Host Grant captures own Regional team title
By Mike Garofola – for the IWCOA
Mark Jolcover likes to remind anyone who will listen to a prediction he made back in November, that his Grant Bulldogs could challenge for its first regional title in nearly 10 years.
After a third place finish at the Rus Erb, followed by a second place trophy at the Berman Holiday Classic, Jolcover thought the chances for his club to reach the summit might happen at the County, otherwise known as the Lake County Invite.
A long, full day of wrestling at that Lake County Invite ended with the Bulldogs scoring 223.0 overall points, 41.5 more than runner-up Stevenson to grab the big trophy, and set the wheels in motion for bigger and better things ahead.
“Stevenson, Warren, and Wauconda are so tough, but we were able to get a complete team effort with bonus points, and big wins when we needed them to win the Lake County Invite,” began Jolcover.
“That win at the County was so big, and it sent the right message to all of our guys that the hard work and extra time they have been putting in was beginning to pay off.
“Warren has a great lineup, Libertyville is Libertyville, and there were a lot of great wrestlers here but there was no excuse for us to use at this point. We could win this thing if we wrestled for each other, get those bonus points when we can, and if we lose, we come back strong in wrestle-backs, and do whatever we can to stay alive, and get more bonus points when they are there.”
“All of the guys today did just that and more, and to win at home before our friends, families and the community is something they can all be proud of.”
The Bulldogs had a lead of 22.5 points (130.5-108.0) over Warren during the late stages of the morning, forcing the Blue Devils and the rest of the field to chase for the rest of the day until time ran out inside the Benedetti Center in Fox Lake.
The home side captured its first regional title since 2016 with 229.5 total points, 30 more than runner-up Warren (195.5). Libertyville (152.0) was third, followed by Mundelein (138.5).
“Mark has done an amazing job since taking over,” said former Grant coach Ryan Geist. “His commitment to excellence, rapport with the boys, work ethic, and desire to make Grant wrestling what it once was is the driving force in the success of this program.”
Geist took five Grant teams to the dual team state tournament and was one of many former coaches and wrestlers on hand to cheer on the Bulldogs to victory.
Individual regional champions and their weight classes:
106 – Christian Saucedo, Mundelein
Christian Saucedo could hardly contain himself after his terrific day-long effort at 106 ended with the top seed from Mundelein recording a pin at 1:31 over Grant sophomore Andrew Ocampo (20-15) to give the sophomore the biggest win of his young career.
“This is just an amazing feeling that I have right now,” beamed Saucedo, now 28-13, who with his victory earned a first round bye at sectionals.
Saucedo, fourth recently at the Lake County Invite, points to a less than dazzling ending to his rookie season a year ago that saw him go 15-15 on the year, which included a blood-round defeat at regionals.
“Last year my record wasn’t very good, I didn’t even qualify for sectionals, so I knew it would be important to dedicate myself entirely to the sport, and do all of the little things during the offseason to get better,” he said.
Saucedo would pay close attention to his doubles, the No. 1 item he looked at to fine tune in his game, as well as his jump-backs.
“I wanted to make my 2024-2025 season the best it could be,” added Saucedo.
Zion-Benton freshman Brayden Sroka beat Warren’s Walter Thomas for third place.
113 – Caleb Noble, Warren
Reigning 106-pound state champion Caleb Noble (37-2) had far too much firepower for his rivals at 113, who were steamrolled by the Warren sophomore on his way to a second straight regional crown, and first-round bye at sectionals.
“This is the fun time of the year at so many levels,” opined Noble. “One of the things I enjoy about the postseason is going against top-level guys from here on out, and having each match mean so much more than the regular season.”
Noble would start fast in his final with Grant sLarry Quirk, recording a take-down at 30 seconds and then building a lead with pace and purpose up until 4:40, when the No. 13 man in the nation (according to Flo Wrestling) finished off Quick with a 16-1 technical fall.
“I am fortunate to be in a great room, a room that motivates all of us everyday, and being able to work with great teammates who are at a different weight than me but can still help me hone my skills,” said Noble.
Libertyville’s Riggs Mitran won 6-4 over Round Lake’s Orlando Gonzalez for third place.
120 – Jonathon Marquez, Warren
Jonathon Marquez put points on the scoreboard on Saturday as if he was playing on a pinball machine, first with a 18-3 tech-fall (5:41) in his tournament opener and ending with another barrage in his final with Neftali Cernas (Mundelein, 28-10) in which the Warren senior won with ease.
The two-time state qualifier registered an impressive 17-2 tech fall (4:00) victory to give him the perfect stepping stone to make it downstate where he fully expects to find himself on the podium in Champaign.
“My confidence is so much better than a year ago, as is my fitness, mental approach, pace, and taking shots with more of a purpose,” said Marquez, No. 8 in the state, and now 31-9 on the season.
“I like to go after my opponents, and be more physical, which I really felt like I was today, and being able to work against bigger guys in the room like Royce (Lopez, 165) helps me so much, even with the size and strength difference,” Marquez said.
Libertyville sophomore Tyler Wuh won 7-4 over Grant’s Breiydyn Hoffman for third place.
126 – Vince Jasinski, Grant
Vince Jasinski has come a long way in two short years for the regional champion Bulldogs.
The junior was a sectional qualifier in his rookie season with a 33-14 record. A year ago Jasinski made it to state at 33-15, however this winter has been a breakout year, with his 40-6 overall record. He also has an eye on the single-season record for pins set by the brilliant three-time state champion Lee Munster.
Jasinski pinned Libertyville’s Jake Shafer on the regional title mat.
“There is a real purpose in the way Vince works in, and out of the room, and when he competes, he truly has come a long way, and just gets the most out of his time when he’s training,” Bulldogs head coach Mark Jolcover said.
“Winning a regional title for the first time ever means a lot to me, and especially here at home, and when we win the team title at the same time it doesn’t get much better than this,” admitted Jasinski, who runs 3 1/2 miles each day after practice.
Shafer and Warren’s Luis Calderon, who took third, each qualified for sectionals for the first time. Calderon won a 17-14 decision over Mundelein’s Max Cordova in the third-place match.
132 – Ryan Hanson, McHenry
Ryan Hanson remains confident and quietly optimistic of his chances of a return visit downstate after falling just short a year ago.
The McHenry senior opened up with two wins last year at the Barrington sectional, only to see a blood-round defeat put a dagger in the heart of the two-time regional champion, who as a sophomore went 36-12 and qualified for Champaign at 106 pounds.
“That loss last season was difficult to take, but it made me focus more on my training during the offseason, and this year I feel like all parts of my game, including my high-crotch shots, and confidence are so much better,” said Hanson, who pinned his way into his final where a workmanlike effort in a 8-1 decision over Grant’s Sammy Mendez (20-10) gave him his title.
“When you win in the postseason like I did today, it helps remind you that the hard work pays off,” added Hanson (37-8) who in both the second and third periods would ride Mendez hard to ensure victory. Hanson will continue to wrestle in the fall at UW-Oshkosh.
Zion-Benton’s Luis Medina (25-9), who was the second-seed, finished third after defeating Libertyville’s Alexander Osborne.
138 – Erik Rodriguez, Grant
No. 10 Erik Rodriguez, a key figure in the rebuilding project of Mark Jolcover and his club from Grant, earned himself a well-deserved second consecutive regional title after his 16-2 major decision over Dylan Solesky, now 25-13, when he outscored the Zion-Benton freshman 8-0 in the third period.
“This is such a special day for our team and our regional champions Nathan Flores, Casey Gipson, and Vinnie (Vince Jasinski), my partner in the room who has helped me get to where I am right now,” said a gracious Rodriguez, who now owns a sparkling 42-5 record.
“Vinnie and our coaching staff have helped me be all that I can. My singles and ability to finish are so much better than last season, and like Vinnie I’ve made it a goal for each of us to get downstate and on the podium.”
Rodriguez, who cruised to victory two weeks ago at the Lake County Invite, made his first appearance in Champaign a year ago with a 36-15 record.
Warren’s Evan Glowinski (21-15), who was the second-seed, took third place after winning a 6-5 decision over Libertyville’s Elliott Hibbard.
144 – Ethan Banda, Mundelein
Ethan Banda looked well on his way to earning his first trip downstate a year ago after pinning his way to a regional title at 138 pounds, only to see his hopes dashed by a blood-round loss at the Barrington Sectional.
The loss would inspire a strong offseason work rate, but the Mundelein junior would have never expected to be side-swiped by an injury this season that would keep him out of action for a month.
“I was wrestling with a chipped vertebrae for quite a while, I dealt with the pain and discomfort until it was too much,” recounted Banda after he registered a pin at 1:17 over Waukegan’s David Brown (23-10) to claim his second straight regional title.
“I literally could not do anything for a month, no fitness or cardio stuff at all, which made coming back a little tough at the start, but it feels great to be back,” added Banda, who had the quickest tech fall on the day at just 52 seconds. Banda, now 13-2, finished third recently at the Lake County Invite.
Grant senior Adrian Khi finished third after winning 7-3 over Libertyville’s Jacob Whisenand.
150 – Nathan Flores, Grant
The Lake County Invite did not go well for Grant senior Nathan Flores, who despite his sixth- place finish at County still was able to earn the top-seed at 150 pounds.
The Bulldogs’ four-year veteran took full advantage of his lofty status when he opened with a pin and followed up with a major decision victory in his semifinal contest before putting the finishing touches on his championship effort in high fashion against McHenry’s Myles Wagner (17-9).
Flores (28-18) led from the early stages and never let up, scoring nine points in the third period en route to a 20-5 technical fall at 5:38.
“This is a great way to end the tournament for me, with a regional championship and team title at home, and in my senior year,” said Flores, who is still exploring his collegiate options with the knowledge he would like to eventually be a physical education teacher.
“After my season did not go as well as I wanted it to last year, I realized I just wasn’t as strong as I needed to be in order to really compete at a higher level this season,” admitted Flores.
“I spent a lot of time during the offseason getting in better shape, and stronger at RTC (Relentless Training Center) and with the help at club, and my high school teammates and coaching, I was able to get myself ready for my final year here at Grant,” added Flores.
Warren’s Simon Castillo took third place following a win over Libertyville’s Ruben Quintero.
157 – Justice Humphreys, Warren
The trio of Justice Humphreys, Royce Lopez and Aaron Stewart has struck fear into the hearts and minds of their rivals this season, it’s a dangerous triple threat that many clubs desire to have.
Humphreys (21-5) would be at the start of three-consecutive victories amongst his teammates when he recorded a 7-2 decision over a NSC rival, Mundelein senior Kevin Hernandez ( 33-7), who is now twice a regional runner-up.
“The main difference with me compared to last year is my mindset, I am totally tuned into being as strong as I can be mentally, which I feel is a big reason for me falling short at sectionals last year,” suggests Humphreys, who was 25-12 in 2023-2024.
The Blue Devils senior would lose his blood round contest to Hononegah star Kurt Smith, 2-1 in a tiebreaker, and it would stay with him all throughout the offseason.
“(That) loss forced me to pay closer attention to everything, my doubles, high-crotch shots, and overall approach, which included, as I said, getting mentally stronger,” added Humphreys, who will play football at Carroll College in Kenosha, after his all-NSC season last fall as a running back and defensive-back for a Blue Devils team that lost in its 8A quarterfinal to eventual state runner-up York.
Libertyville junior Pierce Adams won 12-9 in sudden victory over Zion-Benton’s Demar Dixon to claim third place.
165 – Royce Lopez, Warren
No. 2 Royce Lopez left little doubt as to who was the best 165-pounder here after the Blue Devils junior squashed the competition to capture his third-straight regional title.
Lopez (26-5) would build an insurmountable 12-1 advantage at three minutes before going on to a 18-3 tech fall (3:38) victory over McHenry senior Aiden Schuldt (28-11), who advanced to his second sectional appearance in as many seasons.
“(My) offseason was five days a week, twice a day workouts, working on just about everything to give myself the best possible chance to make it into the state final where I can go for a state championship,” said Lopez, a two-time state qualifier, whose late interception against Barrington would help seal the Blue Devils’ 35-26 victory in its 8A second-round contest.
“Having guys like Justice, (Aaron) Stewart, and even our heavyweight Anthony Soto in the room gives me a real boost in my confidence and ability to handle a lot of different situations that I might have, and I feel the extra work I’ve put in to be better in my position(s), shots and set-ups has really helped my overall game improve.”
Grant’s Aaden Arroyo took third place with a win over Libertyville’s Ethan Trowbridge.
175 – Aaron Stewart, Warren
It was another masterclass performance from No. 1 Aaron Stewart (36-2) who brushed aside his opponents with a pair of tech falls in just over six minutes to earn his third-straight regional title, and a first-round bye in sectionals next weekend at Barrington.
“It’s all about staying healthy, eating right, fine-tuning things, and just getting myself ready for these last three weeks of the season,” said Stewart, the reigning 157-pound state champion, and 2023 third place medal winner who recently committed to the University of Illinois to play football and also to wrestle for head coach Mike Poeta.
Stewart was an All-State running back last fall and has run for over 4000 yards already, with 55 touchdowns to his credit.
No. 6 in the nation at 175 pounds, the Blue Devils junior is a two-time Cheesehead and Fargo champion as well.
“Everything felt right for me at Illinois, so that’s why I would commit to the program in January, now I can just concentrate on my academics and wrestling,” said Stewart after his tech fall (21-5) victory over Grant senior Christian Wittkamp (15-3) who earlier defeated Libertyville’s James Scanio (30-14) in his semifinal.
Scanio went on to claim third place with a victory over Mundelein’s Danny Hernandez.
190 – Casey Gipson, Grant
The 2024 campaign would end far too quickly for Grant’s Casey Gipson, who pinned his way to his first- ever regional title.
“I didn’t even qualify for sectionals last year after going 0-2 at regionals,” began Gipson, who finished with a 25-19 record a year ago, but is now a sparkling 36-10 this season following his pin over Zion-Benton’s Tyson Poyer (30-12), who nonetheless earned his first sectional appearance.
“I decided to be totally committed to the sport, and my teammates this year, it was the only way to be if I wanted to go much further this year, and to get myself downstate,” said the Bulldogs junior, who had a tourney-high three pins on the day.
Gipson would concede an early takedown to Poyer, execute an escape to make it 3-1 after one period and another after starting down in the second period.
Gipson finished a nice ankle shot to go up for good at 5-3 at three minutes before his strong effort at the edge resulted in his pin at 3:16.
“I got off to a little bit of a slow start in my final, but there was no way I was going to lose my chance to win my first regional championship here in our home gym,” said Gipson.
Waukegan senior Lamero Ceaser took third when Libertyville’s Jack Treutelaar injury defaulted.
215 – Caleb Baczek, Libertyville
No. 6 Caleb Baczek added a third-consecutive regional crown to his impressive resume, and now it’s on to sectionals where the Libertyville senior will find himself on the opposite side of the bracket from his good friend, Loyola Academy’s Kai Calcutt, the No. 1 man in the state at 215, and reigning state champion, who, just as Baczek, is a star on the football field, as well.
“Kai is a really good friend of mine, he’s just unbelievable as a wrestler and football player, and in the sport of wrestling, it’s like he’s not human,” said Baczek with a smile.
The Wildcats senior, who will play football in the fall at Valparaiso, is as determined as ever to erase a heart-breaking end to his 2024 campaign, which appeared to be on course to finish with a spot on the podium in Champaign.
“After making downstate as a sophomore, and advancing to sectionals, it all came to a disappointing end for me,” said Baczek, who was an all-NSC inside linebacker for a Wildcats football team that would qualify in the 6A state tournament.
Baczek (30-1) would drop a 5-4 blood-round match to Jeremiah Hixson at sectionals, however he would be an important piece in the Wildcats’ fourth-place finish at dual team state.
“It’s been all upper body attacks for me, but I’ve been working on more of a well in my attack, and my shots,” said Baczek, who was 36-9 a year ago.
Mundelein’s Aiden Devine 215 took third place with a win over Warren’s Caleb Vanleer.
285 – Anthony Soto, Warren
That earthquake that rattled around inside Benedetti Center on Saturday was a result of the thunderous roar from the Warren faithful who just watched their favorite heavyweight Anthony Soto deliver a hard fought 4-2 victory over Round Lake’s William Cole, who’s ranked second.
In a heavyweight division which featured Cole (43-3), Mundelein’s Abisai Hernandez (No. 6, 36-4) the aforementioned Soto, and additional quality in Libertyville’s Erich Walldorf and Zion-Benton’s Isaiah Tellado, it would be Soto’s winning effort in the final contest of the day that would end the day on a high note for all.
“William is a great guy, and a great wrestler and opponent, so I expected a real tough match, and when I saw (he) was a little slow, and lazy with his footwork, I went for my double and was able to finish it,” recounts Soto, now 40-5, and surely on the way up from his current No. 8 spot in the state.
“That first period was just a lot of hand fighting, I was just cautious, and careful because William is one big dude,” continued Soto, who is a lightweight at 237 pounds in this big mans’ field compared to the rest of his rivals.
Cole would earn an escape moments into the second period, in which Soto answered at five minutes to go level with the Round Lake senior.
With 30 seconds from time, Soto executed a first-class double, and takedown to take the lead for good at 4-1, making an escape with six seconds to go meaningless.
“This was a great weight class here at Grant, and a real exciting ending for me and my teammates, but now it’s back in the room to get ready for sectionals,” Soto said.
This terrific trio will likely meet again at Barrington next weekend, Soto is alone on the bottom half of the bracket, while Hernandez and Cole could meet in the semifinals if all goes according to plan. Hernandez, sixth a year ago at state, finished third after he pinned Tellado.
Barrington Sectional qualifiers from the Grant Regional
106
1st Place – Christian Saucedo of Mundelein
2nd Place – Andrew Ocampo of Grant
3rd Place – Brayden Sroka of Zion-Benton
113
1st Place – Caleb Noble of Warren
2nd Place – Larry Quirk of Grant
3rd Place – Riggs Mitran of Libertyville
120
1st Place – Jonathon Marquez of Warren
2nd Place – Neftali Cernas of Mundelein
3rd Place – Tyler Wuh of Libertyville
126
1st Place – Vince Jasinski of Grant
2nd Place – Jake Shafer of Libertyville
3rd Place – Luis Calderon of Warren
132
1st Place – Ryan Hanson of McHenry
2nd Place – Sammy Mendez of Grant
3rd Place – Luis Medina of Zion-Benton
138
1st Place – Erik Rodriguez of Grant
2nd Place – Dylan Solesky of Zion-Benton
3rd Place – Evan Glowinski of Warren
144
1st Place – Ethan Banda of Mundelein
2nd Place – David Brown of Waukegan
3rd Place – Adrian Khi of Grant
150
1st Place – Nathan Flores of Grant
2nd Place – Myles Wagner of McHenry
3rd Place – Simon Castillo of Warren
157
1st Place – Justice Humphreys of Warren
2nd Place – Kevin Hernandez of Mundelein
3rd Place – Pierce Adams of Libertyville
165
1st Place – Royce Lopez of Warren
2nd Place – Aiden Schuldt of McHenry
3rd Place – Aaden Arroyo of Grant
175
1st Place – Aaron Stewart of Warren
2nd Place – Christian Wittkamp of Grant
3rd Place – James Scanio of Libertyville
190
1st Place – Casey Gipson of Grant
2nd Place – Tyson Poyer of Zion-Benton)
3rd Place – Lamero Ceaser of Waukegan
215
1st Place – Caleb Baczek of Libertyville
2nd Place – Matthew Longabaugh of Grant
3rd Place – Aiden Devine of Mundelein
285
1st Place – Anthony Soto of Warren
2nd Place – William Cole of Round Lake
3rd Place – Abisai Hernandez of Mundelein