Ranking the rankings: a way-too-early look at the state tournament field – Class 3A

By Rob Sherrill

                We made it!

Illinois high school wrestling experienced a fun, thrill-filled regular season the past 10 weeks. Most important, the season was wrestled – the beginning, the middle and the end. Teams across the state had to survive the occasional COVID-19 pause, but of the more than 100 regular-season tournaments that were scheduled, only four were canceled – and one of those was made up a month later. Cheers to all those who persevered and overcame numerous obstacles to give us a wrestling season we can all be proud of.

I’ve done my best to help us keep up with the weekly rankings diary. As we head into the state tournament series, with 48 regionals set to take place this coming weekend, I thought it would be fun to see where the rankings leave us as a predictor of who we’ll see on the mats at the State Farm Center Feb. 17-19. Based solely on the rankings as they stand today, I’ve put together a schematic of what the state tournament field might look like at each weight class in each classification, sectional by sectional.

I’m not guaranteeing 100 percent accuracy. You’ll probably see some of these wrestlers competing in their regionals at different weight classes than where I’ve listed them. After all, it’s all about two things: teamwise, winning the regional, which assures a berth in the dual state series, and individually, giving each wrestler the best chance to get to the State Farm Center. Some may even use this list as a roadmap to the most advantageous weight class. That happens every year.

The following list will include the top four wrestlers in each sectional, along with an alternate, at each weight class as things currently stand. At some weight classes, I don’t have enough wrestlers listed in the rankings to fill out the field – which means plenty of opportunities for plenty of wrestlers, at the right time of the season!

So let’s take a look at the state tournament field the rankings would bring us – and good luck flipping those orders starting on Saturday!

Class 3A

106 pounds

                Barrington – Wiley Jessup, Fremd; Dominic Ducato, Jacobs; Joel Muehlenbeck, Prospect; Grayson Kongkaeow, Round Lake; Alternate – Luca Poeta, Lake Zurich

                Conant – Inocencio Garcia, Batavia; Kalani Khiev, Glenbard North; Brady Phelps, Schaumburg; Kaden Klapprodt, DeKalb; Alternate – Julius Avendano, Elgin

                Granite City – Deion Johnson, Homewood-Flossmoor; Nore Turner, Lockport; Max Siegel, Andrew; Ethan Spacht, Bradley-Bourbonnais; Alternate – Cole Gentsch, Normal Community

                Hinsdale Central – Seth Mendoza, Chicago Mount Carmel; Donny Pigoni, Marmion Academy; Rocco Hayes, Carl Sandburg; George Marinopoulos, Marist; Alternate – none ranked

113 pounds

                Barrington – Evan Gosz, Fremd; Bryce Durlacher, Mundelein; Maksim Mukhamedaliyev, Hersey; Yash Jagtap, Stevenson; Alternate – Alejandro Cordova, Round Lake

                Conant – Zach Parisi, York; Dominick Marre, Glenbard North; Aidan Huck, Batavia; Joey Phelps, Schaumburg; Alternate – Grant Madl, Elk Grove

                Granite City – Trevor Silzer, Andrew; David Vukobratovich, Lockport; Nathan Knowlton, Lincoln-Way Central; Anthony Lawryn, Bradley-Bourbonnais; Alternate – Jack Ferguson, Yorkville

                Hinsdale Central – Jameson Garcia, Marmion Academy; Damian Resendez, Chicago Mount Carmel; Ryan Hinger, Carl Sandburg; Michael Esteban, Marist; Alternate – Donnie Fields, Downers Grove South

120 pounds

                Barrington – Caelan Riley, Libertyville; Massey Odiotti, Loyola Academy; Tom Miller, Prospect; Wilson Wright, New Trier; Alternate – Lucas Van Diepen, McHenry

                Conant – Ben Davino, St. Charles East; Daniel Aranda, DeKalb; Sammy Santangelo, Conant; Chris Kish, Maine East; Alternate – Dylan Schlegel, Geneva

                Granite City – Joey Malito, Lincoln-Way Central; Tyson Zvonar, Lincoln-Way East; Caleb Scott, Granite City; Jase Salin, Lincoln-Way West; Alternate – Isaiah Rogers, Lockport

                Hinsdale Central – Sammy Hayes, Carl Sandburg; Will Denny, Marist; Tyler Aters, Marmion Academy; Jalen Dunson, Oak Park-River Forest; Alternate – Jairo Acuna, Chicago Mount Carmel

126 pounds

                Barrington – Will Baysingar, Prospect; Lorenzo Frezza, Stevenson; James Wright, Jacobs; Brian Beers, Barrington; Alternate – Jacob Jensen, Huntley

                Conant – Paul Woo, Glenbard North; Dominic Mallinder, Lake Park; Caden Kirchner, Schaumburg; Ethan Penzato, St. Charles East; Alternate – Jacob Luce, DeKalb

                Granite City – Vincent Robinson, Homewood-Flossmoor; Jacob Macatangay, Plainfield North; Billy Meiszner, Providence; Dominic Schiavone, Minooka; Alternate – Dominic Coronado, Yorkville

                Hinsdale Central – Sergio Lemley, Chicago Mount Carmel; Jesse Herrera, Marist; Gunner Garelli, Lyons Township; Christian Favia, Marmion Academy; Alternate – Cooper Lacey, Oak Park-River Forest

132 pounds

                Barrington – Maddox Khalimsky, Fremd; Chuck Jones, Barrington; Sam Henkle, Huntley; fourth and alternate – none ranked

                Conant – Danny Curran, DeKalb; Tyler Guerra, St. Charles East; Pierre Baldwin, West Chicago; Peter Floyd, Conant; Alternate – Colin Roque, Taft

                Granite City – Nasir Bailey, Rich Township; Carlos Munoz-Flores, Lockport; Conor Smetana, Lincoln-Way Central; Tyler Boyd, Granite City; Alternate – Cale Stonitsch, Minooka

                Hinsdale Central – Eddie Enright, Chicago Mount Carmel; Cody Tavoso, Hinsdale Central; Luke Swan, Downers Grove South; Joe McDermott, Bolingbrook; Alternate – Brandon Weber, Marist

138 pounds

                Barrington – Cole Rhemrev, Stevenson; Scott Busse, Lake Zurich; Philip Chapa, Barrington; Colin Young, Belvidere North; Alternate – Lennon Steinkuehler, Prospect

                Conant – Kaden Fetterolf, Batavia; Michael DiBenedetto, Lake Park; Austin Martin, DeKalb; Gavin Connolly, St. Charles East; Alternate – Diego Garcia, Glenbard East

                Granite City – Kole Brower, Moline; Dylan Gvillo, Edwardsville; Elijah Munoz, Minooka; Jermaine Butler, Homewood-Flossmoor; Alternate – Warren Zeisset, Belleville East

                Hinsdale Central – Harrison Konder, Downers Grove North; Jimmy Nugent, Downers Grove South; Santino Scolaro, Marmion Academy; Owen Dunlap, Marist; Alternate – Dominic Serio, West Aurora

145 pounds

                Barrington – Charlie Fifield, Fremd; Damien Puma, Prospect; Antonio Alvarado, Belvidere North; Thomas Schoolman, Stevenson; Alternate – Matt Impastato, Dundee-Crown

                Conant – Tommy Curran, DeKalb; Cael Andrews, Batavia; Trevor Skoda, Glenbard West; Nico Clinite, South Elgin; Alternate – Nicky O’Keefe, Geneva

                Granite City – Noah Tapia, Moline; Keegan Roberson, Lockport; Jaydon Robinson, Homewood-Flossmoor; Will Dahm, Belleville West; Alternate – Drew Landau, Edwardsville

                Hinsdale Central – Noah Quintana, West Aurora; Ricky Ericksen, Marist; Nate Pacetti, Blue Island Eisenhower; Christopher Ramirez, Naperville Central; Alternate – Carlos Perez, Chicago Mount Carmel

152 pounds

                Barrington – Matthew Boyer, New Trier; Will Collins, Glenbrook South; Matt Kubas, Libertyville; Niko Skoulikaris, Hampshire; Alternate – Marshal Cunz, Machesney Park Harlem

                Conant – Ethan Stiles, Conant; Damien Lopez, DeKalb; Lane Robinson, St. Charles East; Devin Medina, Wheaton North; Alternate – Brennan Skoda, Glenbard West

                Granite City – Logan Swaw, Lockport; Jack Marion, Lincoln-Way East; Luke Zook, Yorkville; Jorden Johnson, Edwardsville; Alternate – Owen Uppinghouse, Quincy

                Hinsdale Central – Damari Reed, Shepard; Ayden Lutes, Naperville Central; Moses Quintana, West Aurora; Collin Carrigan, Marmion Academy; Alternate – Andrew Dado, Marist

160 pounds

                Barrington – Chris Moore, McHenry; Billy Spassov, Hersey; Justin Warmowski, Grant; Patrick Downing, Glenbrook South; Alternate – Jon Fier, Barrington

                Conant – Joe Olalde, Lake Park; C.J. Gilbert, Conant; Brody Murray, St. Charles East; Caleb Wall, DeKalb; Alternate – Max Konopka, Glenbard West

                Granite City – Jared Gumila, Plainfield North; Dominic Adamo, Lincoln-Way East; Paul Kadlec, Lockport; Zach Lusk, Belleville West; Alternate – Brody Williams, Yorkville

                Hinsdale Central – Colin Kelly, Chicago Mount Carmel; Antonio Torres, Waubonsie Valley; Tom Boland, Marist; Kenny Siwicki, Marmion Academy; Alternate – none ranked

170 pounds

                Barrington – Brody Hallin, McHenry; Cooper Wettig, Loyola Academy; Austin Gomez, Libertyville; fourth and alternate – none ranked

                Conant – Lukes Schmerbach, DeKalb; Cody Dertz, Glenbard North; Elijah Chiaro, St. Charles East; Nick Mabutas, Willowbrook; Alternate – Pat Shadid, Glenbard West

                Granite City – Brayden Thompson, Lockport; A.J. Mancilla, Bradley-Bourbonnais; Matthew Janiak, Plainfield South; Ari Zaeske, Lincoln-Way East; Alternate – Romeo Williams, Homewood-Flossmoor

                Hinsdale Central – Tyler Perry, Marmion Academy; Jacob Liberatore, Marist; Will Schuessler, Downers Grove South; Cooper Schodrof, Lyons Township; Alternate – Owen Jacobson, Chicago Mount Carmel

182 pounds

                Barrington – Josh Knudten, Libertyville; Ryder Hunkins, Huntley; Matt Luby, Lake Zurich; Aiden McCain, Round Lake; Alternate – Quinn Herbert, Loyola Academy

                Conant – Bradley Gillum, DeKalb; Jackson Tonkovich, Batavia; Drew Surges, St. Charles North; Brandon Swartz, St. Charles East; Alternate – A.J. Hernandez, Conant

                Granite City – Dominic Thebeau, Belleville East; Gavin Jones, Lincoln-Way East; Haku Watson-Castro, Homewood-Flossmoor; Paul Rasp, Lockport; Alternate – Shamon Handegan, Pekin

                Hinsdale Central – Jack Lesher, Marmion Academy; Rylan Breen, Chicago Mount Carmel; Ben Bielawski, Downers Grove North; David Pirozhnik, Naperville Central; Alternate – Luke Liberatore, Marist

195 pounds

                Barrington – Jack Cummings, New Trier; Zach Meyer, Barrington; Jacob Whiting, Stevenson; Cole Matulenko, Libertyville; Alternate – Porter Leith, Dundee-Crown

                Conant – Philip Dozier, Glenbard West; Bryson Buhk, DeKalb; Colin O’Neill, Leyden; Henry Chang, Conant; Alternate – John Schmidt, Geneva

                Granite City – John Pacewic, Plainfield South; Hunter Janeczko, Yorkville; Evan Holderer, Edwardsville; Cooper Caraway, Normal Community; Alternate – Cruz Ibarra, Oswego

                Hinsdale Central – Peter Marinopoulos, Marist; Elliott Lewis, Chicago Mount Carmel; Cooper King, Lyons Township; Ashton Phillips, Waubonsie Valley; Alternate – Teddy Perry, Marmion Academy

220 pounds

                Barrington – Manny Mejia, Hersey; Ty Stringer, New Trier; Casey Bending, Fremd; Betim Jahovic, Niles North; Alternate – Luke Zunkel, McHenry

                Conant – Gavin Engh, DeKalb; Blake Maday, Glenbard North; Chance Guziec, Elk Grove; Ryan Porebski, Taft; Alternate – Gustav Tosterud, Leyden

                Granite City – Shawn Blackburn-Forst, Lockport; Liam McDermott, Providence; Ben Alvarez, Yorkville; Justin Thomas, Homewood-Flossmoor; Alternate – Karson Lamb, Pekin

                Hinsdale Central – Ghee Rachal, Marist; Marko Ivanisevic, Hinsdale Central; Sean Scheck, Marmion Academy; Gio Amaya, West Aurora; Alternate – Jacob Housour, Waubonsie Valley

285 pounds

                Barrington – Caleb Christensen, Libertyville; Oleg Simakov, Hersey; Reyes Gonzalez, Warren; Patryk Barnas, Hampshire; Alternate – none ranked

                Conant – Paulie Robertson, Glenbard North; Morley Coval, Glenbard West; Austin Barrett, St. Charles East; Grzegorz Krupa, Taft; Alternate – Adam Lambatz, Elgin

                Granite City – Jake Ziemniarski, Lincoln-Way West; Kaden McCombs, Plainfield North; Wyatt Schmitt, Joliet West; Isaiah Hill, O’Fallon; Alternate – Tyler Haynes, Pekin

                Hinsdale Central – Ryan Boersma, Chicago Mount Carmel; Kevin Zimmer, Carl Sandburg; Jared Durian, Marmion Academy; Jordan Lewis, Downers Grove North; Alternate – Jordan Lishman, West Aurora