Deerfield’s depth shines at Glenbrook South
By Mike Garofola for the IWCOA
All IWCOA rankings from Rob Sherrill’s Illinois Best Weekly
Yet another long-running holiday tournament to give wrestling fans even more to watch took place inside the Titan Dome in Glenview, as host Glenbrook South welcomed 20 teams at the 60th Rus Erb Tournament.
Deerfield had more in its tank than the rest of its rivals, including runner-up Sycamore, who trailed the Warriors during the early afternoon hours 158-157 before Deerfield extended its lead and ran off with a 211.5-179 win.
Homewood-Flossmoor (165.5), Glenbrook South (145.0) and Batavia (143.5) rounded out the top five.
“We were really excited to win this tournament, especially given the circumstances,” Deerfield coach Marc Pechter said. “We had a few holes in our lineup, some new faces, and we asked some guys to wrestle up a few weight classes. But guys came through when it mattered most.”
The Warriors’ depth would come through with 11 finishing in the top five and three individual champions.
“Jake (Pechter) had an outstanding day, defeating a returning state place-winner in overtime to win at 106,” Pechter said. “Adrian Cohen captured the 138-pound title while wrestling up a weight, as did Alex (Shvartsman) at 150.”
“Ben Howard, at 144, who is new to the varsity lineup rebounded from a pre-lim loss to battle back to earn fourth place to show great perseverance.
“We needed everyone to win matches, score bonus points, and I thought the guys embraced the challenge set forth. So this was a great tune-up for us as we continue to build toward our postseason goals, beginning with a run at a regional title.”
Last year’s champion from Richmond-Burton would send just seven into action due to injury and illness, with two of its best men, Lelan Nelson (120) and returning state runner-up Blake Livdahl (175), both unavailable.
The same held true for Antioch, which was missing four, most notably the dynamic duo of Chase Nobiling (144) and Dominic Garcia (150) both of whom were fourth place state medal winners a year ago.
Deerfield will be one of four regional sites that feed into the Antioch sectional.
Team scores:
Deerfield 211.5, Sycamore 179.0, Homewood-Flossmoor 165.5, Glenbrook South 145.0, Batavia 143.5, Lake Park 105.5, Evanston 98.0, Riverside-Brookfield 96.5, Antioch 96.0, Palatine 76.5, Carmel Catholic 68.5, Glenbard East 66.0, Richmond-Burton 65.0, Niles North 55.5, McHenry 50.5, Richards 49.0, Marian Catholic 25.5, Lakes Community 10.0, St. Patrick 5.0, Rolling Meadows 3.0
106- Jake Pechter, Deerfield
Freshman Jake Pechter (18-2) would show plenty of resilience, purpose, patience and toughness of spirit in order to come back from a 4-1 deficit as late as thirty seconds from time in his 106-pound final with No. 6 Carson West from Sycamore.
Pechter drew back level at 4-4 and then rode out Olson (11-1) to send this contest into extra time. Once there, Pechter struck quickly – hitting the match winning takedown right away to claim a 7-4 sudden victory triumph.
Pechter, ranked No. 8 in the state, pinned his way into the final.
“I was a little nervous at the start – maybe that’s why I gave up that early takedown,” admitted Pechter, the son of the Warriors superb head coach Marc Pechter.
“I knew he was tough on top, so to get an escape at the end of the second period was big for me.”
Pechter would draw even at 4-4 with a well executed shot and a takedown with 28 seconds remaining in the match to set up his eventual thrilling victory.
“I felt really strong as the match went on, so I was especially ready for overtime,” said Pechter, who after a pair of second-place medals at Addison Trail and Antioch, has now earned his first varsity crown.
Antioch’s Haydren Gomez won a 17-11 decision over Batavia’s Joey Calvillo for third place, and Palatine’s Aidan Noe won by fall on the fifth-place mat over Glenbard East’s Nick Greenfield.
113- Liam Schroeder, Sycamore
There is no doubt that freshman Liam Schroeder is ready for competition on the varsity level as a Sycamore rookie, and if his three-match performance is an example of what he is capable of, then the Spartans have yet another terrific addition to their lineup.
Schroeder roared into his final with No. 5 Jayme Cohen (Deerfield 13-4) with a pair of tech-falls. Once there, he took the lead for good early in the second period en route to a 7-3 victory.
“I’m lucky to be in a great room, with great workout partners, so the support for someone new to the program is just amazing,” said Schroeder, who is now an impressive 15-0 on the season.
Cohen, who was first at Addison Trail, had his chance to take a bite of a 4-1 advantage by Schroeder. But when he missed his opportunity, Schroder recorded a takedown to push his lead to 7-1 at five minutes.
“(Cohen) is a big-time thrower, so it was important to keep my elbows in, stay away from tie-ups, and just be aware,” added Schroeder.
Richards’ Ibrahim Mahmadove won by fall for third against Deerfield’s Troy Rotter, while McHenry’s Tyson Rivard pinned Riverside-Brookfield’s Miles Russell-Barnes for fifth place.
120- Kai Enos, Batavia
No. 2 Kai Enos solidified his lofty spot in the class 2A state polls with a marvelous two-day effort that would conclude with a 7-4 victory over No. 9 Michael Olson (Sycamore) who suffered his first loss of the season.
“I did not start the way I wanted to in that first period, and it led to (Olson) getting a takedown, and then being rode out for the rest of the period,” admitted the Batavia sophomore, who went 39-10 as a 3A state qualifier a year ago.
“I came out much stronger in the second period, looked to tilt and turn him, and I was able to make it 3-3 going into the third.”
Enos would grab the lead for good with a takedown at the edge one minute from time which led to his first major of the season over Olson, who was a state qualifier last season with 39-15 record.
“That was a really good third period of wrestling for me, and if I can open things up more and look to take more shots, I should be able to have a chance to get on the podium at state,” Enos said.
Jorey Becker (Deerfield, 16-6) used a 10-3 decision over Liam Lovelace (Lake Park) to earn a third place medal, with Owen Thomas (Carmel Catholic) grabbing fifth place with a fall against Niles North’s Jacob Badal.
126- Chazz Robinson, Homewood-Flossmoor
No. 2 Chazz Robinson is well aware of the task that awaits as the Homewood-Flossmoor junior looks ahead to the State Farm Arena where his goal of advancing into the 120-pound state final remains clear and alive.
Robinson (15-2), who bumped to 126 for the weekend to set up a likely final with No. 7 Ismael Chaidez (Glenbard East, 17-3) who was a state qualifier last season.
Chaidez, strong, powerful, and built like a tank, took an early 4-3 lead into the second period, which increased to 5-3 with his escape off the whistle.
Robinson, sleek and ultra-quick, attacked with confidence and would eventually pry open the Rams’ senior with a late takedown to go up for good at the end of the second, 6-5.
“My focus is always on getting the next point, never settling for less, and that’s what my mindset was when I got my last takedown of the match to go up 8-5,” Robinson said.
The Vikings junior, third last season at state at 120, was a tech-fall semifinals victim of eventual state champion Dom Munaretto (St. Charles East) in Champaign. Munaretto is the man he and everyone else at 120 are chasing this winter.
“Munaretto is a great wrestler, and the guy to beat, but I want to be my best, and get into the final with him to have the chance at a state championship,” says Robinson.
Glenbrook South’s Ermuun Urtnasan (17-2) was third overall after a 3-1 decision over Sycamore’s Tyler Lockhart, and Deerfield’s Danny Martinez won by fall for fifth against Carmel’s Liam Perkins.
132- Wyatt Franckowiak, Richmond-Burton
Wyatt Franckowiak is going to force his way into the state polls if he continues on his recent success tour, which now includes earning a 132-pound Erb title.
“(Franckowiak) sure doesn’t wrestle like he’s a freshman,” said a thrilled Richmond-Burton head coach Tony Nelson after the rookie recorded a hard-fought 1-0 decision over Ethan Hamilton of Homewood-Flossmoor for the title.
Franckowiak also won an individual title one week earlier at Richmond-Burton’s Tom Dubois tournament. “I’m lucky to be in a great room, with a great coaching staff,” Franckowiak said. “Today, I had to wrestle as hard and tough as I could.”
Franckowiak (15-2) used his length to defend all throughout in order to fend off Hamilton, whose valiant effort in the final 30 seconds was stopped cold.
“I tried to keep my pace high throughout the match,” Franckowiak said. “When I got that escape point, I knew I had to be smart and stay composed.”
Izaiah Gonzalez (Riverside-Brookfield, 14-2) claimed third place over Roman Ocampo (Glenbrook South) with a hard-fought 1-0 decision, while Jack Jansen (Deerfield) was fifth by forfeit over Sycamore’s Charlie Olson.
138- Adrian Cohen, Deerfield
Deerfield’s Adrian Cohen (19-1) looked like he easily belonged one weight above his usual spot at 132, where he’s ranked third in Illinois. Cohen cruised to his individual title at 138 after a superb effort in his final that would end at 3:09 against Roan Dukes of Homewood-Flossmoor.
Cohen was off and flying with a takedown just 20 seconds into this contest. That led to a neat inside trip for a wicked throw, takedown and ultimate pin.
“I’m a judo guy, so we throw guys,” said Cohen with a wry smile, who was a state qualifier a year ago. “I just go out there and do my stuff, which mostly comes from my judo background.”
Cohen has won three majors (Addison Trail, Antioch) in the first half of the season and like many of his Warriors teammates, trains at Cohen Brothers Judo in Vernon Hills.
Cohen is one of two returning state qualifiers of five from last season, with Alex Shvartsman, the 150 pound champ, the other. Cohen would finish 42-12 last year.
Tony Lombardo (Riverside-Brookfield, 13-3) was third after his pin over Elias Chaney of Batavia, with Jack Burton (Glenbrook South) fifth overall with a 6-2 decision over Antioch’s Isaac Thomson.
144- Nicholas Merola, Lake Park
Nicholas Merola mentioned after his Rex Lewis (Buffalo Grove) individual title how important it was for him to be involved in as many tight, hard-fought matches as possible, to better prepare him for the month of February.
Lo and behold, the Lake Park senior found himself in another one of those matches he yearns for, this time against No. 7 Jayden Dohogne, the state qualifier from Sycamore, who was anointed the top seed here.
Merola won a hard-fought 4-1 decision.
Two-time state qualifier Merola grabbed an early second-period advantage with an escape, then conceded an escape to Dohogne (14-2) to start the third period, before nicely defending two shots by Dohogne.
From neutral, Merola (13-1) struck the match-winning takedown with thirty seconds remaining.
“I felt strong out there throughout, especially on bottom, but we talked afterwards about opening this up a little more, which is something I will continue to work on,” said Merola, who suffered his first defeat of the season recently at the hands of No. 7 Liam Aye from St. Charles East
Ryan Johnston (McHenry) was third thanks to a major decision win over Ben Howard (Deerfield), and Josh Edelheit from host Glenbrook South was fifth after winning by tech fall against Batavia’s Brady Johansen.
150- Alex Shvartsman, Deerfield
No. 5 Alex Shvartsman (18-3) added his first major of the season to his resume after unloading a pin at 1:54 over Henry Maier from Homewood-Flossmoor.
The Deerfield junior, who won 38 last season on his way to his first state appearance, is the younger brother of Benjamin (wrestling at Cornell) a 2022 state champion at 160-pounds, and someone who is of great inspiration to one of the top men at Deerfield.
“I saw how hard Benjamin worked to win a state title, and what it took to do get to where he is today, so it’s something that has really motivated me,” said Shvartsman.
Shvarstman, like teammate Adrian Cohen, is a judo aficionado himself. It was a sequence in which an underhook and big-time throw near the edge led to his pin for the win.
Third place honors went to Leo Flores (Richards) won won by fall against Niles North’s Nathan Eiduk, and Daniel Gonzalez of Batavia took fifth by fall against Glenbrook South’s Joey Marquardt.
157- Antonio Hinojosa, Carmel Catholic
The Corsairs had been searching for a state medal ever since a memorable two-year run from Riley Palm led to back-to-back championship trophies in 2018 and 2019. Then David Farjado found his way onto the podium last February.
Farjado claimed a sixth place state medal in Champaign, something not lost on Antonio Hinojosa and his teammates in the Carmel Catholic room.
“It was amazing to see David get his state medal last year,” Hinojosa said. “I think it helped all of us in the room and for me, it gave me the motivation to work as hard as I could do get downstate and win a medal.” said Hinojosa.
Hinojosa is now 9-1 after his 14-3 major decision victory over Naijier Morris from Homewood-Flossmoor. Hinojosa was a state qualifier in 2023 and 2024.
“I’ve dealt with a lot of injuries the past couple of years, so to be healthy this season means I should have a great chance to get to state,” added the Corsairs senior, who added points throughout the third period to ensure his first major of the season.
Richmond-Burton sophomore Max Martin (11-3) won his third place bout by tech fall over Maks Wala (Lake Park) and Cole Hubbard (Batavia) claimed a fifth place medal by tech fall against Palatine’s Daniel Derevlyak.
165- Cooper Bode, Sycamore
No. 4 Cooper Bode, sixth a year ago in Champaign at 175 pounds, looks primed to find his way even higher on the podium after he continued his sensational first half of the season.
Bode (14-2) claimed his first title of the year thanks to tremendous early pressure and a steady buildup towards his fourth pin of the tournament, this one at 1:22 over Batavia senior Colin Payton.
“It’s all about being at the right weight, and not having to cut or add, and right now I feel so much quicker, and really comfortable at (165) this year,” said Bode, who played linebacker and running back for a Spartans football team that was a class 5A state qualifier.
Bode, who plans on wrestling in college, will pursue a degree in mechanical engineering.
Rodrigo Salinas (Evanston, 8-1) recorded a tech fall over Jonathan Weissmueller (Deerfield) in the third place match, and Alec Garcia (Antioch) took fifth with an 8-5 decision over Carmel’s Joey Cameron.
175- Diego Lopez, Evanston
Diego Lopez would give Evanston the first of two individual titles when the Wildcats junior moved his overall record to 17-1 with a 9-5 decision over Riverside-Brookfield senior Nick O’Connor (13-2) on the title mat.
“It feels good to win my first varsity tournament,” Lopez said. “My coaches, partners, and teammates have helped me improve each time that I go into the room.”
Lopez found himself on the short end of a 4-0 deficit after an O’Connor (13-2) escape followed by a takedown midway through the second period.
“My coaches kept telling me to look to my underhook in the third period, and when it was there, I went for it,” said Lopez, whose angled shot and subsequent takedown gave him the lead for good at 5-4. He closed out O’Connor with a near-fall to make it 9-4 before an eventual 9-5 victory.
Henry Grant (Homewood-Flossmoor) was third after he pinned Danny St. John from Deerfield, and Dominic Marino (Glenbrook South) was fifth by fall against Batavia’s Blake Vandeloo.
190- Adrian Esparza, Marian Catholic
It was all over very quickly in the 190-pound final with Marian Catholic senior Adrian Esparza unleashing a lethal first-period punch to Xavier Pratt (Homewood-Flossmoor) that began just 30 seconds into the contest, leading to an insurmountable 10-1 advantage.
Esparza would eventually close out the Vikings sophomore with a 19-4 tech-fall at 5:10 to claim his first major of the season after finishing second at Joliet Central.
It has been quite a nice turnaround for the Spartans’ star who one year ago went 0-2 at the Hinsdale South sectional, ending his season at 14-12.
Esparza has already exceeded his record from last season in sensational fashion as he now stands 15-2 overall.
Esparza needed a nervy 4-3 decision over Colin Arquilla in his quarterfinal to stay in the front bracket.
Arquilla (Antioch) would record three tech-falls in the tournament, and finish third ahead of Jacob Shannon (Glenbrook South), and Alexander Gavrylyuk (Lake Park) placed fifth via fall against Riverside-Brookfield’s Gerald Evans.
215- Sain Uranbold, Glenbrook South
Sain Uranbold gave the home fans plenty to cheer about when theTitans senior won in stunning fashion with a pin at 1:11 over Evan Reichert (15-4) of Glenbard East.
“I cannot tell you how happy, and proud for my teammates, program and school I am, to be able to win a championship here in our home gym,” said an elated Uranbold, who was mobbed by his teammates moments after he put the finishing touches on his victory.
“I was a little nervous before my final, especially after giving up that first takedown, but I settled in and just got back to doing my (stuff),” Uranbold said. “So this is an amazing win, and one that I want to help make this season the best that it can be since it’s my last year here at GBS.”
Uranbold, now 14-5, will major in business in college and hopes to one day help build the butcher shop his father owns.
Ilya Pilshchikov (Palatine) was third following his pin of Brooks Tyler (Evanston) with Lake Park senior Antonin Svaboda fifth after a fall against Riverside-Brookfield’s Joey Alberts.
285- Jeremy Marshall, Evanston
It would be Jeremy Marshall with the win in the final contest of the two-day tournament, as the Evanston senior won a hard-fought 2-1 tug-of-war over the No. 2 man from Antioch, Owen Shea.
“It kind of went the way I thought it would with (Shea),” Marshall said. “He’s very athletic, quick, and strong. But I was able to control my tie-ups, be real defensive, push the pace when I was able, and just wrestle real smart.”
It was Marshall’s third tournament title of the season. Marshall plans on a degree in elementary education.
“Jeremy has worked really hard to get himself ready for his senior year, especially with his footwork, which is so much better than last season,” Evanston coach Rudy Salinas said.
Salinas starred at Lane Tech in the late 1980’s, took over the Evanston job in 2003, and is an IWCOA Hall-of-Famer.
Shea (10-4), who lost to reigning class 3A state champion Jonathan Rulo (Belleville East) earlier in the season was third at the Marmion Academy Cadet Classic last month.
Breckin Campbell (Richmond-Burton, 12-3) placed third with a fall against Collin Hughes (Sycamore), and Jacari Travis from Palatine took fifth by fall against McHenry’s Landen Owens.
Final Team Standings:
Deerfield 211.5, Sycamore 179.0, Homewood-Flossmoor 165.5, Glenbrook South 145.0, Batavia 143.5, Lake Park 105.5, Evanston 98.0, Riverside-Brookfield 96.5, Antioch 96.0, Palatine 76.5, Carmel Catholic 68.5, Glenbard East 66.0, Richmond-Burton 65.0, Niles North 55.5, McHenry 50.5, Richards 49.0, Marian Catholic 25.5, Lakes Community 10.0, St. Patrick 5.0, Rolling Meadows 3.0