4-0, Alejandro Cordova (120), who went 3-0, William Cole (285), who was 2-0 and Marshawn Washington (138), who went 3-1. 

Lincoln-Way East’s Lizak had five falls in 4:50 and Griffin Abeja recorded five falls in 7:47 to both finish with 30 team points, which also led all competitors. Plainfield North’s Leonardo Tovar, Joliet West’s Carson Weber and Canton’s Connor Williams all had 28 team points. 

Lincoln-Way East’s Kaidge Richardson had the most total match points with 68 while Plainfield North’s Maddox Garbis had 61 match points and York’s Zachary Parisi had 60 match points.