By Chris Walker for the IWCOA

DEKALB – Marmion didn’t win the Don Flavin Invitational last season, but that didn’t stop the Cadets from later winning a state title.

The Cadets have continued to do a whole lot of winning since then as they won the Don Flavin Invitational at DeKalb, sweeping their way to a 6-0 tournament in this dual team tournament on Dec. 29-30, 2025.

Leading the way for the Cadets were Colton Wyller (106), James Morrison (113), Nicholas Garcia (132), Ashton Hobson (150/157), Vinnie Testa (190) and Joey Favia (285) who wrestled to victory in each of their half dozen matches during the team’s six dual meets over two days.

“Yeah, they wrestled tough, especially that second day, competed hard,” Marmion coach Anthony Cirrincione said. “We’re still one piece away from being at full strength, but we’re in a good spot and a lot better than last year when we weren’t healthy until regionals.”

This latest team victory follows similar success this season for Marmion with titles also at the Cadet Classic as well as the Dan Gable Donnybrook.

Marmion 

Marmion won its first Flavin title since 2022. The Cadets finished in second place last year behind Detroit Catholic Central but when all was said and done at the IHSA Class 3A state finals, the Cadets were state dual team champions for the first time in program history.

Their victory in DeKalb, after two long days of wrestling on Monday and Tuesday is another step toward the Aurora school’s hope of defending its team title.

“Well, to be honest, we thought we would be hard pressed to be in a position better than we were last year and we’re older and wiser at a lot of weights and only graduating the three contributing seniors,” Cirrincione said. “They’re getting after it and showing they are a team.”

In Marmion’s 33-28 win over IC Prep, IC Prep’s Joey Pontrelli scored a 21-7 major against Alex Korpan to get the dual started at 165 and Brody Kelly followed with a quick pin over Daniel Skura. But the Cadets would win eight of the next 11 matches, including at 132, before forfeiting at 157 with the victory already locked up, leading 33-22.

One of the premier battles was at 132, where the Class 2A top ranked wrestler (Max Cumbee) met the 3A’s best (Nicholas Garcia). Garcia scored a 2-1 tiebreaker win.

In their preceding duals, top-ranked Marmion overwhelmed no. 3 ranked Montini, 49-13, winning 11 matches, getting a pair of pins as well as a couple wins due to injuries to AJ Tack (190) and Chris Navarro (150). Marmion opened Tuesday’s action in the Champion’s Pool with a 42-24 victory over Kaukana, Wisc.

On Monday, the Cadets began their journey towards a title with a 61-13 win over Lyons. They followed that with a 56-12 win over Glenwood, ranked 3rd in Class 2A, before a 55-18 win against St. Charles East, the fourth ranked team in Class 3A.

Top performers for the Cadets included Colton Wyller (6-0 at 106), James Morrison (6-0 at 113), Nicholas Garcia (6-0 at 132), Ashton Hobson (6-0 at 150/157), Vinnie Testa (6-0 at 190) and Joey Favia (6-0 at 285) as those six wrestlers went a combined 36-0. 

Other top finishers for the Cadets were Aidan McClure (5-1, at 126), Demetrios Carrera (5-1 at 138) and Logan Conover (5-1, at 144).

“On the first day we made an assessment as the coaches that the boys hear a lot of voices at the same time and it’s not always the same thing,” Cirrincione said. “Sparty Chino, one of the assistant coaches, said we need to look at how we did today as a coaching staff and we figured we’d only wrestled one dual against Lockport the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. We need to regroup the kids so they need to hear one voice and we kind of went back to our old ways. We had a driver and passenger driving in the front seat. Day two we made an adjustment as a staff and it was good for us.”

Last season, the Cadets defeated Montini and IC Prep in the Champion’s Pool but fell to 2024 Flavin champ, Detroit Catholic Central.

IC Prep

Last year, IC Prep earned a spot in the Champion’s Pool as well, but took fourth place. This time, the Knights were the runner-up to Marmion. Last year here, IC Prep dropped a 37-30 decision to Marmion.

The Knights beat Montini (42-24) and Kaukana, Wisc. (51-18) to set the stage for an invitational-deciding dual against Marmion.

Dominic Pasquale (3-0 at 126), Frank Nitti (6-0 at 144) and Brody Kelly (5-0 at 175) went undefeated. Also leading the Knights were Kannon Judycki (5-1 at 120), Aidan Arnett (5-1 at 157/165), Mike Bird (4-1 at 113) and Foley Calcagno (4-1 at 215).

IC Prep rolled into the Champion’s Pool with dominating wins in the Rich Harvey Bracket, including against Moline (55-20), Washington (50-16) and Yorkville (60-15).

Montini

Ranked 2nd in Class 3A, the Broncos may be one of the most talented teams in the state, but they still had the daunting task of facing the top-ranked teams in 2A and 3A back-to-back in the Champion’s Pool.

They opened action on Tuesday afternoon with a 48-24 loss to IC Prep, the top ranked team in Class 2A,  followed by a 49-13 loss to Marmion, the top ranked team in Class 3A. They concluded their run in the tournament with a rare third-straight defeat to Kaukana (48-17).

Montini had earned its berth into the top bracket after beating Glenbard East (66-12), West Aurora (47-27) and Grant (48-24)

Allen Woo (6-0 at 120) and Bobby Ruscitti (6-0 at 126) led the Broncos while Erik Klichurov (5-1 at 113) was the only other Montini wrestler besides Ben Evenson (1-1 at 215) to not suffer more than a single defeat.

Joliet Catholic Academy

Joliet Catholic Academy won the Gold Pool with victories over St. Charles East (36-25), Yorkville (57-15) and Grant (54-12).

Leading the way for the Hilltoppers were Dante Washington (6-0 at 144/150), Nolan Vogel (6-0 at 165) and Lukas Foster (5-0 at 126/132). 

Kane Robles (5-1 at 106), Colton Schultz (5-1 at 113), Jason Hampton (5-1 at 138/132) and Daniel Dalach (5-1 at 285) also were quite successful.

“We left a better team than when we entered,” Joliet Catholic Academy coach Ryan Cumbee said. “Mission accomplished. 30 days until the state series-the only time results mean anything.”

St. Charles East

The Saints bounced back from the loss to Joliet Catholic Academy to beat Grant (34-25) and Yorkville (38-22) to take second place in the Gold Pool.

Dom Munaretto (6-0 at 120) and Cooper Murray (6-0 at 215/285) won all of their matches while Kaden Potter (126), Declan Sons (132), Jayden Hernandez (138) Isaac Lenard (157/150) and Gavin Woodmancy (157/150) each went 4-2.

Yorkville

The Foxes opened with a tight victory over Naperville Central (38-12) and got past Barrington (37-25) before being humbled by top-ranked 2A IC Prep (60-15) to conclude their first day of action.

A tough loss to Grant wasn’t how the Foxes were hoping to begin play in the Gold Cup, but that loss (36-32) was the continuation of what ultimately would turn into a four-game dual match slide.

“It was a tough second day and we knew we were going to have a tough three matches,” Foxes coach Jake Oster said. “We were missing our 215 (Avery Lane who went 2-1 on Monday) who was out for the day at a funeral. And we were planning another guy at 190 and he ended up having emergency appendix surgery so we bumped guys around. So we didn’t have that going into the dual against Grant and let some slip in some of the matches where we could’ve sealed it off with a couple of wins. Just came up short and they (Grant) had two hammers at the end so we knew that the last two weights we had to be up pretty good and lost right before that and it put a damper on our chances.”

The Foxes dropped a 57-15 decision to Joliet Catholic Academy, ranked no. 2 in Class 3A, and closed the tournament with a 38-22 loss to St. Charles East.

Donovan Rosauer (6-0 at 150/157) was unblemished to lead the Foxes.

Caleb Viscogliosi (3-1 at 175/190), Donncha Souza (3-1 at 150/157) and Xavion Ulloa (3-1 at 285) also enjoyed success in their respective matches for Yorkville.

“It’s a long two days and we had six solid duals so our guys were feeling it,” Oster said. “Some were feeling sorry for themselves, some guys went 0-6 and probably haven’t gone 0-6 before which speaks volumes about the toughness of this tournament and how mentally tough you’ve got to be in something like this. It shows where we got to be better. It’s a good thing to have in the middle of the year.”

Grant

Grant got past Yorkville (36-12) for its lone victory during Tuesday’s final day of competition. Grant could not sustain that success, dropping its final two duals to St. Charles East (34-25) and Joliet Catholic Academy (54-12).

The Bulldogs picked up wins in Monday’s Wayne Miller Bracket over Hersey (49-28) and Lincoln-Way West (39-30) before falling to Montini (48-24) in the bracket’s first-place match.

Erik Rodriguez (6-0 at 144/150) and Vince Jasinski (6-0 at 144/150) didn’t lose to lead the Bulldogs. Brady Myatt (4-2 at 113), Larry Quirk (4-2 at 113) and Casey Gipson (4-2 at 190/215) also delivered strong performances. 

Providence Catholic

Providence Catholic defeated Glenbard West (47-21) in its first dual in the Silver Pool. The Celtics followed with wins over Washington (48-26) and Lincoln-Way West (51-17) to win the pool.

Christian Corcoran (6-0 at 113), Nate Ortiz (6-0 at 120) and Justus Heeg (6-0 at 157) swept their way to victories in all of Providence’s duals while Tommy Banas (5-1 at 138), Luke Banas (5-1 at 144) and Ameer Khalil (5-1 at 175/190) also had strong tournaments.

Barrington

In the Bronze Pool, Barrington survived Sandburg (37-35) and Glenwood (37-36) back-to-back after opening with a win over West Aurora (47-30).

The Broncos crushed Pewaukee, Wisc., 62-12 to open the tournament, but dropped tighter matches to Yorkville (37-25) and Washington (38-34).

Kaleb Pratt (6-0 at 120/126), Jimmy Whitaker (6-0 at 144/150), Matthew Blanke (4-0 at 126/120) and Ryan Dorn (6-0 at 132/138) enjoyed their final tournament of 2025 with victory after victory after victory. Sam Cushman (5-1 at 175/190) also found a great deal of success in DeKalb.

Other winners included Lincoln-Way East in Pool A, Glenbard North in Pool B, Lyons in Pool C  and Prospect in Pool D.

Top performers for the Griffins were Kaidreaus Richardson (6-0 at 150), Colton Zvonar (4-0 at 190) and Gage LaDere (4-0 at 285).

Marco Rafael (4-1 at 157) paced the Panthers who received 4-2 records from Dominic Melody (106), Roman Barracca (113), Lukas Thompson (120), Vannak Khiev (126), Julian Guerra (132) Trey Thompson (138) and Tyler Hvorick (215). 

Griff Powell (6-0 at 138) led Lyons. Luca Ligammari (106), Joey Colantuono (126), Cornell Fennessee (165), Anthony Johnson (175), Luke Wilhelm (190) and Jimmy Hillmann (285) all went 4-2.

James Brouilette (6-0 at 285), Brock Wrede (5-0 at 190/215) and Gavin Payne (5-0 at 165) didn’t suffer any defeats for Prospect. Joseph Quirk (5-1 at 175/190) and Owen Dewey (4-1 at 215) also performed well.

Statistics of note

Luxemburg-Casco’s Logan Ellwanger and Providence Catholic’s Justin Heed tied for the most team points with 36, while Minooka’s Maddux Tindal and West Aurora’s Marcus Quintana each had 35 points. Luxemburg-Casco’s Carson Neubert, St. Charles East’s Dom Munaretto, Joliet Catholic Academy’s Nolan Vogel, Barrington’s Kaleb Pratt and Prospect’s James Brouilette each had 34 points. Glenbard East’s Aidan Ortega, Washington’s Josh Hoffer, Grant’s Vince Jasinski, Marmion’s Vinnie Testa, Hersey’s Oleksandr Havrylkiv and Barrington’s Jimmy Whitaker all had 33 points.

Lincoln-Way West’s Brady Glynn recorded five technical falls, joining Naperville Central’s Paul Peradotti, for most in the tournament.

Brouilette, Tindal, Ellwanger, Hoffer and Quintana were the five wrestlers who registered five victories by fall. Whitaker accomplished the feat in the lest amount of time, besting TInfal (5:13 to 5:36). 

Luxemburg-Casco and Glenbard North had 26 pins each collectively as a team to lead the 32-team field, while Marmion had 25, Providence had 23 and Barrington, Kaukana and Lyons each had 21.

Championship meet in Champion’s Pool of Don Flavin Dual Team Invitational Tournament

Marmion 33, IC Prep 28

165 – Joey Pontrelli (ICP) over Alex Korpan (M), MD 21-7

175 – Brody Kelly (ICP) over Daniel Skura (M), F 0:41

190 – Vinnie Testa (M) over Aquilla Ekhomu (ICP), F 0:19

215 – Foley Calcagno (ICP) over Luke Boermsa (M), TF 20-5

285 – Joey Favia (M) over Anthony Sebastian (ICP), D 6-3

106 – Colton Wyller (M) over Mike Bird (ICP), M 15-1

113 – James Morrison (M) over Drew Murante (ICP), M 13-4

120 – Kannon Judycki (ICP) over Brody Page (M), SV-1 4-1

126 – Aidan McClure (M) over Sam Murante (ICP), DQ

132 – Nicholas Garcia (M) over Max Cumbee (ICP), TB-1 2-1

138 – Demetrios Carrera (M) over Jack Hanrahan (ICP) MD 10-2

144 – Frank Nitti (ICP) over Logan Conover (M), MD 14-6

150 – Ashton Hobson (M) over Jacob Alvarez (ICP), D 11-4

157 – Aiden Arnett (ICP), FORF.

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

Floyd Bee Memorial Holiday Tournament

The boys from Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher snared the team title at this year’s 32-team Floyd Bee Memorial tournament, topping second-place Normal Community 500.5-457 at Lincoln.
It was the program’s first Floyd Bee title for coach Josh Carter. GCMS/ Fisher placed fourth two years ago and third at last season’s holiday tournament.

St. Patrick (405.5) placed third followed by Rock Island (372) and Bloomington (309.5) to round out the top five team finishes.

“There were some good teams at the Lincoln tournament and some very good individuals as well,” Carter said. “I was pretty pleased with how we competed overall, but there are still areas we need to get better at.

“Our program has always focused more on competing well and making improvements throughout the season than on the results themselves. Our motto is “Compete with gratitude. Trust the process. Surrender the outcome.” We believe that if we can do that we will be where we need to be in February.”

1st- Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher (500.5)

The middle-weight trio of returning state qualifiers Nolan Lowe (144), Hunter Brandon (150) and Hudson Babb (157) all won titles for GCMSF, with No. 3 Babb improving to a perfect 21-0 season record. Lowe and Brandon each moved to 21-3 on the year.

Among wrestlers finishing in the top six, returning state medal-winner and No. 5 Landen Lage (23-2) placed second at 138 and GCMSF got a third from Camden Brucker (132), fourths from Ian Rotramel (113) and Cooper Miller (165), a fifth from Bentley Fields (106) and a sixth from Gage Martin (126).

“We try to build a schedule that will help the wrestlers be prepared for the level of competition they will see in the postseason,” Carter said. “The Lincoln tournament was a step in the right direction, but we still have two more tournaments that are extremely tough and several duals with very talented teams, so we cannot become complacent with where we are.”

2nd- Normal Community (457)

Coach Trevor Kaufman got individual titles from No. 5 Jackson Soney (106), Ethan Cavallo (132) and Carter Mayes (165), a second from Elijah Conda (113), thirds from Austin Chiesi (150) and Daniel Bourbalas (190), a fourth from Luke Eganhouse (144), and fifths from Johnny Thomas (120) and Mason Caraway (285).

3rd- St. Patrick (405.5)

Four wrestlers scaled the top of the podium for coach Dominic Angelo, in No. 7 Jack Koenig (113), a two-time state medal-winner No. 6 Danny Goodwin (120), Pat Hulne (138) and a two-time state medal-winner in No. 4 Van Grasser (175). The Shamrocks also got a fourth from Calvin Stahl (126), and fifths from Antonio Reyes (144), and Mark Bilek (150).

Team scores
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher 500.5, Normal Community 457, St. Patrick 405.5, Rock Island 372, Bloomington 309.5, Marengo 259.5, Sterling 247, Galesburg 233.5, DePaul Prep 223, East Peoria 223, Peoria Notre Dame 221.5, Lemont 218.5, Jerseyville 210.5, Heyworth 209, Rochester 159.5, East St. Louis 151, Thornton 147.5, Jacksonville 131.5, Carbondale 131, Centennial 128, Lincoln 120.5, Dunlap 119, Danville 115.5, North Boone 115, Pekin 108.5, Springfield 94, Springfield 94, Taylorville 71, Limestone 50, Glenwood 37, Highland 35, St. Thomas More 22, Urbana 7.5

Additional champions
126 Cory Zator (Lemont), 190 Judah Heeg (Lemont), 215 Alec Del Toro (East Peoria), 285 Hunter Wahtola (DePaul College Prep)

Additional runners-up
106 Maddox Williams (Jerseyville), 120 Gabe Marella (North Boone), 126 Colin Bosak (DePaul College Prep), 132 Remington Joesting (Peoria Notre Dame), 144 Tyler Barlow (Bloomington), 150 Brody Cabrera (Bloomington), 165 Anthony Makwala (Galesburg), 175 Colton Mosack (Dunlap), 190 Sergio Baity (Centennial), 215 Rowan Stockwell (Rock Island), 285 Brady Mullens (Peoria Notre Dame)

The unbeatens (15-match minimum)
St. Patrick’s No. 6 returning state medal-winner Danny Goodwin (33-0 at 120), GCMSF’s Hudson Babb (21-0 at 157)

The once-beatens (15-match minimum)
Normal Community’s No. 5 Jackson Soney (19-1 at 106) Lemont’s No. 3 returning state champion 2A Judah Heeg (21-1 at 190), East Peoria’s Alec Del Toro (18-1 at 215), DePaul Prep’s No. 2 returning state medal-winner Hunter Wahtola (20-1 at 285)

Statistics
Galesburg finished with the most pins in the least time, with 22 in 52:23, and St. Patrick had the most tech falls in the least time, with 10 in 37:36. St. Patrick also had the most total match points with 450.
Individually, Bloomington’s Leighton Vandegraft had the most pins in the least time, with four at 3:30, Lemont’s Judah Heeg had the most tech falls in the least time with four in 8:20. Bloomington’s Seville Dangerfield had the fastest fall in the least time at 12 seconds, and Marengo’s Ryan Hess had the fastest tech fall, at 1:11. North Boone’s Eli Bryan scored the most single match points with 23, and St. Patrick’s Danny Goodwin scored the most total match points with 83.

The largest seed-place difference came from 23rd-seeded Dunlap’s Colton Mosack, who placed second at 175 pounds.

Championship match results

106 Jackson Soney (Normal Community) F 1:12 Maddox Williams (Jerseyville)

113 Jack Koenig (St. Patrick) TF 2:14 Elijah Conda (Normal Community)
120 Danny Goodwin (St. Patrick) TF 3:51 Gabe Marella (N. Boone)

126 Cory Zator (Lemont) F 4:37 Colin Bosak (DePaul)
132 Ethan Cavallo (Normal Community) D 6-5 Remington Joesting (Notre Dame)

138 Pat Hulne (St. Patrick) D 7-2 Landen Lage (GCMS/Fisher)

144 Nolan Lowe (GCMS/Fisher) TF 4:22 Tyler Barlow (Bloomington)

150 Hunter Brandon (GCMS/Fisher) F 0:34 Brody Cabrera (Bloomington)

157 Hudson Babb (GCMS/Fisher) F 1:00 Nicholas Hartley (Jerseyville)

165 Carter Mayes (Normal Community) F 4:39 Anthony Makwala (Galesburg)

175 Van Grasser (St. Patrick) TF 3:58 Colton Mosack (Dunlap)

190 Judah Heeg (Lemont) TF 2:10 Sergio Baity (Centennial)
215 Alec Del Toro (E Peoria) F 2:47 Rowan Stockwell (Rock Island)

285 Hunter Wahtola (DePaul) F 3:41 Brady Mullens (Notre Dame)

Third-place results

106 Alex Powers (Lemont) D 7-6 Angelo Parker (Rock Island)

113 Cooper Bye (Bloomington) D 6-4 Ian Rotramel (GCMS/Fisher)

120 Emmet Roeder (Heyworth) F 3:53 Hunter Hodge (Jerseyville)

126 Cael Lyons (Sterling) D 11-7 Calvin Stahl (St. Patrick)
132 Camden Brucker (GCMS/Fisher) MD 11-0 Henry Miller (Rock Island)

138 Mitchell Aukes (Marengo) fft. Jordan Kholian (Jacksonville)

144 Nehemie Mbangi (Centennial) fft. Luke Eganhouse (Normal Community)

150 Austin Chiesi (Normal Community) TF 5:32 Emmanuel Arreola (Sterling)

157 Corey Robinson (E St. Louis) F 1:42 Logan Stout (Heyworth)

165 James Escobar (Rochester) F 3:35 Cooper Miller (GCMS/Fisher)

175 Conner Sacco (Marengo) F 1:55 Josiah Williams (Danville)

190 Daniel Bourbalas (Normal Community) TF 6:00 Dalton Oakman (E Peoria)

215 Jarrod Fulcher (Heyworth) F 1:46 Connor Broughton (Rochester)

285 Jaylen Raab (Bloomington) D 6-2 Emilio Guzan (Rock Island)

Unity Christian New Year’s Duals

Prospect dominated its way to eight dual wins Saturday, claiming the top prize at Unity Christian’s 17-team New Year’s Dual tournament.

Prospect finalized its team title with a 46-29 win over Mattoon in the finals. Coach Ashton Brown’s boys also beat Ridgeview (68-12), Mahomet-Seymour (66-9), Illinois Valley Central (72-2), Clinton (73-6), Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin/Armstrong (78-6), Unity Christian (55-18), Pittsfield (60-18) en route to the team title.

“I was very proud of how our kids have rallied together and rebounded after a very tough start to our winter break,” Brown said. “We started break losing our first seven duals and beginning with Day Two at the Flavin we finished with eleven dual wins in a row.

“We have a large group of sophomores that showed much growth for us down in Unity. Filling in at 165, sophomore Daniel Bekteshi went 5-1. Luis Mercado went 5-0 at 138 lbs with three pins and two major decisions after starting the year 0-7.

“Owen Dewey went 8-0 at Unity Christian and improved his record to 21-7 at 220. Additionally, Carlo Difalco has made great strides this season after a 10-19 record his sophomore year. He went 6-0 (at Unity Christian) and improved his record to 24-10. We have a sophomore-heavy lineup that has taken a lot of lumps early in the season with a dual record of 3-11 heading into last week’s Flavin. It has been very exciting to see these kids stay persistent and hungry while chasing growth on the mat.”

Mattoon reached the title dual for coach Brett Porter by beating Pittsfield (47-36), DeLand-Weldon (75-6), St. Teresa (60-16), Normal University (77-6), BHRA/A (78-6) and Mahomet-Seymour (47-30).

Mahomet-Seymour went 8-1 on the day to place third for coach Rob Ledin, with its lone loss coming against Prospect in the second round of competition. Mahomet-Seymour capped its day by placing third with a 58-23 win over Pittsfield.

Championship round dual scores
1st – Prospect 46, Mattoon 29
3rd – Mahomet-Seymour 58, Pittsfield 23
5th – Heyworth 36, Rochester 34
7th – BHRA/A 54, Unity Christian 23

Championship dual results
Prospect 46, Mattoon 29

157 – Nicolas Mansour (Prospect) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

165 – Daniel Bekteshi (Prospect) d. Daijuan Hester (Mattoon) Fall 2:31

175 – Joseph Quirk (Prospect) d. Jacob Philpott (Mattoon) Fall 1:07

190 – Brock Wrede (Prospect) d. McKell Burks (Mattoon) Fall 3:02

215 – Owen Dewey (Prospect) d. Carson Kimbro (Mattoon) Fall 1:07

285 – Mitchell Clapp (Mattoon) d. James Brouilette (Prospect) Dec 1-0

106 – Creed Cole (Mattoon) d. Ben Grund (Prospect) TF 19-3

113 – Carlo Difalco (Prospect) d. Jaxtyn Howell (Mattoon) Maj 18-8

120 – James Fidler (Prospect) d. Liam Clark (Mattoon) Fall 0:56

126 – Tristan Porter (Mattoon) d. Andrew Stapleton (Prospect) TF 17-2

132 – Jaxson Bagwell (Mattoon) d. James Fidler (Prospect) Fall 1:59

138 – Luis Mercado (Prospect) d. Memphys Howell (Mattoon) Fall 4:40

144 – Dakari Brown (Mattoon) d. Ryan Chartouni (Prospect) Maj 14-3

150 – Harley Pierce (Mattoon) d. Ali Mohammadi (Prospect) Fall 0:50

Third-place dual
Mahomet-Seymour 58, Pittsfield 23
157 – Nino Caballero (M-Seymour) d. Landyn Seal (Pittsfield) Fall 1:42

165 – Jake Oitker (Pittsfield) d. Keilen Mustread (M-Seymour) TF 21-1

175 – Frank Watson (M-Seymour) d. Jake Ator (Pittsfield) Fall 2:55

190 – Bodine Marable (Pittsfield) d. Nathan Lewis (M-Seymour) Fall 1:15

215 – Fisher McEuen (Pittsfield) d. Sam Cobb (M-Seymour) Fall 0:56

285 – Jose Torres (M-Seymour) d. Hunter Waters (Pittsfield) Inj 2:35

106 – Grant Morphew (M-Seymour) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

113 – Mitchell Matigian (M-Seymour) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

120 – Alex Johnson (M-Seymour) d. Hayden Thompson (Pittsfield) MD 11-3

126 – Emmanuel Diaz (M-Seymour) d. Ayden Sledge (Pittsfield) Fall 0:27

132 – Jude Wild (M-Seymour) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

138 – Logan Borrowman (Pittsfield) d. Lucas Dhom (M-Seymour) Fall 0:59

144 – Niko Truax (M-Seymour) d. Jace Perry (Pittsfield) Fall 0:59

150 – Renn VanDeveer (M-Seymour) d. Logan Boehmer (Pittsfield) Fall 1:07

Statistics
Unity Christian’s Garrett VerHeecke had the most pins in the least time, with seven falls in 7:35. Brother Clinton VerHeecke was second with seven pins in 8:18 for Unity Christian. Illinois Valley Central’s Toliver Maison, Heyworth’s Logan Stout, and Rochester’s Jack Zucco also each had seven pins on the day.
Rochester’s James Escobar finished the tournament with the most tech falls in the least time, with four techs in 16:13. Centennial’s Mbangi Nehemie had three techs in 7:04. Escobar also had the fastest tech fall in 1:13, while Nehemie was second with a tech fall in 1:18.
Three wrestlers tied for the most team points scored with 54, in Mahomet-Seymour’s Grant Morphew, Alleman’s Truman Marner, and Rochester’s Jack Zucco. Clinton’s Moody McCoy had the most single-match points with 26, and Heyworth’s Tristan Stamp had the most total match points with 100.
Prospect led all teams with 48 pins on the day, followed by Mattoon with 42 and Heyworth with 35. Prospect and Rochester tied for the most tech falls with seven apiece, followed by Centennial with five.
Prospect scored the most team points with 519, followed by Mahomet-Seymour with 439 and Mattoon with 413. Prospect also led the field with 618 total match points, followed by Mattoon with 441 and Heyworth with 382.

Unbeaten records in matches wrestled

8-0: 157 Unity Christian’s Clinton VerHeecke, 165 Rochester’s Jame Escobar
7-0: 126 Rochester’s Miles Carroll, 138 Rochester’s Jack Zucco, 144 Unity Christian’s Garrett VerHeecke, 175 Heyworth’s Tristan Stamp, 285 Mattoon’s Mitchell Clapp
6-0: 132 St. Teresa’s Dwaine Goforth, 150 Mattoon’s Harley Pierce
5-0: 113 Prospect’s Carlo Defalco, 126 Mattoon’s Tristan Porter, 138 Prospect’s Luis Mercado, 190 Pittsfield’s Bodine Marable, 215 Prospect’s Owen Dewey

2025 Sandwich Dual Team Tournament
Sandwich went a perfect 4-0 for coach Derek Jones in claiming the top spot at this year’s 12-team dual team tournament at Sandwich. Oak Lawn finished second, with Plainfield Central third and Rockford East fourth to round out the top four team finishes.

1st place-Sandwich
Sandwich topped Oak Lawn 47-17 in the first-place dual, after topping Genoa-Kingston (80-0), Dwight (78-0) and Rockford East (54-26). As the 18th-ranked team in 1A, Sandwich got perfect 3-0 records in matches wrestled from Hunter Whitecotton (106/113), Jaxson Blanchard (144), No. 3 Cooper Corder (150) and No. 10 Kaden Clevenger (285). Going 2-0 in matches wrestled were Aiden Sinetos (113), Dom Urbanski (126), No. 8 Joshua Kotalik (175). Logan Murphy (138) won two matches for Sandwich, as did Jack Forth (157), while Kai Kern (190) went 1-0 in his lone match of the day.

2nd place-Oak Lawn
Oak Lawn went 3-1 on the day in placing second for coach Cody Matthewson, and battled through some hard-fought duals to get there, beating Saint Viator 40-36 before winning on tie-break criteria over Rock Falls, 35-34. Oak Lawn then won 44-34 over Plainfield Central to reach the finals against Sandwich.
Oak Lawn had four wrestlers go 3-1 on the day in Romeo Gonzalez (138), Khalid Eid (144), Faris Elayyan (150) and Charles Shane (157). Winning two matches for Oak Lawn were Aden Long (106), Caiden Dodson (132), Anthony Potempa (175) and Andrew Cetera (215).

3rd place-Plainfield Central
Plainfield Central went 3-1, capped by a 48-24 win in the third-place dual against Rockford East. Plainfield Central also beat Durand/Pecatonia (71-12) and St. Bede (51-24) for coach Terry Kubski before its semifinal round loss to Sandwich.
Goin 3-0 on the day in matches wrestled for the Wildcats were Brody Rangel (138) and Ty Sabin (190). Armani Esparza (144/150) went 3-1, and winning two matches were Jesse Berman (113), Jayden Mizelle (120/126), Aiden Kupsche (150), Emiliano Ramirez (175).

4th place-Rockford East
Coach Gene Lee’s E-Rabs went 2-2, topping Peotone (40-23) and Somonauk (50-6) before falling to Sandwich (54-26) and Plainfield Central (48-24).
The E-Rabs got perfect 4-0 days in matches wrestled from No. 5 returning state medal-winner Dana Wickson (157) and No. 4 returning state medal-winner Ty Smart (165/175). Victor Onofre (132) went 3-0 on the mat for the E-Rabs.
Winning twice in matches wrestled for Rockford East were Sebastian Abwe (120) and Logan Funk (138).

Placement duals
1st-Sandwich 47, Oak Lawn 17
3rd-Plainfield Central 48, Rockford East 24
5th-Rock Falls 54, Genoa-Kingston 30
7th-Peotone 36, Durand/Pecatonia 30
9th-Saint Viator 36, Dwight 15
11th-St. Bede 53, Somonauk 6

Championship dual
Sandwich 47, Oak Lawn 17
132 – Caiden Dodson (Oak Lawn) d. Gus Harmon (Sandwich) F 1:35

138 – Romeo Gonzalez (Oak Lawn) d. Logan Murphy (Sandwich) F 1:35

144 – Jaxson Blanchard (Sandwich) d. Khalid Eid (Oak Lawn) MD 10-2

150 – Cooper Corder (Sandwich) d. Faris Elayyan (Oak Lawn) TF 19-3

157 – Jack Forth (Sandwich) d. Charles Shane (Oak Lawn) D 8-7

165 – Eli Futrell (Sandwich) d. Adam Balog (Oak Lawn) D 14-10

175 – Joshua Kotalik (Sandwich) d. Anthony Potempa (Oak Lawn) F 1:22

190 – Kai Kern (Sandwich) d. Byron Starks (Oak Lawn) F 3:07

215 – Andrew Cetera (Oak Lawn) d. Luis Murillo (Sandwich) F 5:28

285 – Kaden Clevenger (Sandwich) d. Adam Tumeh (Oak Lawn) F 0:58

106 – Hunter Whitecotton (Sandwich) d. Aden Long (Oak Lawn) D 8-4

113 – Aiden Sinetos (Sandwich) d. Jacob Wood (Oak Lawn) F 1:47

120 – Connor Blanchard (Sandwich) d. Unknown (Unattached)  fft.

126 – Double fft.

Third-place dual

Plainfield Central 48, Rockford East 24
132 – Victor Onofre (Rockford E) d. Nathan Duran (Plainfield C) MD 9-0

138 – Brody Rangel (Plainfield C) d. Logan Funk (Rockford E) F 0:35

144 – Armani Esparza (Plainfield C) d. Jason Pierce (Rockford E) F 3:43

150 – Chris Burgos (Rockford E) d. Aiden Kupsche (Plainfield C) TF 21-6

157 – Dana Wickson (Rockford E) d. Gabriel Guerra (Plainfield C) TF 17-2

165 – Double Forfeit

175 – Ty Smart (Rockford E) d. Emiliano Ramirez (Plainfield C) TF 19-4

190 – Ty Sabin (Plainfield C) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

215 – Nicholas Breier (Plainfield C) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

285 – Nathan Reyes (Plainfield C) d. Gabe Underhill (Rockford E) F 0:48

106 – Hayden Roach (Rockford E) d. Jesse Berman (Plainfield C) TF 18-1

113 – Rick Berger (Plainfield C) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

120 – Jayden Mizelle (Plainfield C) d. Sebastian Abwe (Rockford E) F 1:42

126 – Liam Thompson (Plainfield C) d. Unknown (Unattached) Forf

By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA

MACHESNEY PARK – Last year, IC Catholic Prep was a new entrant to Harlem’s Al Dvorak Invitational and snapped St. Charles East’s two-year run as champions by edging the Fighting Saints 204.5-202 for top honors.

The defending Knights saw a similar scenario play out at this season’s 37th-annual tournament that featured 46 teams as they were unable to defend their championship as another new entrant, Hickman of Columbia, Missouri, captured the title by 231-225 margin.

IC Catholic Prep, the defending IHSA Class 2A champions and top-ranked in 2A, was hoping to add to first-place finishes at Barrington’s Moore-Prettyman-Dunn and Washington Community but Hickman, which took second to Liberty in Class 4A at the 2025 Missouri State High School Activities Association State Championships, was successful in its debut at the Dvorak, which it moved to after winning two-straight titles at Granite City’s William ‘Red’ Schmitt Tournament.

While coach Dan Pieper’s champion Kewpies only had one title winner, Jordan Fincher (165) and one runner-up, Beau Waldron (190), they had six other individuals who placed sixth or better, Brady McMurtry (3rd at 138), Taryn Nichols (3rd at 157), Luke Hayden (3rd at 175), Dominic Marchack (4th at 113), Hogan Benter (4th at 132) and Shane Oswald (6th at 150).

As was the case in decisive first-place finishes in its initial two tournaments at Fort Zumwalt North and the War in Wentzville, Hickman went with just 11 competitors. The Kewpies are the first out-of-state team to win the Dvorak since Detroit Catholic Central in 2021.

Leading the way for coach Danny Alcocer’s runner-up Knights were champion Brody Kelly (175) and runners-up Aiden Arnett (157), Foley Calcagno (215) and Anthony Sebastian (285). Other Knights who placed in the top-eight were Frank Nitti (3rd at 144), Jack Hanrahan (4th at 138), Mike Bird (5th at 106) and Jacob Alvarez (8th at 150).

And as was the case at both Barrington and Washington Community, IC Catholic Prep had 12 individuals who competed at the Dvorak. 

However, two key Knights who placed highly in the team’s first two tournaments, Max Cumbee and Sam Murante, didn’t participate in the Dvorak. Cumbee, who won the IHSA 2A 126 title last season and is a two-time medalist who’s ranked first at 132, placed first at the two invites while Sam Murante, who took third in 2A at 113 last season and is top-ranked at 126, took third place at both Barrington and Washington Community.

IC Catholic Prep took second place again earlier this week at DeKalb’s Flavin when it fell 33-28 to the defending Class 3A champions and top-ranked team in 3A, Marmion Academy. Next weekend, the Knights are among several Illinois teams who are scheduled to take part in one of the nation’s top tournaments, the Doc Buchanan Invitational in Clovis, California.

Montini Catholic, third-ranked in Class 3A, scored 206 points to finish third for the third-straight year. Top performers for the Broncos, who are led by Mike Bukovsky, the only coach in IHSA history who has won multiple state titles in three sports (wrestling, football and softball), were champions Erik Klichurov (113) and Bobby Ruscitti (126) and second-place finishers Allen Woo (120) and Mikey Malizzio (132). Others who placed in the top-eight were Gavin Ericson (4th at 285), AJ Tack (5th at 175) and Santino Tenuta (6th at 165).

Providence Catholic, which is ranked second in Class 2A, moved up from 30th place in 2023 to 11th place a year ago and finished in fourth place with 174 points. Leading the way for the Celtics, who are coached by 2022 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Donald Reynolds, were champions Tommy Banas (138) and Justus Heeg (157) while Jasper Harper (5th at 165), Griffin Heeney (6th at 120), Max Mandac (7th at 126), Luke Banas (7th at 144) and Lucas Forsythe (8th at 132) also placed in the top-eight.

Other teams who scored 100 points were St. Charles East (163.5, No. 4 in 3A), Hononegah (151, No. 14 in 3A), Tuttle, OK (148), Joliet Catholic Academy (145.5, No. 2 in 3A), Marist (131, No. 7 in 3A), Loyola Academy (127.5, HM in 3A), Yorkville (126, No. 8 in 3A), Edwardsville (122, No. 19 in 3A), Lincoln-Way Central (108.5, HM in 3A) and Lincoln-Way East (100, No. 13 in 3A).  

St. Charles East’s Dom Munaretto (120), became a rare four-time champion at the Dvorak while  Hononegah’s Rocco Cassioppi (150) won his third-straight title in the invite. Others who were champions after taking firsts in 2024 were Marian Central Catholic’s Jimmy Mastny (190), Loyola Academy’s Kai Calcutt (215), Belleville East’s Jonathan Rulo (285) and Heeg.

Loyola Academy also had two title winners with Niko Odiotti (106) joining Calcutt. The other two Dvorak champions were Joliet Catholic Academy’s Jason Hampton (132) and St. Rita of Cascia’s Jack Hogan (144).

Hononegah had three individuals who claimed second place, Jackson Olson (126), Bruno Cassioppi (165) and Brody Sendele (175). Additional second-place finishers were Edwardsville’s Michael McNamara (106), Grayslake Central’s Vince DeMarco (113), Joliet Catholic Academy’s Adante Washington (138), Crystal Lake Central’s Nicolas Marchese (144) and Yorkville’s Donovan Rosauer (150).

In the closest title matches, Banas edged Washington 5-4 at 138, Fincher got past Bruno Cassioppi 3-1 at 165, Ruscitti beat Olson 4-1 at 126 and Hogan defeated Marchese 7-4 at 144.

Heeg had the most team points with 36.5 while Rulo ranked second with 36 points and Fincher, Kelly and Mastny tied for third with 35.5 points. Additional champions who scored 30 or more team points were Hogan (34), Banas (33), Cassioppi (32.5), Munaretto (32.5), Hampton (32), Odiotti (31.5), Calcutt (30.5) and Klichurov (30).

Individuals who were Dvorak finalists who had the top records following the tournament were Munaretto (17-0), Fincher (16-0), Klichurov (15-0), Ruscitti (14-0), Rulo (11-0), Kelly (22-1), Mastny (22-1), Rocco Cassioppi (20-1), Heeg (19-1), Hogan (18-1), Hampton (15-1), Rosauer (15-1), Calcutt (21-2), Odiotti (21-2), McNamara (16-2), Waldron (14-2), Marchese (19-3), Banas (16-3), Sendele (16-3) and Washington (15-3).

Additional third-place medalists were Hersey’s Oleksandr Havrylkiv (126) and Frank Tagoe (165), Normal Community’s Jackson Soney (106), Notre Dame College Prep’s Ray Long (120), Marist’s Tommy Fidler (150), Saint Viator’s Jaxon Penovich (190), St. Charles East’s Cooper Murray (215), Lincoln-Way Central’s Aiden Hennings (285), Milton, WI’s Kolten Mueller (113) and Tuttle, OK’s Chance Fisher (132).

Others who finished in fourth place were  Joliet Catholic Academy’s Lukas Foster (126) and Nolan Vogel (157), Edwardsville’s Ryan Richie (144) and Roman Janek (215), Tuttle, OK’s Maxwell Bradley (120) and Rylend Slover (150), Freeport’s Treyden Diduch (106), Lincoln-Way Central’s Jalen Byrd (175), Fremd’s Lucas Nance (190) and Milton, WI’s Gage Gross (165).

Lockport Township’s Isaac Zimmerman was the only individual who recorded five pins and did that in 4:45 while Hampton was the lone competitor to capture four wins by technical fall. Fremd’s Drew Fifield and Hampton tied for most total match points with 103 while Penovich was third with 95 points. And Hersey’s Nolan Variano was seeded 33rd and placed eighth at 144.

In team statistics, Hickman, MO recorded 25 falls while Yorkville was second with 17 and IC Catholic Prep and Tuttle, OK tied for third with 16 pins. Providence Catholic had the most wins by technical fall with 12 while Hononegah and IC Catholic Prep tied for second with 10. IC Catholic Prep led the way for the most total match points with 514, while Providence Catholic had 497 and St. Charles East was third with 489 points.

Note: All rankings in the following story are courtesy of Illinois Best Weekly

Here’s a look at the champions and their weights at Harlem’s Al Dvorak Invitational:

106 – Niko Odiotti, Loyola Academy

Niko Odiotti has already won titles in as many tournaments as some individuals will compete in during the regular season after capturing his fourth title in five tries by taking first place at 106 at the Dvorak with a 7-2 decision over Edwardsville sophomore Michael McNamara. Last season, he fell 4-1 to Oak Park and River Forest’s Michael Rundell in the IHSA Class 3A 106 title match. He  would not only like to get back to the 3A Grand March this season, but also to become his program’s third IHSA champion, joining his brother Massey (2023) and Kai Calcutt (2024). The Loyola Academy sophomore is top-ranked at 106 in 3A and has also won titles at Addison Trail, Barrington and Neuqua Valley while taking fifth at the Ironman in Ohio. Odiotti (21-2), who did not compete in last year’s Dvorak, earned his spot in the 106 finals with a win by technical fall in 2:44 over Freeport’s Treyden Diduch. He joined Kai Calcutt (215) as a champion and was one of five top-eight placewinners for the Ramblers, who are coached by 2023 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Matt Collum. He also tied for 11th place for the most team points with 31.5.

“I started off the year pretty strong,” Odiotti said. “I took two losses at the Ironman and the tournament’s tough. But it’s a good learning experience to come here and I worked on what I needed to this week, and I was prepared for this tournament. I think we have one of the best coaching staffs ever. Everybody has a good relationship with each other. Everyone wants everyone to get better, and we push each other hard and it shows on the mat. We have good leaders in our room that push us. After the state finals loss, I had to get right to work. I wrestled Freestyle and Greco and I went to Fargo and placed in both styles. I got back right to the room, always practicing. The goal is in February. I fell short last year. I’m trying to make sure it won’t happen again.”

McNamara (16-2) took second place at 106 in the Dvorak for the second year in a row and he also finished second at Francis Howell North, Missouri. A state qualifier last season, he is ranked fourth in 3A at 106. He advanced to the title match with a 3-0 decision over Normal Community’s Jackson Soney in the semifinals. He was the lone finalist and one of four top-five finishers for coach Eric Pretto’s Tigers. In the third-place match, Soney (15-1) won by fall in 0:50 over Diduch (20-2). For fifth place, IC Catholic Prep’s Mike Bird (13-6) won an 11-0 major decision over Bolingbrook’s Julian Medina (8-4). And in the seventh-place match, Milton, WI’s Brodey Lewis (15-2) won by technical fall in 4:19 over Tuttle, OK’s Cooper McElroy (11-9).

113 – Erik Klichurov, Montini Catholic

Erik Klichurov took seventh place in his first visit to the Dvorak last year and then capped his freshman season by placing third in Class 2A at 106. Ranked fourth in 3A at 113, he improved to 15-0 after winning a 7-1 decision over a defending champion in the event, Grayslake Central junior Vince DeMarco, in the 113 title match. He also won a championship at the Donnybrook in Iowa and assured himself of a second trip to a tourney finals when he won by fall in 5:08 over Marian Central Catholic’s Hogan Rice in the semifinals. He joined Bobby Ruscitti (126) as a champion and Allen Woo (120) and Mikey Malizzio (132) as a finalists in addition to three other top-six placers for the Broncos, who are coached by Mike Bukovsky, a 2023 recipient of the Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame – Illinois Chapter.

“It feels great,” Klichurov said. “It’s been a goal of mine to come here and win because last year I came here and I fell short of my goal and this year I had to prove myself. Practice, putting more hours in the gym. There’s always room for improvement, always places that you can work on. And I train with my partners and coaches, and they help me. (Montini Catholic) It’s a special place. Every guy in the room has a goal, and they’re always out there trying to fight with each other. That’s the environment they want to be in. You want to be in that winner-environment. “

DeMarco (17-4) was hoping to repeat as a champion at the Dvorak and add to titles that he’s won this season at Glenwood and Prospect after placing fourth at Barrington to kick off his junior season. He lost 15-12 in the IHSA 2A title match at 106 last season to Notre Dame College Prep’s Ray Long after taking fourth at 106 in 2024. The lone medal winner for coach Matthew Joseph’s Rams is ranked second in 2A at 113. He advanced to his third-straight tourney finals with a pin in 3:41 in the semifinals over Milton, WI’s Kolten Mueller (16-1), who took third place with a 12-6 decision over Hickman, MO’s Dominic Marchack (14-2). In the fifth-place match, Rice (13-4) claimed a 7-6 decision over Lockport Township’s Noe Hernandez (15-9). And for seventh place, Fremd’s Lucas Crandall (17-6) won 8-6 over Wheeling’s Frankie Katz (11-5).

120 – Dom Munaretto, St. Charles East

Dom Munaretto joined the exclusive club of individuals who have won four Dvorak titles when he captured top honors at 120 with a 10-2 decision over Montini Catholic junior Allen Woo in a matchup of two-time IHSA champions. Munaretto claimed the Class 3A title at 120 last season after beating Schaumburg’s Brady Phelps. He lost 4-2 to Marmion Academy’s Nicholas Garcia in the 3A title match at 113 in 2024 and won the 3A title at 106 in 2023 over Belvidere North’s Brayden Teunissen. He hopes to join his former teammate Ben Davino as his school’s second three-time IHSA champion and also become their initial four-time IHSA medalist (Note: Davino also took first place in 3A at 113 at the IWCOA Open Championships in 2021). Top-ranked at 120 in 3A, Munaretto (17-0) won a title at the Ironman in Ohio in his only other tournament. He advanced to the 120 finals with a win by technical fall in 2:00 over Tuttle, OK’s Maxwell Bradley. Munaretto was the lone finalist and one of seven top-eight placewinners for the Fighting Saints, who took fifth place and are coached by 2025 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Jason Potter. He also tied three-time Dvorak champion Rocco Cassioppi for eighth in team points with 32.5.

“My thoughts going into the year is just doing better than I did last year,” Munaretto said. “It’s always just about improvement. So improving results on the mat and off the mat, just like technical results, stuff like that. I was looking to improve every aspect of my game. Ironman is an amazing tournament, the toughest in-season tournament in the country. (Competing at St. Charles East) It’s also having great partners and having coaches coming in and helping me out. They were getting on the staff because a lot of my teammates who are now in college are gone. I just have a lot of great coaches, partners, and a lot of people to look to for help and answers..”

Woo (14-4) captured the IHSA Class 2A title at 113 last season with a 4-1 win in sudden victory over St. Patrick’s Danny Goodwin and he also took first place in 2A at 106 in 2024 with a 7-4 decision over Wauconda’s Gavin Rockey. Ranked fourth in 3A at 120, he also placed second at the Donnybrook in Iowa in his only other tournament thus far. He advanced to the 120 title match with a 2-0 decision in the semifinals over Notre Dame College Prep’s Ray Long, who won the 2A title at 106 last season over Grayslake Central’s Vince DeMarco. Woo was one of four finalists and seven top-six placewinners for the third-place Broncos, who are coached by Mike Bukovsky, a 2008 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee who is the only coach in IHSA history to win state championships in three sports and he’s won 12 state titles overall. Long (19-2),who’s ranked fifth in 3A at 120, claimed third place with a 14-8 decision over Bradley (13-2). In the fifth-place match, Loyola Academy’s Daniel Myint (16-6) won an 8-0 major decision over Providence Catholic’s Griffin Heeney (12-8). And for seventh place, Buffalo Grove’s Mykola Shamray (14-3) was a winner by fall in 1:51 over Hononegah’s Kristian DeClercq (11-7).

126 – Bobby Ruscitti, Montini Catholic

Bobby Ruscitti made an impressive debut at the Dvorak by capturing the 126 title with a 4-1 decision over Hononegah senior Jackson Olson. The Montini Catholic junior, who is top-ranked at 126 in 3A and also won a title in his first tournament, the Dan Gable Donnybrook in Iowa, joined Erik Klichurov (113) as a champion and runners-up Allen Woo (120) and Mikey Malizzio (132) as finalists to go along with three other top-six placewinners for the third-place Broncos, who are coached by Mike Bukovsky, who’s led the program to eight state titles and was a 2020 IWCOA Lifetime Service Award Recipient. Ruscitti (14-0) and Klichurov (15-0) were two of the five champions who left the competition with unbeaten records. He earned his spot in the 126 title match with a 9-2 decision over Joliet Catholic Academy’s Lukas Foster in the semifinals.

“I’m super excited,” Ruscitti said. “We have a one-, two-, three-punch in the finals and that’s always great and we have Michael Malizzio in the finals, as well. We all complement each other very well and we’re a super tough team. If we just do what we do best, we should be very good. This year, I’m really focusing on my diet, really dialing in at practice and making sure I’m working on the positions I really need to work on. (Competing for Mike Bukovsky). He’s a great coach and everything about him is great. He helps me with my wrestling and helps me really focus on what I really need to do. It’s a great group. Everyone’s just helping each other get better at wrestling, and that’s what our goal is at Montini, getting each of us better at wrestling for the state series.” 

Olson (12-5), who’s ranked second to Ruscitti in 3A at 126, also took second place in his first tournament, which was at Marmion Academy. A fourth-place finisher in 3A at 120 last season, he joined champion Rocco Cassioppi (150) and runners-up Bruno Cassioppi (165) and Brody Sendele (175) as finalists for coach Tyler DeMoss’ Indians, who finished in sixth place. Olson got to the 126 title match after claiming a win by technical fall in 5:42 in the semifinals over Hersey’s Oleksandr Havrylkiv (16-4), who bounced back to claim third place with a 3-2 decision over Foster (12-3). In the fifth-place match, Loyola Academy’s Gavin Pardilla (19-5) claimed a 7-1 decision over Tuttle, OK’s Cooper Jackson (9-5). And for seventh place, Providence Catholic’s Max Mandac (15-6) won by fall in 5:53 over St. Charles East’s Kaden Potter (9-5). 

132 – Jason Hampton, Joliet Catholic Academy

Jason Hampton was able to compete in the Dvorak for the first time and the Joliet Catholic Academy senior made the most of the opportunity by claiming the title at 132 with a win by technical fall in 5:40 over Montini Catholic junior Mikey Malizzio. He improved to 15-1 by adding to a title win at Prospect and a second at the Dan Gable Donnybrook in Iowa. Hampton, who’s ranked second at 132 in 3A, is looking to cap his career with his first state title and become JCA’s sixth IHSA champ after taking third last season at 126 in 3A, falling 6-5 to Maine South’s Teddy Flores in the 3A 120 title match in 2024 and finishing fourth at 113 in 2A in 2023. He reached the 132 title match with another win by technical fall, this time in 5:31 over Tuttle, OK’s Chance Fisher. He was the lone champion and joined runner-up Adante Washington (138) as a finalist for the eighth-place Hilltoppers, who are coached by 2025 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Ryan Cumbee. Hampton was the only competitor to capture four wins by technical fall, tied Fremd’s Drew Fifield for most match points with 103 and ranked tenth in team points with 32.

“I’m excited,” Hampton said. “There’s big things coming from this team this year. (Competing for JCA) It’s a lot to live up to. I’m going to exceed the coach’s expectations, but it’s pretty hard when one of the alumni is a national champion. I got fourth place freshman year, second sophomore, and third last year. Yeah, one more to go. I’ve really worked on my setups and just staying in a better position. And then when I do get to the leg, just finishing cleaner and keeping the pace up. A lot of kids can’t keep the pace up, so as long as I keep my pace going, I’m untouchable. Coach (Ryan) Cumbee, he’s a great coach. He’s a character and there’s never a dull moment with him. And then coach (Ben) Gerdes is a great technician and he helped me a lot this offseason and coach Cumbee helps me with my mentality.”

Malizzio (13-4) finished in fifth place at the Dan Gable Donnybrook in his first tourney. Ranked third at 132 in 3A, he lost 2-0 on a tiebreaker to Washington Community’s Noah Woods in the IHSA 2A 120 title match last season and took third at 113 in 2A in 2024. He joined champions Erik Klichurov (113) and Bobby Ruscitti (126) and runner-up Allen Woo (120) as finalists for the third-place Broncos, who are coached by Mike Bukovsky, who was a Grand Marshal at the 2017 IHSA Finals. He advanced to the 132 finals with a 7-2 decision over Hickman, MO’s Hogan Benter in the semifinals. For third place, Fisher (13-2) won a 4-2 decision over Benter (12-4). In the fifth-place match, Lockport Township’s Isaac Zimmerman (17-7) got his tournament-high fifth pin in 0:17 over St. Charles East’s Declan Sons (11-7). And for seventh place, Marist’s Te’Jon Beals (16-5) won a 12-1 major decision over Providence Catholic’s Lucas Forsythe (11-8).

138 – Tommy Banas, Providence Catholic

Tommy Banas took fifth at 132 in the IHSA 2A Finals last season after placing sixth at 126 in 2024. Now the Providence Catholic junior looks to finish much higher on the awards stand in Champaign and he definitely made a good statement by winning the Dvorak title at 138 when he claimed a 5-4 decision over Joliet Catholic Academy junior Adante Washington. Banas (16-3), who’s top-ranked at 138 in 2A, also won a title at Joliet Central and took third at Barrington. He earned his spot on the 138 title mat by winning a 7-1 decision over Hickman, MO’s Brady McMurtry in the semifinals. Banas, who took third place at last year’s Dvorak, joined Justus Heeg (157) as a title winner and finalist as well as five others from his team who placed eighth or better for the fourth-place Celtics, who finished with 174 points, and are coached by 2022 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Donald Reynolds. He also took seventh in team points with 33.

“We were down for a while, but we brought it back up and we’re here to stay,” Banas said. “Honestly, I think we have the best coaches in the state. We have everybody, so it pushes us. 

(Competing in the Ironman) Yeah, it’s tough down there, for sure. But getting the best looks, getting those tough matches, seeing where I’m at and seeing what I need to work on, it’s good.

I’m always pushing myself to practice the hardest. Always looking for extra work, seeing what I need to work on after my losses and even after my wins, what I need to work on. I’m always trying to look into the future.”

Washington (15-3), who’s ranked fourth at 138 in 3A, won a title at Prospect and took fifth at the Dan Gable Donnybrook in Iowa in his other tournament competition. An IHSA qualifier in 2024, he joined champion Jason Hampton (132) as a finalist for the Hilltoppers, who finished eighth in their new tournament and are coached by 2025 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Ryan Cumbee. He earned his spot in the 138 finals with a 15-4 major decision over Marist’s Axel Rodriguez. For third, McMurtry (16-2) won a 14-1 major decision over IC Catholic Prep’s Jack Hanrahan (21-5). St. Charles East’s Liam Aye (15-5) claimed fifth place by medical forfeit over Rodriguez (19-4). And for seventh, Fremd’s Drew Fifield (19-5), who tied Jason Hampton for the most match points with 103, won a 17-4 major decision over Yorkville’s Nolan Chrisse (10-4).

144 – Jack Hogan, St. Rita of Cascia

Jack Hogan was disappointed with falling short of a medal at the IHSA 2A Finals last season after placing third at 106 in 2024 and an eighth-place finish at the Dvorak was also not what he had hoped for. As he heads into the 2026 portion of his senior season at St. Rita of Cascia as the top-ranked individual at 144 in 2A, he’s got his sights on not only winning a second state medal but also doing what his coach, Ryan Klinger, and eight others from the school have achieved, to be an IHSA champion. He improved to 18-1 after winning a 7-4 decision over Crystal Lake Central junior Nicholas Marchese in the 144 title match. This was his third title and fourth finals. He also took firsts at Addison Trail and Plano and a second at Joliet Central. The lone finalist for the Mustangs earned his spot in the 144 finals with a victory by technical fall in 4:22  over St. Charles East’s Gavin Woodmancy. He also ranked sixth in team points with 34.

“(Competing at St. Rita) It’s just a brotherhood,” Hogan said. “I mean, there’s so much culture within the school. It’s just once you’re in there and you’re bought in, you’re going to stay there all four years and you’re going to become a man. In the summer, I’m mostly focused on practice. I don’t compete too often. I competed probably more this summer, just one or two tournaments compared to zero last summer. I just worked on everything that I should have improved on during the season last year. And I feel like overall the biggest factor was jumping up weight classes. I was 120 last year and was cutting a bunch of weight. If you’re focused on that and not focused on getting better, then how are you supposed to improve? I’ve got a lot of good partners inside and outside of the school. A couple of my older brothers, college buddies, come in and practice with me, and that gets me better. I’ve got a lot of great partners inside the room, and Micah Spinazzola (both are from Peotone), I definitely feel like he should have placed higher. One of my goals I wanted to do was to be an undefeated state champ this year, but I took one loss in the (Joliet Central) McLaughlin Classic. You’ve just got to build from it.”

Marchese (19-3), who’s ranked second behind Hogan at 144 in 2A, was at Marian Central Catholic last season and was a 1A state qualifier. This was his second tournament of the season and he also took second at Barrington. He made quite an improvement from a year ago at the Dvorak, when he lost in the quarterfinals and failed to get a medal. He captured a 10-5 victory over IC Catholic Prep’s Frank Nitti in the 144 semifinals to become the lone finalist for coach Justen Lehr’s Tigers. Nitti (16-4) won 4-1 in sudden victory over Edwardsville’s Ryan Richie (19-2) to claim third place. Woodmancy (14-5) collected a win by technical fall in 1:50 over Yorkville’s Vincent Konecki (14-5) in the fifth-place match. For seventh place, Providence Catholic’s Luke Banas (15-7) recorded a fall in 1:04 over Hersey’s Nolan Variano (10-10), who had the largest seed-place difference in the event, placing eighth after being seeded 33rd.

150 – Rocco Cassioppi, Hononegah

Rocco Cassioppi made it three-for-three in Dvorak championship matches when the Hononegah junior captured the 150 title with a win by technical fall in 4:22 over Yorkville junior Donovan Rosauer. He also finished first at 126 in 2024 and won a title at 106 in 2023 in Harlem’s prestigious invite. Cassioppi (20-1), who is top-ranked at 150 in 3A, opened his season with a title win at Marmion Academy and then took third place at the Ironman in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where he suffered his lone loss. He won a 5-4 decision over Marist’s George Marinopoulos in the IHSA 3A Finals at 132 last season after falling 6-5 to Warren Township’s Caleb Noble in the 3A 106 title match in 2024. He was the lone champion and was joined by runner-ups Jackson Olson (126), Bruno Cassioppi (165) and Brody Sendele (175) as finalists for coach Tyler DeMoss’ Indians, who finished in sixth place. He tied St. Charles East’s Dom Munaretto, who won his fourth Dvorak championship, for eighth place for the most team points with 32.5.

“I feel pretty good but it’s hard seeing my teammates lose in the finals,” Cassioppi said. “It’s probably the saddest I’ve been after winning a tournament. There’s still a lot of work to be done, for sure, but I’m happy with the progress I’m making. I teched my way through the tournament here. It’s a lot about confidence in my own abilities and my attacks. That’s one thing that my brother’s struggling with right now, just being off the mat so long. Both Brody and Bruno, but once they get their confidence, they’re going to be just as good, probably better than me. I mean, they both whooped me in the room. I think it’s going to be more hard hand fighting, that’s the biggest thing I struggled with this weekend. I felt like I was getting popped, but now I realize that it’s just hard hand fighting and I’ve just got to get used to it. I’m used to 106 light hand fighting. Big difference. (Winning another Dvorak title) It’s really good for my confidence. Just reinforcing in my mind that I am the best, and I’ve just got to keep believing it.”

Rosauer (15-1), who’s ranked third at 150 in 3A, suffered his first loss of the season in the title match. This was also his initial tournament of the season and he hopes to improve upon a fourth-place finish at 150 at last season’s IHSA 3A Finals. He advanced to the 150 title match by claiming an 8-4 decision over Hickman, MO’s Shane Oswald in the semifinals. Rosauer was the lone finalist and one of three top-eight placewinners for coach Jake Oster’s Foxes, who took 11th place. Marist senior Tommy Fidler (21-3) finished in third place by winning a 7-2 decision over Tuttle, OK’s Rylend Slover (14-2). In the fifth-place match, Joliet West’s Coehn Weber (17-4) claimed a 14-5 major decision over Oswald (11-5). And St. Charles East’s Isaac Lenard (12-3) took seventh place by medical forfeit over IC Catholic Prep’s Jacob Alvarez (13-5). 

157 – Justus Heeg, Providence Catholic

Justus Heeg rolled to his third tournament title in four attempts by claiming top honors at 157 at the Dvorak with a 13-4 major decision over IC Catholic Prep sophomore Aiden Arnett.  He added to championships at Barrington and Joliet Central and advanced to a tourney finals for the fourth time, with his lone loss a 2-1 decision to Washington Community’s Wyatt Medlin in the 157 finals of the Ironman in Ohio. Heeg (19-1), who’s top-ranked at 157 in 2A, won the IHSA Class 2A title at 150 last season with a win by technical fall over Mascoutah’s Brock Ross after taking first place at 133 in Minnesota’s MSHSL Class 2A Finals in 2024 while competing for Simley as an eighth grader. One of the six champions who also won a Dvorak title in 2024, the sophomore earned his spot in the 157 title match with a victory by technical fall in 2:52 over Wauconda’s Brian Hart. Heeg led all competitors with 36.5 team points. He joined Tommy Banas (138) as a champion and finalist and was one of seven top-eight placewinners for the fourth-place Celtics, whose coach is Donald Reynolds, a 2022 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee.

“I’ve been feeling good, coming off a tough loss at Ironman, but got right back at it on Monday and came here and handled it,” Heeg said. “All of us guys in the room, we’re all pushing each other, so it’s good to see us all continue and do great in these tournaments. I’ve been spending time in the sauna, ice baths, keeping myself healthy, stretching, you know, going hard in practice when I need to and going light when I need to.” 

Arnett (16-4), who’s ranked second behind Heeg at 157, won a title at Washington Community and also took second at Barrington. He dropped a 1-0 decision to Washington Community’s Peyton Cox in the IHSA 2A Finals 144 title match last season. Arnett, who took third place in last year’s Dvorak, earned his spot in the 157 finals by capturing a 21-8 major decision over Marist’s Ethan Sonne. He joined champion Brody Kelly (175) and runners-up Foley Calcagno (215) and Anthony Sebastian (285) as one of four finalists and eight individuals who placed eighth or better for coach Danny Alcocer’s Knights, who were edged by Hickman, MO 231-225 for the title of the 46-team competition. For third place, Hickman, MO’s Taryn Nichols (16-2) prevailed 11-10 over Joliet Catholic Academy’s Nolan Vogel (17-3). Hart (20-5) claimed fifth place by medical forfeit over Sonne (13-2). And in the seventh-place match, Loyola Academy’s Daniel Malan (20-3) captured a 9-1 major decision over Lincoln-Way East’s Max Mularz (17-4).

165 – Jordan Fincher, Hickman, MO

Jordan Fincher was one of two individuals who won a Dvorak title as a member of a team that was new to the field this year. The senior from Hickman, which is in Columbia, Missouri, moved to 16-0 on the season after capturing a 3-1 decision over Hononegah junior Bruno Cassioppi in the 165 title match. He was the lone champion and joined runner-up Beau Waldron (190) as finalists and six others who placed eighth or better for coach Dan Pieper’s champion Kewpies, who took second in Class 4A behind perennial champion Liberty in the Missouri State High School Activities Association State Championships in Columbia last season. In the state finals, Fincher took fourth at 150 in 2025 and also placed third at 144 in 2024. He reached the 165 title match after getting a win by technical fall in 3:11 over Providence Catholic’s Jasper Harper. Fincher tied IC Catholic Prep’s Brody Kelly for third place for the most team points with 35.5.

“It does feel good,” Pieper said. “We didn’t know what to expect but we knew that this was going to be a grinder. It’s well recognized across the midwest as one of the toughest tournaments to get into and that’s why we wanted to get in here and see where we competed. Illinois wrestling is one of the toughest to compete against, so to come in here and do what these kids did today I can’t say enough about how much these kids love to compete and just want to get after the best kids that they can find at their weights. For us, we’re in mid-Missouri, and we’re a big school in mid-Missouri, so we have to travel, either to Kansas City or St. Louis. So if we’re going to get out, let’s get after some of these nationally-ranked schools and see how we can compete and see where we kind of hit. It helps us because we’re trying to chase Liberty in Missouri right now. They’re six-time.state champs at this point and we’re trying to knock them off if we can at any point but you know this is helping us to get battle-tested right here. I think that the culture that we build with this group and they’re competitors, they don’t care who you are and they don’t care where you’re ranked nationally. They want to test themselves against you. If we lose, we’re going to get right back at it and we’re going to try it again. They have short memories. We have some young kids and we’re still working on that. But most of them have short memories, and most of them just love to compete. As a coach, when you find a group of kids that just loves to compete, it makes life a lot of fun and a little bit easier sometimes.”

Cassioppi (15-4) fell just short of joining his brother Rocco (150) as a Dvorak champion. He was one one of four finalists for coach Tyler DeMoss’ Indians with Jackson Olson (126) and Brody Sendele (175) joining him as runners-up. Ranked third at 165 in 3A, this was his best tourney finish following a third at Marmion Academy and a fourth at the Ironman. He qualified for the IHSA 3A Finals last season but didn’t get a medal after placing third at 113 in 2024. He earned his spot in the 165 finals due to a forfeit by Montini Catholic’s Santino Tenuta. In the third-place match, Hersey’s Frank Tagoe (16-3) won a 12-3 major decision over Milton, WI’s Gage Gross (17-2). Harper (11-4) claimed fifth place by medical forfeit over Tenuta (7-2). For seventh, St. Rita of Cascia’s Micah Spinazzola (17-4) got a pin in 1:29 over Marist’’s Ronin Haran (17-6).

175 – Brody Kelly, IC Catholic Prep

Brody Kelly did all that he could to try to help his IC Catholic team get past newcomer Hickman, MO for the team championship at the Dvorak. He became his team’s lone title winner when he won a 10-3 decision over Hononegah junior Brody Sendele in the 175 finals. Kelly (22-1) finished tied for the third-best total of team points with 35.5, which was the same total as  Hickman’s only champion, Jordan Fincher (165). He joined runners-up Aiden Arnett (157), Foley Calcagno (215) and Anthony Sebastian (285) as finalists and four others who were top-eight finishers for coach Danny Alcocer’s Knights, who lost the title to the Kewpies, 231-225. Top-ranked at 175 in 2A, he added to title wins at Barrington and Washington Community and he suffered his lone defeat at the Ironman in Ohio where he took third. A three-time IHSA qualifier, he won the 2025 2A 175 title by technical fall over Geneseo’s Kye Weinzierl after falling 3-2 to Montini Catholic’s David Mayora in the 2024 2A 150 title match. He earned his spot in the 175 finals with a win by technical fall in 5:02 over Lincoln-Way Central’s Jalen Byrd.

“I think that we wrestled not the best as a team today or yesterday,” Kelly said, “I think a couple of us could have done better on the back side and we could have wrestled a little harder even on the front side not giving up easy scores and just kind of like fighting harder. I’ve been doing pretty good. I kind of have been proving myself and I think it was more like a mental thing. Actually, it was wrestling better and not getting in my head before matches, especially, like, big matches with good, ranked kids. So I kind of just changed my mentality and kind of just focused more on my offense instead of what they’re going to do and focused more on how I can score instead of stopping how they’re going to score. The team, we’re very close. We all hang out outside of wrestling, and we have a really good bond together. And I think that kind of helps us while we’re wrestling to be more supportive for each other and actually care about how other people are doing. And I think that’s really important on the team because if your teammates aren’t supporting you, you might wrestle worse. And if they’re there, you get more energy out of them, like cheering you on, and you’ll wrestle harder and probably better.”

Sendele (16-3) joined champion Rocco Cassioppi (150) and second-place finishers Jackson Olson (126) and Bruno Cassioppi (165) as finalists for coach Tyler DeMoss’ Indians, who took sixth place. Top-ranked in Class 3A at 175, he took first place at Marmion Academy in his only other tournament. He lost by technical fall to Marist’s Will Denny in the 3A 165 title match last season after finishing third in 3A at 157 in 2024. He advanced to the 175 title match with a 3-1 decision over Hickman, MO’s Luke Hayden, who won a Missouri Class 4 championship at 165 last season. Hayden (16-1) bounced back from that loss to capture third place with a fall in 1:06 over Byrd (18-3). For fifth place, Montini Catholic’s AJ Tack (9-3) claimed a 16-2 major decision over Lockport Township’s Chris Miller (12-6). And for seventh place, Moline’s DeAnthony Simpson (17-4) was a winner by fall in 3:10 over Wauconda’s Brody McKenna (21-5).

190 – Jimmy Mastny, Marian Central Catholic

Jimmy Mastny was used to being joined by many of his teammates both before and after he made his usual trip to the top of the awards stands at tournaments, as was evidenced by the fact that Marian Central Catholic won the IHSA 1A Dual Team title when he was a freshman and then fell to eventual champion Coal City and settled for third in 1A when he was a sophomore last season. But of the 19 team members that helped lead the Hurricanes to their only state title in 2023-2024, only three remain and the program now is in 2A. Mastny (22-1) was one of six individuals who won Dvorak titles in both 2024 and 2025 after he got a victory by technical fall in 3:38 over Hickman, MO junior Beau Waldron in the 190 finals. Top-ranked at 190 in 2A, the junior added to title wins at Marmion Academy and the Dan Gable Donnybrook in Iowa and his lone setback came in overtime in the semifinals of the Ironman in Ohio. He won by fall over Orion’s Maddux Anderson to take first in 1A at 190 last season and pinned Oakwood/ Salt Fork’s Bryson Capansky to claim first in 1A at 157 in 2024. He was the lone finalist for the Hurricanes, who are co-coached by Jordan Blanton and Ryan Prater. He earned his spot in the 190 finals with a 13-1 major decision over Fremd’s Lucas Nance following a 1-0 decision over Saint Viator’s Jaxon Penovich in the quarterfinals. He ranked fifth in most team points with 34.5. 

“I felt pretty good, “ Mastny said. “At the finals match, I got to my offense a lot more than most of the other matches, so I felt pretty good. (Competing in the Ironman) It was a good tournament. Obviously, the semifinals didn’t go the way I wanted to, but it’s nice to bounce back and take third. We’re still one of the top programs in the state, so it’s always nice to scrap with them.” 

Waldron (14-2) joined champion Jordan Fincher (165) as the two finalists for coach Dan Pieper’s Kewpies, who beat out IC Catholic Prep 231-225 to win the Dvorak in their first appearance, thanks in large part to having eight individuals who placed sixth or better. Waldron, who was a state runner-up at 175 last season, earned his spot in the 190 finals with a fall in 2:54 over Lincoln-Way Central’s Justin Langford. Penovich (19-3) is ranked second to Mastny at 190 in 2A and has won titles at Vernon Hills and Fenton and he beat Loyola Academy’s Quinn Herbert 13-5 for the 2024 IHSA 3A 190 title after placing fifth at 195 in 3A in 2023 while at Prospect. Penovich wrestled back to take third place after getting a win by technical fall in 5:49 over Nance (19-4). For fifth place, Notre Dame College Prep’s Jeramy Hamm (23-5) won by fall  in 1:33 over Langford (16-7). And in the seventh-place match, Lincoln-Way East’s Colton Zvonar (15-3) captured a victory by technical fall in 1:46 over Tuttle, OK’s Wyatt Whitener (12-6).

215 – Kai Calcutt, Loyola Academy

Kai Calcutt not only was one of six individuals who won Dvorak titles in both 2025 and 2024 after taking top honors at 215 but the senior also was one of two Loyola Academy competitors who claimed first-place in the competition, with sophomore Niko Odiotti kicking off the finals with a title win at 106. Calcutt improved to 21-2 after capturing a 19-6 major decision over IC Catholic Prep senior Foley Calcagno in the 215 title match. The two champions joined three others who placed in the top eight for the Ramblers, who are coached by Matt Collum, a 2023 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee. He is top-ranked at 215 in 3A and this was his fourth title in four attempts in Illinois tournaments, with his other championships at Addison Trail, Barrington and Neuqua Valley. He earned his spot in the finals by claiming an 8-2 decision over St. Charles East’s Cooper Murray. He’s his school’s only three-time IHSA medalist and its second state champion, with Massey Odiotti being the program’s first title winner in 2023. He’s appeared in three-straight dramatic IHSA 3A title matches, winning 3-1 by sudden victory over Marmion Academy’s Joseph Favia at 215 in 2024, falling 7-5 to Joliet Central’s Charles Walker at 215 last season and losing 3-2 on an ultimate tiebreaker to Yorkville’s Ben Alvarez at 220 in 2023.  

“A little adversity, especially coming from football,” Calcutt said. “A couple bangs on my body, but nothing I can’t fight through. It’s a mentality at the end of the day. I only get one time of this in my life, so I’ve got to make the best of it. It’s a great chapter for my season, it’s kind of the place where I’m at. Definitely room to get better, but I’m excited. (Coach Matt Collum) He’s a really laid-back coach, which I love. It’s kind of how I learn the best. He knows us inside out. He’s a great coach and he does good in the room. The last four years have been awesome. Great, different bonds and brotherhood, especially in wrestling, it’s fun.” 

Calcagno (16-4) joined champion Brody Kelly (175) and runners-up Aiden Arnett (157) and Anthony Sebastian (285) as finalists for coach Danny Alcocer’s Knights, who took second place to Hickman, MO by a 231-225 margin. Ranked third in 2A at 215, he earned his spot in the finals with a 4-0 decision over Saint Viator’s Wynn Philippi. He won a title at Washington Community and also took second at Barrington. He’s a three-time IHSA medalist, taking third at 215 last season, third at 190 in 2024 and sixth at 182 in 1A in 2023. For third place, Murray (15-3) captured a 4-0 decision over Edwardsville’s Roman Janek (14-3). In the fifth-place match, Lincoln-Way East’s Justin Powers (17-4) won by fall in 1:50 over Marist’s Tom O’Brien (15-7). And for seventh, Wheeling’s Eddie Juarez (16-3) pinned Harlem’s Chandler Jack (17-7) in 3:25.   

285 – Jonathan Rulo, Belleville East       

Jonathan Rulo made history for Belleville East last season when he became his program’s first IHSA champion, as well as its initial three-time medalist and two-time state finalist after winning the 3A title at 285 with a 7-2 decision over Round Lake’s William Cole. The senior hopes to repeat as a champion and become a four-time all-stater as he wraps up his wrestling career. He’s also been an all-stater and one of the state’s top prospects in football and the defensive lineman has committed to play at the University of Cincinnati. Rulo, who is 11-0, also lost 5-3 to Downers Grove North’s Ben Bielawski in the 2023 3A Finals at 285 and took third at 285 in 2024. Top-ranked at 285 in 3A, he’s now won three tournaments, taking first at Barrington to open the season and won the title at Granite City on Tuesday. He became one of six individuals who won a Dvorak title in both 2025 and 2024 after recording a fall in 0:43 over IC Catholic Prep junior Anthony Sebastian in the finals. Recipient of the Dvorak’s Outstanding Wrestler Award, he reached the 285 finals with a 7-2 decision over Montini Catholic’s Gavin Ericson. He ranked second in team points with 36 and was the lone medalist for coach Rashad Riley’s Lancers.

“Jonathan was quite ecstatic to wrestle in the Dvorak because it was a chance to build on his Barrington performance, which wasn’t great in his mind,” Lancers coach Rashad Riley said. “He was really hoping to wrestle (Jaylen) Torres of St. Francis but unfortunately he’s out with an injury. Tournament wise the plan was to make guys open up and score points which he did a good job of although, he’s a little upset he didn’t do more in that semifinal match against Montini’s Erikson, but now we got something to work towards. We got to see some ranked wrestlers and it was a great test for him coming into the second half of the season.”

Sebastian (14-4) joined champion Brody Kelly (175) and second-place finishers Aiden Arnett (157) and Foley Calcagno (215) as one of the four finalists for coach Danny Alcocer’s Knights, who took second after being outscored 231-225 by Hickman, MO to miss out on winning a second-straight Dvorak title. He earned his spot in the 285 title match by claiming a 4-0 decision over Saint Viator’s Wynn Philippi. Ranked third in 2A at 285, he took first place at Washington Community and also finished second to Rulo at Barrington. He earned his first all-state medal last season when he took fourth at 285. For third place, Lincoln-Way Central’s Aiden Hennings (22-2) won a 4-1 decision over Ericson (9-2). In the fifth-place match, Edwardsville’s Braylon Hill-Lomax (17-4) claimed a 4-3 decision over Philippi (19-7). And for seventh place, Notre Dame College Prep’s Sean Cook (18-4) won by fall in 1:34 over Moline’s Alijah Martin (14-9).

Final standings of Harlem’s Dvorak Wrestling Tournament

Hickman, MO 231, IC Catholic Prep 225, Montini Catholic 206, Providence Catholic 174, St. Charles East 163.5, Hononegah 151, Tuttle, OK 148, Joliet Catholic Academy 145.5, Marist 131, Loyola Academy 127.5, Yorkville 126, Edwardsville 122, Lincoln-Way Central 108.5, Lincoln-Way East 100, Lockport Township 87.5, Marian Central Catholic 85, St. Rita of Cascia 84.5, Joliet West 78.5, Normal Community 77, Glenbard North 75, Hersey 71.5, Notre Dame College Prep 71, Milton, WI 71, Belleville East 65, Fremd 63.5, Wauconda 63.5, Crystal Lake Central 61.5, Wheeling 60.5, Moline 60, Grayslake Central 53.5, Plainfield North 49.5, Bolingbrook 46.5, Buffalo Grove 45.5, Saint Viator 45.5, Freeport 44, Libertyville 44, Conant 39, Harlem 36, Huntley 35, Schaumburg 28, St. Francis 14, Jacobs 12, Belvidere 9, Dakota 6, Hoffman Estates 3.5, Belvidere North 0

Championship matches of Harlem’s Dvorak Wrestling Tournament

106 – Niko Odiotti (Loyola Academy) over Michael McNamara (Edwardsville), D 7-2

113 – Erik Klichurov (Montini Catholic) over Vince DeMarco (Grayslake Central), D 7-1

120 – Dom Munaretto (St. Charles East) over Allen Woo (Montini Catholic), MD 10-2

126 – Bobby Ruscitti (Montini Catholic) over Jackson Olson (Hononegah), D 4-1

132 – Jason Hampton (Joliet Catholic Academy) over Mikey Malizzio (Montini Catholic), TF 5:40

138 – Tommy Banas (Providence Catholic) over Adante Washington (Joliet Catholic Academy), D 5-4

144 – Jack Hogan (St. Rita of Cascia) over Nicholas Marchese (Crystal Lake Central), D 7-4

150 – Rocco Cassioppi (Hononegah) over Donovan Rosauer (Yorkville), TF 4:22

157 – Justus Heeg (Providence Catholic) over Aiden Arnett (IC Catholic Prep), MD 13-4

165 – Jordan Fincher (Hickman, MO) over Bruno Cassioppi (Hononegah), D 3-1

175 – Brody Kelly (IC Catholic Prep) over Brody Sendele (Hononegah), D 10-3

190 – Jimmy Mastny (Marian Central Catholic) over Beau Waldron (Hickman, MO), TF 3:38

215 – Kai Calcutt (Loyola Academy) over Foley Calcagno (IC Catholic Prep), MD 19-6

285 – Jonathan Rulo (Belleville East) over Anthony Sebastian (IC Catholic Prep), F 0:43

Third-place matches of Harlem’s Dvorak Wrestling Tournament

106 – Jackson Soney (Normal Community) over Treyden Diduch (Freeport), F 0:50

113 – Kolten Mueller (Milton, WI) over Dominic Marchack (Hickman, MO), D 12-6

120 – Ray Long (Notre Dame College Prep) over Maxwell Bradley (Tuttle, OK), D 14-8

126 – Oleksandr Havrylkiv (Hersey) over Lukas Foster (Joliet Catholic Academy), D 3-2

132 – Chance Fisher (Tuttle, OK) over Hogan Benter (Hickman, MO), D 4-2

138 – Brady McMurtry (Hickman, MO) over Jack Hanrahan (IC Catholic Prep), MD 14-1

144 – Frank Nitti (IC Catholic Prep) over Ryan Richie (Edwardsville), SV 4-1

150 – Tommy Fidler (Marist) over Rylend Slover (Tuttle, OK), D 7-2

157 – Taryn Nichols (Hickman, MO) over Nolan Vogel (Joliet Catholic Academy), D 11-10

165 – Frank Tagoe (Hersey) over Gage Gross (Milton, WI), MD 12-3

175 – Luke Hayden (Hickman, MO) over Jalen Byrd (Lincoln-Way Central), F 1:06

190 – Jaxon Penovich (Saint Viator) over Lucas Nance (Fremd), TF 5:49

215 – Cooper Murray (St. Charles East) over Roman Janek (Edwardsville), D 4-0

285 – Aiden Hennings (Lincoln-Way Central) over Gavin Ericson (Montini Catholic), D 4-1

By Mike Garofola for the IWCOA

70th Berman Holiday Tournament

Canton showed a field of 2A and 3A rivals that it belonged, with a terrific start-to-finish effort that gave the Little Giants their second tournament crown of the season, adding to its win at the Seneca Fighting Irish Invite in early December.

“We were thrilled to have the opportunity to come here to compete against bigger schools, and I would say we did quite well today,” Canton coach Zach Crawford said.

“Our three individual champions, Dyllan Steele, Jacob Hardesty, and Connor Williams obviously wrestled well. They were very strong throughout the tournament.”

The Little Giants (7-3-0) won their own regional last year easily, then fell short in their class 1A dual-team sectional against Stanford Olympia, who would lose to eventual state champion Coal City in its dual-team state quarterfinal.

The Berman Holiday Classic is the longest -running boys wrestling tournament in the state, aside from the state tournament, and is named after Al and Sally Berman, two names synonymous with Palatine High School wrestling.

Al Berman began as the freshman coach at Palatine in 1969, moved on to the man in charge of the Junior Varsity through the 1989 sports season.

It was during this time that he met and married Sally, and together they worked what was then called the Palatine Holiday Wrestling Tournament.

The Bermans would work at a variety of tournaments in and around the area, while continuing to be the glue that held together the Pirates’ programs.

In 1993, the tournament was officially renamed the Berman Holiday Wrestling Classic. Al Berman was named to the IWCOA Hall of Fame in 2001, and two years later, the Berman’s were inducted into the Palatine High School Hall of Fame in honor of a lifetime of contributions to the community.

Final Team Standings

Canton 179.5, Palatine 167.5, Lake Zurich 145.0, Stevenson 138.5, Zion-Benton 136.0, Oswego East 93.5, Buffalo Grove 88.5, St. Ignatius 80.0, Rolling Meadows 71.0, Lane Tech 69.5, Leyden 66.5, Metea Valley 62.0, St. Viator 45.5, Grayslake North 40.0, Bremen 25.0, Hillcrest 23.5.

1st: Canton (179.5)

The 200 mile-plus trip to Palatine would be an enjoyable one for individual champions: Dyllan Steele (120, 17-0), Jacob Hardesty (132, 16-1) and heavyweight Connor Williams (16-0) all found in the state’s top 10, but it always takes support from others in order to have the chance to lift the team championship trophy.

Maddux Steele (126, 15-2), Alex Carrier (157) and Daniel Kees (165, 13-5) were all deserving of their second place medals, with Jireh Hodges (138) and Grady Smith (150) third overall. Dean Bruketta would pitch in with his fourth place finish at 113.
“We got ourselves a good experience against guys we will never see, and the hope is this trip here will help us going forward, and the goal is to see if all comes together for us in the postseason,” Crawford said.

2nd Palatine (167.5)

The host Pirates, and its head coach Tulga Zuunbayan, who would star at Wheeling, then Rolling Meadows, earning three trips downstate, would in second all throughout the day to earn the runners-up trophy.

“I thought we wrestled pretty well as a team, and especially (Dunamis) Philip at (13) and Karl Bep at (65) who were both champions here at home,” said Zuunbayan, who would finish up his prep career with a 142-16 overall record before going on to win a National Junior College championship while at nearby Harper College.

“My defense today was really good, especially in my final because it was so high scoring (18-11) – but I give all the credit to Jesus, who is so important in my life,” said the freshman Philip, who is now 10-2.

“Dunamis is a shy young man, but his faith is very strong,” said Zuunbayan.

“As far as (Bep) he’s the leader in our room, a four-year guy, whose energy, and personality is something we all appreciate,” echoed Zuunbayan, and Pirates long-time assistant Chris Winters, who was head coach (2019-2020) in between Jeff Keske, now head coach at Fremd, and Javier Rivera, whom Zuunbayan took over for last season.

The Pirates, ninth here a year ago, would also receive second place medals from: Aidan Noe (106) and Ilya Pilshchikov (10-2) at 215, with teammate Daniel Derevlyak third at 157.

Joel Aragon (120) and Jacari Turner (285) were fourth, and Miguel Allende (144) and Josiah Carrillo (150) fifth.

3rd: Lake Zurich (145.0)

The Bears are in a steady rebuilding project under head coach Mike Buhr, who watched his best man, Rocco DiCanio (22-3) overwhelm the competition at 215 to give the Bears its lone title on the day.

“Rocco is just a great leader, who gets better each time out, and the perfect guy to lead a really young group that we have,” said Buhr, of his sophomore who was fifth at Barrington at the start of the season.

Evan Honegger earned second place honors at 138, Ivan Pantoja (190) third, Jonathan Diaz fourth at 126, with the foursome of: Joey Pacini (113), Cole Wojtalewicz (120, 4 pins), Edgar Bonilla (157) and Filip Kawalec (165) all grabbing fifth place medals.

The Bears were in fifth place on the leaderboard just after the lunch break, but it would be its eight medal day that helped them squeeze past NSC rival Stevenson by one-half point, and into third place.

Additional champions:

Jeremiah Arroyo-McMullan (106, Lane), Mykola Shamray (126, Buffalo Grove), 

Dylan Solesky (138, Zion-Benton), Colton Huff (144, St. Ignatius), William Guziec 

(150, Stevenson), Anthony Malone (157, Zioń-Benton), Josh Rappa (175, Rolling Meadows), John Rappa (190, Rolling Meadows), 

Additional runners-up:

Danny Huerta (113, Leyden), Braden Sroka (120, Zioń-Benton), Malachi Turner (132, Bremen), Kingsley Chen (144, Stevenson), Noah Snów (150, Oswego East),

Dominic Ganir (175, Leyen), Eduardo Albarran (190, Zion-Benton), David Williams (285, Grayslake North).

Buffalo Grove sophomore Mykola Shamray (14-1) would be named O.W. after his championship performance at 126 pounds.

The unbeatens (minimum 10 matches wrestled)
Canton’s Dyllan Steele (17-0 at 120), Buffalo Grove’s Mykola Shamray (13-1 at 126), Rolling Meadows’ John Rappa (13-0 at 190), Canton’s Connor Williams (16-0 at 285)

The once-beatens (minimum 10 matches)
Lane’s Jeremiah Arroyo-McMullan (22-1 at 106), Canton’s Jacob Hardesty (16-1 at 132), St. Ignatius’ Colton Huff (16-1 at 144), Rolling Meadows’ Josh Rappa (11-1 at 175)

Statistics
Lake Zurich posted the most pins in the least time, with 16 in 36:11, while Rolling Meadows had the most tech falls in the least time, with four techs in 9:58. Stevenson scored the most total match points with 298, followed by Palatine with 287.

Individually, Lake Zurich’s Cole Wojtalewicz finished with the most pins in the least time, with four falls in 7:30. Metea Valley’s Lucas Marcoux had the most tech falls in the least time, with three techs in 13:25. Marcoux also scored the most total match points in the tournament with 65. St. Ignatius’ Colton Huff and Lane’s Jeremiah Arroyo-McMullan tied for the fastest pin, at 25 seconds. Rolling Meadows’ John Rappa posted the fastest tech fall, at 1:04.

Zion Benton’s Anthony Malone and Lake Zurich’s Rocc DiCanio tied for the most team points scored with 28, and Metea Valley’s Adam Loos had the most single-match points with 25.

Buffalo Grove’s Christiano Marogy provided the largest seed-place difference, as the No. 16 seed placed sixth at 215.

Championship match results:

106- Jeremiah Arroyo-McMullan (Lane) d. Aidan Noe (Palatine) (TF 1:59, 19-4).

113- Dunamis Philip (Palatine) d. Danny Huerta (Leyden) (MD 22-11).

120- Dyllan Steele (Canton) d. Braden Sroka (Zioń-Benton) (MD 9-0).

126- Mykola Shamray (Buffalo Grove) d. Maddux Steele (Canton) (D 6-0).

132- Jacob Hardesty (Canton) d. Malachi Turner (Bremen) (TF 3:40, 21-5).

138- Dylan Solesky (Zion-Benton) d. Evan Honegger (Lake Zurich) (MD 13-1).

144- Colton Huff (St. Ignatius) d. Kingsley Chen (Stevenson) (TF 5:09, 15-0).

150- William Guziec (Stevenson) d. Noah Snów (Oswego East) (D 4-3).

157- Anthony Malone (Zion-Benton) d. Alex Carrier (Canton) (D 10-6).

165- Karl Bep (Palatine) d. Daniel Kees (Canton) (TF 2:58, 21-5).

175- Josh Rappa (Rolling Meadows) d. Dominic Ganir (Leyden) (TF 3:06, 16-0).

190- John Rappa (Rolling Meadows) d. Eduardo Albarran (Zion-Benton) (MD 16-2).

215- Rocco DiCanio (Lake Zurich) d. Ilya Pilshchikov (Palatine) (F 2:20).

285- Connor Williams (Canton) d. David Williams (Grayslake North) (D 4-2).

Third-place match results:

106- Thomas Emery (St. Viator) d. Aidan Noe (Palatine) (TF 1:59, 19-4).

113- Jayden Garcia (Rolling Meadows) d. Dean Brunette (Canton) (TF 3:23, 18-3).

120- Evan Mishels (Stevenson) d. Joel Aragon (Palatine) (TF 2:33, 16-1).

126- Alex Villanueva (St. Ignatius) d. Jonathan Diaz (Lake Zurich) (MD 13-4).

132- Colin McCann (St. Ignatius) d. Joaquin Salameda (Lane) (F 3:16).

138- Jireh Hughes (Canton) d. Angel Santana (Lane) (F 1:53).

144- Marcus Smith (Oswego East) d. Daniel Chacia (St. Viator) (F 3:19).

150- Grady Smith (Canton) d. Gage Tate (Zion-Benton) (F 4:48).

157- Daniel Derevlyak (Palatine) d. Johnny Khurshedov (Buffalo Grove) (INJ).

165- Payton McNabb (Zion-Benton) d. Larry Watson (Hillcrest) (D 2-1).

175- Sonny Tugs (Buffalo Grove) d. Carpel Herry (Zion-Benton) (4-3).

190- Ivan Pantoja (Lake Zurich) d. Tului Hurelbaatar (Stevenson) (INJ).

215- Melson Ngassa (St. Ignatius) d. Jovan Cerny (Oswego East) (INJ).

285- Dave Reardon (St. Ignatius) d. Jacari Travis (Palatine) (F 0:59).

Steve Eckert Holiday Wrestling Classic

Naperville North made it two tournament titles in a row, winning Morton’s 18-team Steve Eckert Classic just one week after winning the team title at West Chicago.
Naperville North coach Tom Champion sent five to the title mat, getting individual titles from Michael Arrendondo (132) and Tavfik Ibragimov (215) to lead the Huskies to a 190-152.5 final cushion over second-place Maine West. Bolingbrook (144.5) placed third, followed by host Morton (143.5) and Riverside-Brookfield (135.5) to round out the top five.

1st- Naperville North (190)
In addition to titles from unbeaten Arrendondo (21-0) and unbeaten No. 4 Ibragimov (21-0), North got runner-up finishes from Max Venecia (144), Kai Balice (150), and JT Hill (190), thirds from Cam Krueger (106) and Jaden Milner (165), a fifth from Hank Burresh (113), and sixths from Antonis Rasoulis (120) and Kienan Rubald (175).

2nd-Maine West (152.5)
Maine West coach Demetrios Vrettos got a third-place finish from Lucas Masek (285), fourths from Lincoln Curley (106), Hafid Alicea (144), Louis Avalos (150), and Nathan Dorado (190), fifths from Adrian Trejo (126), Joshua Villacis (138), and Marcel Debski (215), and sixths from Tyson Dorado (113) and Ben Crumlish (132).

3rd- Bolingbrook (144.5)
A pair of individual champs in Elijah Flowers (144) and Geno Vargas (165) led the way for Raiders coach Dylan Burnoski, who also got a second from Nate Zeffield (285), and fourths from Jeremiah Starks (138), Diego Segura (157) and Logan Sogavo (175).

Team scores
Naperville North 190, Maine West 152.5, Bolingbrook 144.5, JS Morton 143.5, Riverside-Brookfield 135.5, Burlington Central 121.5, Fenwick  120.5, St. Laurence 106, Stagg 98, Shepard 94.5, Montini 91, Nazareth Academy 86, Little Village 76, Maine East 65.5, Hancock 48.5, Argo 30.5, Ridgewood 25.5, Phoenix Military Academy 7

Additional champions
106 Angelo Alcantar (Morton), 113 Liam Kissane (St. Laurence), 120 Eduardo Vences (Central), 126 Alek Ramos (Nazareth), 138 Tony Lombardo (R-B), 150 Brandon Leech (Shepard), 157 Samer Suleiman (Stagg), 175 Santiago Moya (Morton), 190 Matthew Zalinski (St. Laurence), 285 Ruben Tello (Little Village)

Additional runners-up
106 Riley Cavaliere (R-B), 113 Tristan Rodriguez (Morton), 120 Rich Gulli (Nazareth), 126 Harrison Brown (Fenwick), 132 Adrian Pintado (St. Laurence), 138 Will Howenstein (Montini), 157 Ronald Perez (Central), 165 Joey Massey (Shepard), 175 Malaki Davis (Hancock), 215 Xavier Bitner (St. Laurence)

The unbeatens (minimum 10 matches)
Nazareth’s Alek Ramos (17-0 at 126), Naperville North’s Michael Arrendondo (21-0 at 132), Naperville North’s Tavfik Ibragimov (21-0 at 215)

Statistics
Maine West finished with the most pins in the tournament with 23, followed by Naperville North’s 21 pins. Montini had the most tech falls with six, followed by Shepard with five. Fenwick scored the most total match points with 320, followed by Bolingbrook with 306.

Individually, Bolingbrook’s Diego Segura had the most pins in the least time, with four falls in 8:47, and Maine East’s Mustafa Al-Temeeni had the fastest fall at 8 seconds. Nazareth Academy’s Alek Ramos had most tech falls in the least time, with three in 13:15.

Shepard’s Brandon Leech scored the most team points with 29, and the most single-match points with 25. The largest seed-place difference came from Stagg’s Samer Suleiman, who was seeded 16th and won the title at 157 pounds.

Championship match results
106-Angelo Alcantar (Morton) MD 15-5 Riley Cavaliere (R-B)
113-Liam Kissane (St. Laurence) TF 4:00 Tristan Rodriguez (Morton)
120-Eduardo Vences (Central) F 1:47 Rich Gulli (Nazareth)
126-Alek Ramos (Nazareth) TF 4:44 Harrison Brown (Fenwick)
132-Michael Arrendondo (Naperville N) F 2:34 Adrian Pintado (St. Laurence)
138-Tony Lombardo (R-B) D 12-6 Will Howenstein (Montini)
144-Elijah Flowers (Bolingbrook) F 2:19 Max Venecia (Naperville N)
150-Brandon Leech (Shepard) TF 6:00 Kai Balice (Naperville N)
157-Samer Suleiman (Stagg) D 3-1 Ronald Perez (Central)
165-Geno Vargas (Bolingbrook) MD 15-6 Joey Massey (Shepard)
175-Santiago Moya (Morton) D 8-4 Malakai Davis (Hancock)
190-Matthew Zalinski (St. Laurence) D 6-5 JT Hill (Naperville N)
215-Tavfik Ibragimov (Naperville N) D 8-3, Xavier Bitner (St. Laurence)
285-Ruben Tello (Little Village) F 1:13 Nate Zeffield (Bolingbrook)

Third-place match results
106-Cam Krueger (Naperville N) MD 15-3 Lincoln Curley (Maine W)
113-Maurizio Campana (Fenwick) D 7-4 Emilio Fortiz (Nazareth)
120-Javier Corral (Stagg) D 5-0 Benito Chavez (Little Village)
126-Cade Vazquez (Montini) D 13-11 Nicolas Jaramillo (Morton)
132-Izaiah Gonzalez (R-B) TF 2:00 Joaquin Fortiz (Nazareth)
138-Mohamad Khater (Ridgewood) MD 11-3 Jeremiah Starks (Bolingbrook)
144-Joel Waggoner (Montini) MD 12-2 Hafid Alicea (Maine W)
150-Burke Burns (Fenwick) TF 4:37 Louis Avalos (Maine W)
157-Will Konder (Montini) D 4-2 Diego Segura (Bolingbrook)
165-Jaden Milner (Naperville N) F 2:59 Brayden Driscoll (Stagg)
175-Nick O’Connor (R-B) F 5:03 Logan Sogavo (Bolingbrook)
190-Gerald Evans (R-B) F 2:32 Nathan Dorado (Maine W)
215-Michael Junitz (Central) MD 14-4 Zikorno Mbewe (Fenwick)
285-Lucas Masek (Maine W) D 7-3 Daniel Cisneros (Maine E)


Glenbard South Varsity Tournament
Host Glenbard South ruled the roost at its 15-team tournament Saturday for the second straight year, winning 200.5-182.5 over second-place East Aurora. Leyden (161) was third followed by St. Francis (154) and Northridge Prep (123) to round out the top five.
Glenbard South got individual titles from Jin Tai (150) and Dallin Ames (175) to lead the Raiders.
“Jin is a returning state qualifier with goals of making it on the podium,” Glenbard South coach Kenny Paoli. “He recorded three wins on the day, two by tech fall and a pin in the finals. Dallin is an up-and-coming sophomore whose strength and athleticism make him dangerous on the mat. He recorded three wins in the tournament, all of them coming by pin.”

1st- Glenbard South (200.5)
In addition to individual titles from Tai and Ames, coach Kenny Paoli got seconds from Logan Murphy (113), Ruben Kasman (157) and Anthony Kinney (165), fourths from Max Klaus (120), Aiden Munoz (132) and Kurt Lewandowski (144), fifths from Rocco Marcantonio (126) and Griffin Pawelski (138), and a sixth from Lucas Benning (106).
“We are a fairly young team with seven underclassmen in the varsity lineup but we are filling a varsity lineup for the first time in a long time at Glenbard South,” Paoli said. “The team is currently 7-3 and our goal is to win a regional championship this year, something that has never been done in school history.”

2nd- East Aurora (182.5)
East Aurora coach Frank Davison got runner-up finishes from Benjamin Hinton (106) and Zaid Lupian (138), plus thirds from Jorge Farias (157) and Kevin Sanchez (165), a fourth from Emmanuel Diaz (190), fifths from Alejandro Camarillo (113) and Roman Cepeda (215), and sixths from Salvador Rodriguez (132), Jose Guzman (144), Alexander Chaves (150) and Josias Garcia (175).

3rd- Leyden (161)
Danny Huerta (113) and Erick Worwa (190) won individual titles for coach John Kading, and the Eagles got thirds from Dominic Ganir (175) and Zachary Jaffray (215), fourths from Xiavier Herrera (157) and Alexander Aguinaga (285), fifths from Eli Uribe (150) and Jason Castro (165), and a sixth from Zabiel Lagunas (138).

Team scores

Glenbard South 200.5, East Aurora 182.5, Leyden 161, St. Francis 154, Northridge Prep 123, Kelly 111.5, Elgin 98, Highland Park 80.5, Noble/ITW Speer 76, Goode STEM Academy 61, Horizon/Southwest Chicago 55.5, Harvest Christian 48.5, Waukegan 47, Westmont 42.5, Lindblom 34.5

Additional champions
106 Ira Medina (Waukegan), 120 Patrick Manio (Northridge), 126 Brian Martinez (Highland Park), 132 Brennan O’Donnell (Harvest Christian), 138 Paul Coco (St. Francis), 144 Jayden Veal (Good/STEM Academy), 157 Emilio Guzman (Elgin), 165 Chase Siguenza (St. Francis), 215 Victor Juarez (Elgin), 285 Rafael Castrejon-Tello (Westmont)

Additional runners-up
106 Benjamin Hinton (East Aurora), 120 Santino Pignatelli (St. Francis), 126 Andrew Chirinos (Waukegan), 132 Patrick Kopecky (Northridge), 144 Max Mulhearn (Harvest Christian), 150 Javier Rodriguez (Northridge), 175 James Reitman (St. Francis), 190 Samel Marrero (Horizon/SW Chicago), 215 Nick Belcore (Northridge)

The unbeatens (10-match minimum)
Goode/STEM Academy’s Jayden Veal (14-0 at 144)

The once-beaten (10-match minimum)
Glenbard South’s Jin Tai (19-1 at 150)

Statistics
Leyden led all teams present with 23 pins, followed by East Aurora with 21. Glenbard South had the most tech falls in the least time with five in 10:18, followed by East Aurora with five at 16:34. East Aurora and Leyden finished tied for the most total match points with 315, followed by Glenbard South with 313.
Individually, Kelly’s Leovardo Juarez had the most pins in the least time, with four falls in 6:36, while Noble/ITW Speer’s Adrian Ortiz had the fastest fall in 15 seconds. Glenbard South’s Jin Tai had the most tech falls in the least time, with two in 3:04, and the fastest tech fall in 1:04.
Highland Park’s Brian Martinez and Leyden’s Danny Huerta tied for the most team points scored with 29.5, and there was a three-way tie for the most single-match points at 29 between Waukegan’s Ira Medina, and Leyden’s Danny Huerta and Dominic Ganir. Leyden’s Zabiel Lagunas finished with the most total match points with 70.

Championship match results
106-Ira Medina (Waukegan) TF 4:29 Benjamin Hinton (E Aurora)
113-Danny Huerta (Leyden) F 5:39 Logan Murphy (Glenbard S)
120-Patrick Manio (Northridge) F 1:11 Santino Pignatelli (St. Francis)
126-Brian Martinez (Highland Park) F 4:47 Andrew Chirinos (Waukegan)
132-Brennan O’Donnell (Harvest Ch) TF 2:56 Patrick Kopecky (Northridge)
138-Paul Coco (St. Francis) TF 3:02 Zaid Lupian (E Aurora)
144-Jayden Veal (Goode/STEM) F 5:35 Max Mulhearn (Harvest Ch)
150-Jin Tai (Glenbard S) F 2:52 Javier Rodriguez (Northridge)
157-Emilio Guzman (Elgin) MD 14-1 Ruben Kasman (Glenbard S)
165-Chase Siguenza (St. Francis) D 6-1 Anthony Kinney (Glenbard S)
175-Dallin Ames (Glenbard S) F 2:48 James Reitman (St. Francis)
190-Erick Worwa (Leyden) D 5-3 Samel Marrero (Horizon/SW Chicago)
215-Victor Juarez (Elgin) F 3:48 Nick Belcore (Northridge)
285-Rafael Castrejon-Tello (Westmont) F 1:26 Christopher Johnson (E Aurora)

Third-place match results
106-Jonathan Mendoza-Rodriguez (Lindblom) D 7-0 Jayden Robles (Kelly)
113-Christopher Gaytan (Kelly) D 14-7 Ithan Payne (Lindblom)
120-Adrian Ortiz (Noble/ITW Speer) TF 4:09 Max Klaus (Glenbard S)
126-Arden Baglaev (Westmont) TF 4:49 Isaah Montes (Kelly)
132-Leon Stille (Highland Park) D 8-6 Aiden Munoz (Glenbard S)
138-Alontae Lorek (Horizon/SW Chicago) TF 1:58 Isaiah Poole (Goode/STEM)
144-Leovardo Juarez (Kelly) TF 4:19 Kurt Lewandowski (Glenbard S)
150-Jayden Corchado (Highland Park) F 3:05 Lev Svoboda (St. Francis)
157-Jorge Farias (E Aurora) TF 3:54 Xiavier Herrera (Leyden)
165-Kevin Sanchez (E Aurora) F 1:23 Amir Carruthers (Horizon/SW Chicago)
175-Dominic Ganir (Leyden) F 3:00 Josiah Turner (Elgin)
190-Kylexy Sosa (Elgin) fft. Emmanuel Diaz (E Aurora)
215-Zachary Jaffray (Leyden) F 0:25 Yovany Amaya (Noble/ITW Speer)
285-Thomas Suter (Northridge) F 5:21 Alexander Aguinaga (Leyden)

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

Jacksonville Crimsons Girls Invitational

Belleville West was at it again on Saturday.

One week after winning the team title at the 33-team Joe Bee Memorial tournament, coach Mech Spraggins’ girls entered a field of 42 teams at Jacksonville’s Crimsons Girls Invite and again walked away with the top prize.

The Maroons won 146.5-137 over Collinsville in a hard-fought battle in Jacksonville. Triad (129.5) placed third, followed by Mahomet-Seymour (96) and Westville (92) to round out the top five.

Belleville West got a title from unbeaten Brooke Stellhorn (15-0 at 190), her third tournament win this season, to lead the Knights’ stable of eight girls finishing in the top six of their weight classes.
And none were any more pivotal than sophomore Dasonni Greene.

“Dasonni Greene is my third string 170-pounder who I asked to step up while my other 170-pounders were out for personal reasons,” Spraggins said. “Warming up before the tournament,  I kinda go around to each girl and see how they feel and joke about what time they went to bed. I stopped at Dasonni and said “it’s on you to pick up the slack.”

“That she did, as she would be a deciding factor on winning our first Jacksonville tournament.”
Dasonni’s third-place finish helped key the team win — which the Belleville West girls weren’t even aware of until after they’d loaded up the team bus and left Jacksonville.

At tournament’s end, Collinsville was given the team title. But as Belleville West was on the highway home, an astute look at the results by a dedicated member of the program turned things around.
“Sarah Pacha is a Trackwrestling statistician and our dietician/team mom and everything else that I can’t handle on the team,” Spraggins said. “She discovered Dasonni’s points hadn’t been factored in. I immediately had her contact Jacksonville’s tournament director Josh Stuart who acted promptly, seeing there was an issue and immediately looked into the scoring. He straightened the problem out immediately, which actually gave us the edge over Collinsville for first place.”

1st- Belleville West (146.5)

In addition to Stellhorn’s individual title, Spraggins also got a second-place finish from Riley Weems (110), a third from Dasonni Greene (170), a fourth from Ja’yla Hurst (135), fifths from Alyssa Hardt (140) and Andre’a Kirkpatrick (235), and sixths from Haylee Hooks (115) and Moriah Lampley (155).

2nd- Collinsville (137)
Coach Adam Gillespie got individual titles from Londyn Long (120) and Leann Cory (145), a second from Addyson Bailey (140), and fifths from Ivana Torres (110) and Emma Ford (120).

3rd- Triad (129.5)
Makenna Steele (135) and Kaitlin Wood (155) won titles for the Knights, who also got a fifth-place finish from Terryiah Lamb-Carraway (170) and sixths from Daisy Smith (120), Imani Hawkins (130) and Beckah Burrelsman (235).

Team scores
Belleville West 146.5, Collinsville 137, Triad 129.5, Mahomet-Seymour 96, Westville 92, Glenwood 86, Jacksonville 83, East Peoria 82.5, Urbana 81.5, Mascoutah 68, Carbondale 52, Unity 52, Charleston 46, Rantoul 46, Vandalia 44, ROWVA 41, Normal West 38, Canton 34, El Paso-Gridley 34, Decatur Eisenhower 33, Macomb 32, Peoria Notre Dame 32, Alton 29, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher 29, Mt. Zion 27.5, Centennial 27, Illinois Valley Central 27, Mt. Vernon 26, Olympia 24.5, Beardstown 23, O’Fallon 23, North Mac 19, Hillsboro 17, Morton 17, Farmington 16.5, Highland 16, Rochester 16, Clinton 13, Heyworth 11, Taylorville 10.5, Jerseyville 7

Additional champions
100 Kadi Wilbern (Glenwood), 105 Shayla Garner (Mascoutah), 110 Leena Cavender (Jacksonville), 115 Kiana Mayne (El Paso-Gridley), 120 Morgan Krone-Smallhorn (Charleston), 130 Sydney Cannon (Mt. Zion), 140 Rickasia Ivy (Urbana), 170 Jaycee Weitekamp (Mahomet-Seymour), 235 Phoenix Molina (Unity)

Additional runners-up
100 Jasmine Johnson (Rantoul), 105 Jhayla Lawson (Mascoutah), 115 Kiley Knight (Westville, 120 Kathleen Loyola (Carbondale), 125 Aryanna Jones (Alton), 130 Ava Beldo (Unity), 135 Kyah Kaonohi (East Peoria), 145 Kyla Ford (Carbondale), 155 Dezyrae Murray (East Peoria), 170 Brynn Swyers (Vandalia), 190 Addison Briggs (Westville), 235 Lillian Disanto (Urbana)

The unbeatens (10-match minimum)
Mt. Zion’s Sydney Cannon (13-0 at 130), Urbana’s Rickasia  Ivy (19-1 at 140), Belleville West’s Brooke Shellhorn (15-0 at 190)

The once-beatens (10-match minimum)
Triad’s Makenna Steele (13-1 at 135)

Championship match results
100-Kadi Wilbern (Glenwood) F 1:39 Jasmine Johnson (Rantoul)
105-Shayla Garner (Mascoutah) F 2:34 Jhayla Lawson (Mascoutah)
110-Leena Cavender (Jacksonville) D 6-1 Riley Weems (Belleville W)
115-Kiana Mayne (El Paso-G) F 1:10 Kiley Knight (Westville)
120-Morgan Krone-Smallhorn (Charleston) TF 4:28 Kathleen Loyola (Carbondale)
125-Londyn Long (Collinsville) F 5:10 Aryanna Jones (Alton)
130-Sydney Cannon (Mt. Zion) F 1:40 Ava Beldo (Unity)
135-Makenna Steele (Triad) F 1:21 Kyah Kaonohi (E Peoria)
140-Rickasia Ivy (Urbana) F 2:00 Addyson Bailey (Collinsville)
145-Leann Cory (Collinsville) F 1:28 Kyla Ford (Carbondale)
155-Kaitlin Wood (Triad) F 0:51 Dezyrae Murray (E Peoria)
170-Jaycee Weitekamp (Mahomet-S) F 2:48 Brynn Swyers (Vandalia)
190-Brooke Stellhorn (Belleville W) F 2:40 Addison Briggs (Westville)
235-Phoenix Molina (Unity) F 3:18 Lillian Disanto (Urbana)

Third-place results
100-Chloe Collins (Olympia) F 1:24 Elizabeth Austin (Morton)
105-Madilyn Becker (Mahomet-S) fft. Sandy Clark (Clinton)
110-Annalee Haschemeyer (Canton) F 4:38 Jaylynn Elmore (ROWVA)
115-Kaitlyn Knight (Jacksonville) fft. Asher Ronan (North Mac)
120-Lucie Eisenbarth (Rochester) D 5-2 Lilyana Malagon (Illinois Valley C)
125-Zoey Nelson (Mascoutah) F 1:58 Maryn Tarver (Hillsboro)
130-Daisy Gil (Beardstown) F 2:50 Laney Cook (Westville)
135-Sammy Baker (Notre Dame) D 6-5 Ja’yla Hurst (Belleville W)
140-Elsie Dozier (Glenwood) F 3:40 Makenna Roedl (Westville)
145-McKenzie Miller (GCMS/F) F 1:14 Dru Hyde (Macomb)
155-Arian Sabu (Normal W) F 0:46 Zaniah Manuel (Eisenhower)
170-Dasonni Greene (Belleville W) F 3:16 Mallory Feldhaus (E Peoria)
190-Avery Lundgren (Macomb) F 2:27 Patience Riggs (ROWVA)
235-Olivia Rosine (Charleston) TF 6:00 Madeleine Cooley (Jacksonville)

Bradley-Bourbonnais’ Boilermaker Battler

Triad conquered the field at this year’s 23-team Bradley-Bouronnais Boilermaker Battler, winning 163-140 over second-place host Bradley-Bourbonnais. Lane (139.5) placed third followed by Plainfield South (131) and South Elgin (121) to round out the top five.

Four Triad girls reached the finals for coach Lucas Bernal, and eight total girls finished in the top six of their weight classes.

“I thought our ladies stepped up and made a statement with grit and determination,” Bernal said. “We are traveling more this season to seek out more competition. We knew coming in there were going to be some tough teams.

“We put four girls in the finals with our team captain Cloe Graumenz leading the way

  The rest of our ladies battled and sealed the team race for us.”
The Knights added a team title to a growing resume this season. They also placed second at Granite City’s 29-team tournament on Dec. 5, and a third-place finish at Jacksonville’s 42-team Crimsons invitational.

“Triad girls wrestling is having our best season yet,” Bernal said. “Sophomore Makena Steele has made the finals in each of our tournaments. Another standout is senior Kaitlin Wood who has also made multiple finals and has excelled.

“My assistant coach Ali Hillard works a lot with our girls and has really been the foundation of our team’s success. We are very proud of what we have accomplished and where we are heading.”

1st-Triad (163)
Triad had four second-place finishers lead the way to a team title in Cloe Graumenz (115), Imani Hawkins (130), Makenna Steele (135), and Beckah Burrelsman (235). The Knights also got a third from Adaliah Roth (145), a fourth from Kaitlin Wood (155), and fifths from Daisy Smith (120) and Terryiah Lamb-Carraway (170).

2nd-Bradley-Bourbonnais (140)
The Boilermakers got a pair of individual titles from Aubrianna Rapier (135) and Kaylee Morris (235), a second from Kylie Rapier (155), a third from Alexis McCullough (170), fourths from Rihanna Randall (110) and Gabriella Morrs (145), and sixths from Ember McGarvey (145) and Mya Robinson (170).

3rd-Lane (139.5)
Lane got a pair of individual titles from returning state qualifiers Sofia Guerrero (100) and Zabby Badru (140), plus thirds from Allison Gutierrez (135) and Layla Moreland (155), a fourth from Kanaiece Barrett (170), and a sixth from Valeria Hernandez (105).

Team scores
Triad 163, Bradley-Bourbonnais 140, Lane 139.5, Plainfield South 131, South Elgin 121, Harlem 95.5, Tinley Park 86, Deerfield 85, Princeton 83.5, St. Charles East 74.5, Kankakee 58.5, Streator 51, Lake Park 50, Clifton Central 46.5, St. Thomas More 39, Plainfield Central 30, Rantoul 32, Prairie Central 30, Herscher 24, Manual 22, Oakwood/ Salt Fork 17, Deer Creek-Mackinaw 15, Plainfield North 9

Additional individual champions
105 Rylee Beckes (Princeton), 110 Sydney Stieb (St. Charles East), 115 Laila Vaughn (Streator), 120 returning state qualifier Yurithdzy Vilchis (Prairie Central), 125 Taniyah Sherman (Kankakee), 130 Madison Heneks (Harlem), 145 Jaqueline Martinez (South Elgin), 155 returning fourth in state Allison Garbacz (South Elgin), 170 returning state qualifier Layla Spann (Plainfield South), 190 returning state runner-up Payton Temple (Clifton Central)

Additional runners-up
100 Mya Olejiniczak (Harlem), 105 Reese Nicolas (Lake Park), 110 Madison Poll (St. Thomas More), 120 Jayden Melendez (Tinley Park), 125 Jadeyn Klingenberg (Princeton), 140 Tamirea Welch (Kankakee), 145 Madison Mauer (Deerfield), 170 Henna Mullikin (Herscher), 190 Kimyra Patrick (Plainfield South)

Statistics
Triad finished with the most pins of any team with 19, followed by South Elgin and Bradley-Bourbonnais with 17 apiece. Princeton had the most tech falls of any team present with three. Plainfield South finished with the most total match points with 185 followed by Lane with 165.
Individually, South Elgin’s Annie Romo had the most pins in the least time, with five falls in 5:08. Princeton’s Abby Harris had two tech falls in 6:13 to lead the field with the most techs in the least time and St. Charles East’s Sydney Stieb had the day’s fastest tech fall in 1:04. Princeton’s Harris also scored the most total match points with 56, followed by Harlem’s Eve Tollett with 43.

Championship match results
100-Sofia Guerrero (Lane) D 20-16 Mya Olejiniczak (Harlem)
105-Rylee Beckes (Princeton) F 1:54 Reese Nicolas (Lake Park)
110-Sydney Stieb (SC East) F 1:33 Madison Poll (St. Thomas More)
115-Laila Vaughn (Streator) MD 17-9 Cloe Graumenz (Triad)
120-Yurithdzy Vilchis (Prairie C) F 1:27 Jayden Melendez (Tinley Park)
125-Taniyah Sherman (Kankakee) F 1:23 Jadeyn Klingenberg (Princeton)
130-Madison Heneks (Harlem) F 1:45 Imani Hawkins (Triad)
135-Aubrianna Rapier (Bradley-B) F 0:31 Makenna Steele (Triad)
140-Zabby Badru (Lane) F 3:12 Tamira Welch (Kankakee)
145-Jaqueline Martinez (S Elgin) F 4:31 Madison Mauer (Deerfield)
155-Allison Garbacz (S Elgin) F 1:47 Kylie Rapier (Bradley-B)
170-Layla Spann (Plainfield S) F 2:20 Henna Mullikin (Herscher)
190-Payton Temple (Clifton C) F 3:01 Kimyra Patrick (Plainfield S)
235-Kaylee Morris (Bradley-B) F 1:35 Beckah Burrelsman (Triad)

Third-place match results
100-Jasmine Johnson (Rantoul) F 0:18 Kiani Nevel (Harlem)
105-Leila Ruiz (S Elgin) F 1:46 Veronica Mendoze (Rantoul)
110-Anni Romo (S Elgin) F 2:57 Rihanna Randall (Bradley-B)
115-Abby Harris (Princeton) D 13-10 Kate Wochner (Oakwood)
120-Alexia Kachiroubas (Plainfield S) MD 11-1 Autumn Badon (SC East)
125-Elida Garcia (Lake Park) F 0:48 Eve Tollett (Harlem)
130-Uliana Persky (Deerfield) F 0:49 Madi Radke (S Elgin)
135-Allison Gutierrez (Lane) F 0:56 Abigail Harris (Tinley Park)
140-Rylee Hernandez (Tinley Park) F 0:28 Olivia Pearson (SC East)
145-Adaliah Roth (Triad) F 0:40 Gabriella Morris (Bradley-B)
155-Layla Moreland (Lane) F 2:52 Kaitlin Wood (Triad)
170-Alexis McCullough (Bradley B) F 1:25 Kenaiece Barrett (Lane)
190-Zanasia Simmons (Manual) Avalena Wunderlich (Princeton)
235-Tash Wilson (Plainfield S) TF 15-0 Estella Godinez (Tinley Park)

5th Sally Berman Tournament

That Homewood-Flossmoor carried off the championship trophy was a testament to its tourney-best 20 pins, and 229 total match points claimed.

The Vikings didn’t have an individual champion but depth and balance carried the day; nine of coach Scott Aronson’s girls medaled in the top six of their weight classes.

Homewood-Flossmoor won 150.5-138.5 over second-place Grant, as one of six teams finishing with more than 100 team points in a highly-competitive chase for the team title.

Conant (124) placed third, followed by West Chicago (119), District 230 (118.5) and Downers Grove South (107.0) in a tight race at Palatine.

Final Team Standings:

Homewood-Flossmoor 150.5, Grant 138.5, Conant 124.0, West Chicago 119.0, District 230 118.5, Downers Grove South 107.0, Oswego East 90.0, Round Lake 85.5, Lake Zurich 81.0, Bolingbrook 80.5, Bartlett/Palatine 80.0 (each), Grayslake North 72.5, Lakes Community 68.0, Zion-Benton 67.5, Evanston 57.0, Hinsdale South 55.0, New Trier 54.5, Oak Forest 49.0, Dundee-Crown 46.5, Burlington Central 33.0, Waukegan 27.0, Fremd 23.0, St. Viator 23.0

1st: Homewood-Flossmoor (150.5)

The Lady Vikings would medal in nine of the 14 weight classes on Saturday, led by second-place finishes from Rachel Nugin (170) and Kendra Hayden (190), thirds from returning state qualifier Lonon Gandy (125) and Amara Nwoye (130), fourths from Kennedy Dade (140) and Na’imah Lemon (155), and sixths from Taniyah Bradley (120), Madelynn McClements (135) and Denise Brown (145).

2nd: Grant (138.5)

Second place Grant had the most top-five medal winners with eight, with 125 champion Myla Reyes leading the way with (30) total match points.

The junior went from the No. 19 seed all the way to the top in her respective weight division. 

Sophomores Kaylee Albovais (100), America Camacho (115, 14-2), and freshman Abby Quirk (135) were all second.

Annabelle Melton (140) was third, and Jaiydyn Hoffmann was fifth at 120.

3rd: Conant (124.0)

The Lady Cougars would always be within striking distance of a top three finish, never falling below fourth place behind Downers Grove South (70.0-68.0) or later 

West Chicago (104.0-102.0) before finally taking over for good during the final session to claim third place by five points over West Chicago.

It’s top wrestler, No. 10 Jasmine Zavaletta, 38-13 a state qualifier a year ago with a 38-13 overall record, won her second major title of the season in terrific fashion at 135 pounds.

Teammate Brea Hoffman was second at 125, with Giselle Varelas fifth at 115.

Varelas recorded the fastest tech-fall (2:00) of the tournament, while sophomore Jayiana Newcombe the quickest pin at 12 seconds in 155-pound quarterfinal wrestle-back contest.

Additional individual champions:

Ester Migues-Gayton (100, Grayslake North), Brissia Bucio (105, West Chicago),

Sunny Aitzemkour (110, New Trier), Jade Hardee (115, Andrew), Piper Booe (120, Andrew), Emily Ortiz (130, Zion-Benton), Quinn Janssens (140, Oswego East), Ella Cooper (145, Oswego East), Callie Carr (155, Hinsdale South), Nancy Licona (170, Round Lake), Irma Villa (190, Palatine), Ti’ara Saunders (235, Lake Zurich).

Additional runners-up:

Melanie Granda (105, Grant), Norah Cwik (110, Bartlett), Mackensie Szajda (120, West Chicago), Brea Hoffman (125, Conant), Lilly White (130, Bartlett), Allison Garcia (140, Downers Grove South), Allyson Alvarenga (145, Grayslake North), 

Lyobosa Odiase (155, Oak Forest), Rachel Nugin (170, Homewood-Flossmoor),

Kendra Hayden (190, Homewood-Flossmoor)

Big matches:
A pair of previously unbeaten returning state qualifiers squared off on the the title at 130 pounds, with Zion-Benton’s Emily Ortiz (9-0) winning by fall at 2:22 over Bartlett’s Lilly White (17-1).
Two previously unbeaten girls also squared off at 155, with returning state champion Callie Carr (17-0) winning by fall at 2:36 against Oake Forest’s Lyobosa Odiase (10-1).

Close calls:
A pair of two-point decisions took place in the finals, with New Trier’s Sunny Aitzemkour winning 8-6 over Downers Grove South’s Cassie Chavez at 110, and Lake Zurich’s Ti’ara Saunders winning a 4-2 decision at 235 against Conant’s Ava Adorni.

The unbeatens. (10-match minimum)

Hinsdale South’s returning state champions Callie Carr (17-0 at 155)

The once-beatens (10-match minimum)
Bartlett’s Lilly White (17-1 at 130), Conant’s Jasmine Zavaleta (16-1 at 135), Oswego East’s Quinn Janssens (14-1 at 140), Oak Forest’s Lyobosa Odiase (10-1 at 155), Palatine’s Irma Villa (20-1 at 190)

Championship match results:

100- Ester Migues-Gayton (Grayslake N) d. Kaylee Albovais (Grant) (F 1:54).

105- Brissia Bucio (West Chicago) d. Melanie Granda (Central) (MD 15-2).

110- Sunny Aitzemkour (New Trier) d. Cassie Chavez (DG South) (D 8-6).

115- Jade Hardee (Andrew) d. America Camacho (Grant) (F 1:29).

120- Piper Booe (Andrew) d. Mackensie Szajda (West Chicago) (F 4:48).

125- Myla Reyes (Grant) d. Brea Hoffman (Conant) (F 5:42).

130- Emily Ortiz (Zion-Benton) d. Lilly White (Bartlett) (F 2:22).

135- Jasmine Zavaleta (Conant) d. Abby Quirk (Grant) (F 1:28).

140- Quinn Janssens (Oswego E) d. Allison Garcia (DG South) (F 1:55).

145- Ella Cooper (Oswego E) d. Allyson Alvarenga (Grayslake N) (F 2:35).

155- Callie Carr (Hinsdale S) d. Lyobosa Odiase (Oak Forest) (F 2:36).

170- Nancy Licona (Round Lake) d. Rachel Nugin (H-F) (F 3:50).

190- Irma Villa (Palatine) d. Kendra Hayden (H-F) (F 1:31).

235- Ti’ara Saunders (Lake Zurich) d. Ava Adorni (Conant) (D 4-2).

Third-place match results:

100- Sam lewis (Oak Forest) d. Esther Vega (Waukegan) (F 2:53).

105- Esme Grugel (Dundee-Crown) d. Jamie Poblete (West Chicago) (TF 2:47).

110- Tatum De La Vega (Andrew) d. Cassie Chavez (DG South) (F 3:30).

115- Evalyn Idzik (St. Viator) d. Osmairi Medina Alvarado (Lane) (F 4:39).

120- Georgia Hay (Lake Zurich) d. Jaiydyn Hoffman (Grant) (F 4:15).

125- London Gandy (H-F) d. Ruby Gavina (Dundee-Crown) (D 3-1).

130- Amara Nwoye (H-F) d. Marissa Mayfield (Round Lake)(D 11-8).

135- Maserati Valenzuela (Zion-Benton) d. Juliana Loynes (Hinsdale S) (F 3:00).

140- Annabelle Melton (Grant) d. Kennedy Dade (H-F) (F 2:49).

145- Angie Arrendondo (DG South) d. Liliana Chavez (Bartlett) (F 1:28).

155- Myriah Jefferson (Round Lake) d. Na’imah Lamon (H-F)(F 5:30).

170- Claudia Weglarz (Conant) d. Olivia Halminiak (West Chicago) (F 0:30).

190- Zuza Cebulski (DG South) d. Brianna Gomez (Bolingbrook) (D 7-1).

235- Cynthia Rios (Bolingbrook) d. Mackenzie Mansavage (Conant) (F 1:40.

Glenbard North Winter Classic
Glenbard North hosted an eight-team dual tournament Dec. 22, with McHenry finishing first for coach James Buss. The Warriors went 3-0 with wins over Curie (72-6) and Willowbrook (51-24) before topping host Glenbard North 57-24.
Willowbrook finished third with a 48-27 win over Oswego, West Chicago won 34-30 over Curie for fifth place, and Romeoville placed seventh with a 54-12 win over Larkin.

By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA

HINSDALE – When two teams are involved a real battle for top honors in a major tournament, like Barrington and Glenbard West certainly were at Hinsdale Central’s 59th-annual Rex Whitlatch Invitational, the deciding factor as to who takes first and who finishes second often comes down to who got the most wins in place matches, who got more bonus points and who won more close matches.

Both the Broncos and Hilltoppers did well in all of those areas and they both should be very proud that they went from vying for sixth place a year ago to seeing who would capture top honors in the 25-team competition that featured nine teams ranked in the top 25 in 3A and 2A and eight others who were honorable mention in those two classes by Illinois Best Weekly. Barrington came in ranked 19th in 3A while Glenbard West was honorable mention in 3A.

In the end, the Broncos edged the Hilltoppers 219.5-217 for first place while Lincoln-Way West got past Oak Park and River Forest 193.5-191.5 for third place. Neenah, Wisconsin (177.5), Carl Sandburg (168), Geneseo (162.5), Minooka (148.5), West Aurora (146.5), Stevenson (120.5), Downers Grove North (119) and Downers Grove South (118) rounded out the top-12.

Coach Dan Keller’s Broncos went 5-2 in place matches and had two falls and three major decisions in those five triumphs to hold off coach Pat McCluskey’s Hilltoppers, who made a late charge by going 7-4 in place matches with their victories being a win by technical fall, a major decision, a medical forfeit and four decisions. Barrington had a 19-12 advantage in pins while both had 11 wins by technical fall and the Broncos had a 490-467 lead in total match points. 

“I’m really proud of the guys,” Keller said. “We scored a lot of bonus points and we’re always preaching on our program. It was kind of a back-and-forth battle. It’s a great tournament and we love coming here. We see a lot of teams that we don’t typically see, some of those south suburb teams that are always tough as nails. So just really, really proud of the guys’ effort and resiliency to kind of stick with it. We ended that placing round with our five wins being bonus-point wins, so that kind of was a summary of what the weekend was for us. We talk a lot in our program about ending with the win, ending with placing matches that are odd numbers is what we want. Obviously, those rounds get tougher and tougher, and you’ve got to raise your level of intensity, and I thought our guys did that really well today.” 

Barrington was led by title winners Ryan Dorn (132) and Jimmy Whitaker (144) and second-place finishers Kaleb Pratt (120) and Saul Ramirez (126). Other top-eight finishers were Daniel Blanke (3rd at 157), Sam Cushman (3rd at 175) and Aaron Jafri (5th at 190). Domenic Nudo (215) and Adriel Arana (285) both added 10 team points, Diego Ramirez (106) scored 6.5, Maddux Orozco (150) scored six points and Michael Fiandaca (165) had two. Other contributors were Ismael Lopez (113) and Dimitry Bordeianu (138). Dorn also claimed first place last year.

“We’ve got some hammers that we think will finish really high, real high on the podium at state, but then we’ve also got a lot of role guys that are really grinding and working really hard and being super coachable and improving,” Keller said. “A lot of times in high-end duals, it’s not your studs or your state placers that win your duals, it’s the role guys. So they’re really doing a great job of understanding their role and in the room, working hard every day, being coachable, trying to fix the things we want to fix. We know it’s late December right now, so it’s not the end of the year. We’ve still got a month and a half until we’ve got to be ready for where we want to be, but we think we will be.”

Top performers for Glenbard West were champions Aidan Ortega (106) and Vince Tortoriello (150) and runner-up Phin Codinha (215). Others who placed in the top-eight were Alejandro Aranda (3rd at 138), Manny Rodriguez (5th at 126), Jondelle Malunay (5th at 157), Marc Tchapda (5th at 285), Tallis Taylor (6th at 165), Cristian Lopez (7th at 113), Brennen Myra (8th at 144) and Vince Schoettle (8th at 175). Andrew Bargiel (190) added 10 points and Ben Sallas (120) also contributed and the team had no entrant at 132. 

Leading the way for third-place Lincoln-Way West, who’s coached by 2020 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Brian Glynn, were title winner Jimmy Talley (215) and second-place finisher Shane Stream (138). Others who turned in top-eight finishes for the Warriors were Carter DiBenedetto (3rd at 126), Brady Glynn (3rd at 132), Max Herman (4th at 165), Kellan Hack (5th at 113), Michael Scott (7th at 106) and Max Munn (7th at 150).

Oak Park and River Forest had the most champions with three, and they were defending IHSA champion Michael Rundell (113) as well as Jamiel Castleberry (126) and David Ogunsanya (157) while Zev Koransky (144) finished in second place. Also finishing in the top eight for coach Jason Renteria’s fourth-place Huskies were Aiden Noyes (3rd at 150) and Jeremiah Hernandez (7th at 165). Rundell also won a Whitlatch title in 2024.

Warren Township had two first-place finishers who are two-time defending IHSA champions and they’ve combined to win seven Whitlatch titles, four-time winner Aaron Stewart (190), who also received the Outstanding Wrestler Award, and Caleb Noble (120), who’s won three in a row.

The other two individuals who repeated as champions were Lyons Township’s Griff Powell (138) and Neenah, WI’s Declan Koch (165). Also capturing their initial Whitlatch titles were West Aurora’s Dayne Serio (175) and Downers Grove North’s Colin Murphy (285).

Two of the champions remained unbeaten, Powell and Koch, who both had 18-0 records. Other title winners who had only lost once were Castleberry (16-1), Murphy (15-1), Noble, Ortega (17-1), Rundell (16-1), Serio (16-1) and Tortoriello (16-1).

Additional second-place finishers were Rockford East’s Dana Wickson (150) and Ty Smart (157), Geneseo’s Izaac Gaines (165) and Kye Weinzierl (175), Stevenson’s Stefan Vihrov (106), 

West Aurora’s Gabriel Richmond (113), Minooka’s Maddux Tindal (132), Wheaton North’s Ryan Rosch (190) and Lyons Township’s Jimmy Hillmann (285).

Three of the title matches featured one-point decisions. In those, Noble edged Pratt 3-2 at 120, Tortoriello got past Wickson 5-4 at 150 and Serio nipped Weinzierl 1-0 at 175.

Stewart had the most team points of any of the champions with 34 while Rundell and Talley tied for second place with 33.5 points. Castleberry, Koch and Powell tied for fourth with 32 team points, Ogunsanya was seventh with 31.5 points, Dorn ranked eighth with 31 points and Noble and Whitaker tied for ninth in most team points with 30.5.

Five seniors claimed top-eight medals for four-straight years. They were four-time champion Stewart, two-time title winner and four-time finalist Koch, two-time runner-up Koransky, 2025 champion Ogunsanya and also Aranda, whose third-place effort this year was his best finish. 

Downers Grove South’s Noah Greene easily had the most total match points with 86 while his Mustangs teammate Jadon Dinwiddie and Glenbard West’s Jondelle Malunay tied for second place with 72 team points.

Five individuals finished with four falls, Barrington’s Sam Cushman, Neenah, WI’s Kaden Roth, Lincoln-Way West’s Michael Scott, Warren Township’s Aaron Stewart and Stevenson’s Aaron Von Heimburg. 

Six competitors claimed three victories by technical fall, Barrington’s Ryan Dorn, Oak Park and River Forest’s Isaiah Gibson, Glenbard West’s Jondelle Malunay, Minooka’s Kaden Meyer, West Aurora’s Dayne Serio and Geneseo’s Kye Weinzierl.

And two of the participants had the largest seed-place difference with an improvement of 14 positions. They were Neenah, WI’s Broden Butzke and Belleville West’s Wyatt Dahm.

Rex Whitlatch, a 2013 recipient of a Lifetime Service Award to Wrestling from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame – Illinois Chapter, was a two-time IHSA champion at Urbana and wrestled at the University of Illinois before beginning his coaching career which eventually saw him become Hinsdale Central’s head coach in 1964, where he started the invite that bears his name. He passed away in 2021 at age 84.

Here are the champions and their weights at Hinsdale Central’s Rex Whitlatch Invitational

106 – Aidan Ortega, Glenbard West

Aidan Ortega enjoyed a successful sophomore season at Glenbard West by qualifying for the IHSA Finals, giving him optimism that he’ll be able to achieve much bigger and better things as a junior. And so far, he’s been doing just that by opening this season with a title at Barrington and a second-place effort at Joliet Central. He advanced to his third tournament finals and won his second championship when he captured a 10-3 decision over Stevenson freshman Stefan Vihrov for the 106 title at the Rex Whitlatch to improve his record to 17-1. 

Ortega, who claimed third place in last year’s Rex Whitlatch Invite, joined Vince Tortoriello (150) as a champion and was also one of three finalists and 11 top-eight finishers for coach Pat McCluskey’s Hilltoppers, who finished second with 217 points, which was just 2.5 points behind champion Barrington. It was quite the improvement for Glenbard West after it took seventh place in last year’s tourney and finished 70 points behind title winner Carl Sandburg. Ranked sixth at 106 in 3A, he followed a win by technical fall with three decisions, with the second one of those an 8-1 victory over Carl Sandburg’s Anthony Hayes in the semifinals.

“I feel like this year we’ve really got a lot of guys that can do something special, and it’s just fun to be a part of the team and be a part of the practices each and every day,” Ortega said. “We just have got good practice partners and good teammates to help push me. And I’m still trying to get better every day, and where I am right now is not enough. Everyone’s got really big goals, and it’s really nice to see, and so the only way we can accomplish those big goals is to put in the work, keep getting better, and I look forward to getting better throughout the season.” 

Vihrov (17-5), who was the lone finalist and one of five top-eight placewinners for coach Shane Cook’s Patriots, opened with a major decision and added a win by technical fall before reaching the 106 title mat with a fall in 5:58 over DeKalb’s Julian Hartwig to advance to his first high school tourney finals. In the third-place match, Hartwig (12-3) captured a 1-0 decision over Hayes (12-4). For fifth place, West Aurora’s Aiden Ambre (11-3) claimed a 14-0 major decision over Warren Township’s Diego Rea. And for seventh place, Lincoln-Way West’s Michael Scott (13-9) won by fall in 4:21 over Minooka’s Justin Majewski (8-5).  

113 – Michael Rundell, Oak Park and River Forest

Michael Rundell has only had one bump along the way in his quest to follow up on his 2025 IHSA 3A title at 106 over Loyola Academy’s Niko Odiotti as he begins his junior season at Oak Park and River Forest and that happened in the season-opening Marmion Academy Classic, when he lost a 7-1 decision in the 113 finals to a two-time defending IHSA champion, Warren Township’s Caleb Noble. A USA Wrestling Athlete of the week in July after claiming a bronze medal in Greco-Roman at the U17 World Championships in Greece, he’s been on a roll since that loss to Noble, improving to 16-1 after taking first at Washington Community and reaching his third finals and capturing another title at 113 in the Rex Whitlatch Invite with a fall in 1:31 over West Aurora sophomore Gabriel Richmond to become a two-time champ in the event.

Rundell joined Jamiel Castleberry (126) and David Ogunsanya (157) as champions and also Zev Koransky (144) as finalists for the Huskies, who are coached by Jason Renteria, a two-time IHSA champion and four-time state finalist for OPRF from 2013-2017. The Huskies got points from 11 individuals and that helped them finish fourth with 191.5 points, which was two points behind third place Lincoln-Way West. Rundell, ranked second to Noble at 113 in 3A, opened with a pin, followed with a win by technical fall and earned his spot in the 113 finals with a pin in 2:25 over Maine South’s George Georgiev. He tied for second in team points with 33.5 with Lincoln-Way West’s Jimmy Talley, one-half point behind Warren Township’s Aaron Stewart.

“I’ve had a pretty good start to this year,” Rundell said. “One loss, and I’m hoping to eventually wrestle him (Caleb Noble) again in the state finals. I’ve been working as hard as I can every day, working until I can’t move anymore. Our coaches are really devoted to trying to get us to be in the best situation possible so there’s really a culture there of just like trying to get better. Just looking at me and my partner, Jamiel Castleberry, we’re grinding every single day, getting extra workouts in together, just everything we can do so that in February we’re ready.”

Richmond (14-2), who joined champion Dayne Serio (175) as one of two finalists and seven top-eight finishers for coach Andrew Plata’s ninth-place Blackhawks, opened with a win by technical fall, followed that with a 13-9 decision and earned his spot in the 113 title match with 12-3 major decision over Neenah, WI’s Broden Butzke. In the third-place match, Carl Sandburg’s Kyle Hayes (12-4) won by fall in 1:34 over Butzke (15-4). For fifth place, Lincoln-Way West’s Kellan Hack (12-8) got a pin in 2:38 over Georgiev (13-4). And in the seventh-place match, Glenbard West’s Cristian Lopez (13-6) won by technical fall in 2:42 over Geneseo’s Tad Moore (12-8).    

120 – Caleb Noble, Warren Township

Caleb Noble made it two-for-two in IHSA championships last season as a sophomore when he beat Normal Community’s Caden Correll to claim first place at 113 in the IHSA 3A Finals to follow up on a 3A title at 106 in 2024. The Warren Township junior hopes to become a three-time champion in 2026 and right now is off to a great start toward that goal after taking first place at Marmion Academy, Neuqua Valley and again at the Rex Whitlatch after he claimed a 3-2 decision over Barrington junior Kaleb Pratt in the 120 title match. His only loss in tournament competition came out of state when he lost a 4-2 decision to Malvern Prep, PA’s Justin Farnsworth in the 113 semifinals of the Ironman in Ohio and settled for a third-place finish.

Noble, top-ranked at 113 in 3A, won his third-straight title in this event and joined four-time Whitlatch winner Aaron Strewart as one of two champions and four top-eight finishers for coach Brad Janecek’s Blue Devils. He kicked off his latest title run with two victories by technical fall and then recorded a pin in 4:13 in the semifinals over Stevenson’s Evan Mishels.  

“I’ve been doing good,” Noble said “I just went to Ironman and I took third there, It was not the way I wanted to get it done. I lost in the semifinals. It was a controversial match and I feel like I should have had more points than I had, but I can complain about it all day, but it’s not going to change anything. So I just had to go to the room and make some adjustments. Other than that, I’ve been having a good season and I can’t complain. Losses are good, it’s not always a bad thing. It’s not fun to lose, but sometimes you need to lose and you just have to get your head screwed on straight. (On winning two state titles) I’m super proud, I can’t complain. My dad is happy, so I’m a happy camper. (Competing at Warren Township) It’s been just a dream. Having two state championships, going for a third. I’m glad that I’m in this position, and hopefully I can steal four, if I’m lucky.” 

Pratt (15-3) was one of four finalists and seven top-five finishers for coach Dan Keller’s champion Broncos. Ranked third at 120 in 3A and a title winner at his school’s invite, he’s a two-time IHSA qualifier who took sixth at 106 in 2024. He opened with two falls and then got a win by technical fall in 3:28 in the semifinals over Willowbrook’s Aris Neal to reach the 120 title mat. In the third-place match, Mishels (16-5) claimed a 13-5 major decision over Downers Grove South’s Tanner Stone (14-5). For fifth place, Downers Grove North’s Damian Garcia (16-2) won by fall in 3:17 over Neal (10-5). And for seventh place, Minooka’s Julian Hanson (12-4) won a 15-4 major decision over Belleville West’s Wyatt Dahm (9-5), who tied for the largest seed-place difference with 14 positions.

126 – Jamiel Castleberry, Oak Park and River Forest 

Jamiel Castleberry added to a season-opening title at Marmion Academy and won his second title in his third trip to a tournament finals after claiming a 16-4 major decision over Barrington junior Saul Ramirez in the 126 title match. The Oak Park and River Forest junior, who’s ranked fourth at 126 in 3A, finished fifth in the IHSA Finals at 120 last season after placing fourth at 106 in 2024. He joined teammates Michael Rundell (113) and David Ogunsanya (157) to give coach Jason Renteria’s fourth-place Huskies a Rex Whitlatch Invite-high three champions.

Castleberry (16-1), who took third place at the 2024 Rex Whitlatch and finished second at Washington Community this season, recorded a pin in his first match and then got wins by technical fall in both the quarterfinals and semifinals, prevailing in 3:46 over Stevenson’s Marcelo Cantu to earn his spot in the 126 finals. He tied Lyons Township’s Griff Powell and Neenah, WI’s Declan Koch for fourth place in most team points with 32.

“My class is pretty good,” Castleberry said. “We’ve got MJ Rundell, a state champ last year, he’s pretty good and I practice with him every day. With me practicing him every day, it kind of makes these tournaments easy. We’ve got a lot of good coaches and have a new head coach, Jason Renteria, a two-time champion and four-time finalist. And we’ve got Jake Rundell, MJ’s brother. We’re hoping to get a team trophy this year. In the last two years, we were like one dual away.”

Ramirez (12-4), an IHSA qualifier last season who’s ranked eighth at 126 in 3A, was one of four finalists and seven top-five placewinners for coach Dan Keller’s champion Broncos, He followed a pin with two victories by technical fall, with the second of those in the semifinals in 4:10 over Lincoln-Way West’s Carter DiBenedetto (14-5), who went on to take third place with an 11-3 major decision over Cantu (11-3). For fifth place, Glenbard West’s  Manny Rodriguez (11-8) won an 18-6 major decision over Carl Sandburg’s Zayne Salah (10-6). In the seventh-place match, Minooka’s Casey Janicki (10-4) got a pin in 1:56 over Neenah, WI’s Garrett Nedens (8-5). 

132 – Ryan Dorn, Barrington

Ryan Dorn was one of six individuals who repeated as champions at the Rex Whitlatch Invite and this also happened to be the first tournament title that the Barrington junior has captured this season after taking second place in his own Moore-Prettyman-Dunn Invite to kick things off in 2025-2026. Now he’s looking to take the next step forward at a more significant competition at the end of this season, the IHSA Finals, where the fourth-ranked individual at 132 in 3A looks to reach the awards stand this season after coming up short of that goal the past two seasons.

Dorn (14-2) joined Jimmy Whitaker (144) as one of two champions, four finalists and seven top-five finishers for coach Dan Keller’s Broncos, who made the move from sixth-place in 2024 to champions this year after edging Glenbard West 219.5-217 for top honors of the event. He earned his spot on top of the awards stand for the second time with an 11-0 major decision over Minooka junior Maddux Tindal in the 132 title match. His other three matches were wins by technical fall, making him one of six in the invite who achieved that feat, and he earned his spot in the 132 title match with a win in 5:36 over Maine South’s Brett Harman in the semifinals. He finished in eighth place for the most team points with 31, which also led the Broncos.

“Our goal is obviously to win the tournament and as a team, I think we’re doing pretty well,” Dorn said. “Some of our guys dropped out, but I think as a team we’re doing well. We work hard in the room and then we’re really close as a team. Our bond is good and we’re really tight and I feel that makes us wrestle better. I’m just working hard, me and my main practice partner, Kaleb Pratt, who took second, but he had a close match against a good opponent.”

Tindal (10-2) was the lone finalist and one of eight top-eight finishers for the eighth-place Indians, who are coached by 2025 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Michael Kimberlin. Ranked sixth at 132 in 3A and a state qualifier last season after placing third in Texas in 2024, Tindal made it to the finals of a tournament for the first time this season after opening with a win by technical fall, following with a pin and then capturing a 10-5 decision in the semifinals over Lincoln-Way West’s Brady Glynn (16-4), a state qualifier last year who’s ranked tenth at 132 in 3A, took third with a 7-6 win over Harman (15-3). For fifth place, Downers Grove South’s Jadon Dinwiddie (17-3) claimed a 16-10 decision over DeKalb’s Ayden Shuey. And for seventh, Carl Sandburg’s Macarten Parker (11-5) won by fall in 1:26 over West Aurora’s Peter Kabene (9-10). 

138 – Griff Powell, Lyons Township

Griff Powell is not only excited to be able to compete for his father, also Griff Powell, at Lyons Township, but he recently announced that he will be able to follow in his footsteps at the University of Illinois, where his dad was a four-time NCAA qualifier and an All-American in 2002. The Lions senior, who’s ranked second at 138 in 3A, hopes to improve upon his sixth-place finish at 132 last season and also do something that only Will Lepsi and Bill Zeman have achieved at Lyons Township, which is to be an IHSA champion who is also a two-time medalist. He added to a season-opening title at Barrington by winning the Rex Whitlatch Invitational title at 138 when he captured a 14-3 major decision over Lincoln-Way West junior Shane Stream.

Powell (18-0), who joined Neenah, WI’s Declan Koch (18-0 at 165) as the only unbeaten champions at the Rex Whitlatch, was his team’s lone title winner and joined Jimmy Hillmann as finalists and two others who were top-eight placewinners for the Lions. After opening with a quick pin, he was a winner by technical fall in his next matches. He earned his spot in the 138 finals after beating Glenbard West’s Alejandro Aranda in 4:39 in the semifinals. He tied Oak Park and River Forest’s Jamiel Castleberry and Koch for fourth for most team points with 32.

“It’s awesome,” Powell said. “It feels good, it’s a reassuring thing, knowing I’m getting better every day and just dominating the competition, that’s the goal. I think the biggest thing is separating myself from other competition, knowing I’m better, knowing guys can’t compete with me and trying to dominate them. I practice with our coaches. Some of our guys, they’re less experienced, but it’s good practicing some new moves on them and It helps you understand the moves better. (About signing with Illinois). It’s awesome. It’s going to be fun getting down there, experiencing the new level and getting better.” 

Stream (14-3) joined champion Jimmy Talley (215) as one of the two finalists and eight who placed eighth or better for the third-place Warriors, who are coached by 2020 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Brian Glynn, an Illini teammate of Powell’s in 2001-2002 and an All-American at the UI in 2004 and 2005. Ranked ninth at 138 in 3A, Stream hopes to get back to state after falling one win shy of advancing from the Joliet Central Sectional. After opening with two falls, he reached the 138 title match with a 12-6 decision over Geneseo’s Landen Vincent. Aranda (16-5), one of five seniors who placed in the top eight at the Whitlatch for the fourth time, took third with an 11-6 decision over Oswego’s Aiden Ortiz (15-3). For fifth place, Vincent (9-4) won by fall in 1:47 over Neenah, WI’s Jaxon Ennis (15-5). For seventh, Downers Grove North’s Alex Hengles (16-2) won by technical fall in 4:00 over Hinsdale Central’s Anthony Mayen (12-5).   

144 – Jimmy Whitaker, Barrington

Jimmy Whitaker did not participate in last year’s Rex Whitlatch Invite so for the Barrington senior to win a title at 144 was certainly a big deal, both individually and for his role on the team. With every point at a premium in the chase for the team title between the Broncos and Glenbard West, the 2024 state qualifier who’s ranked ninth in 3A at 144, joined Ryan Dorn (132) as one of two champions and four finalists for coach Dan Keller’s championship team, which claimed top honors in the 25-team invite with 219.5 points, which was 2.5 points better than the Hilltoppers. 

Whitaker (14-3), who finished fourth at his school’s Moore-Prettyman-Dunn Invite to begin the season, won a 16-6 major decision over Oak Park and River Forest senior Zev Koransky in the 144 title match. He had a quick pin in his opener, followed that with a win by technical fall and then captured a 7-1 decision over Stevenson’s Val Vihrov in the semifinals. He was one of seven Broncos who took fifth or better to help them improve from a sixth place finish in 2024.

“It just feels like our team’s starting to finally come together,” Whitaker said. “The last few years, we’ve been very good. I think this year, a lot of kids are starting to step it up a lot more, and we’re starting to win a lot of these bigger matches more often. A lot of it came from the offseason and in the fall I was working out at Relentless, and I think they’re a really good program. Coming back from an injury was kind of hard but I’ve bounced back this year. I like how hard-working our group is. Every single day, people are pushing each other. I feel like there’s a lot of leaders on my team.” 

Koransky (13-4), who is ranked tenth at 144 and qualified for state in 2025 and 2023, also was a runner-up at Washington Community after placing fourth at Marmion Academy. He was one of four finalists and the lone runner-up for the fourth-place Huskies, who are now coached by Jason Renteria, who was a two-time IHSA champion and four-time medalist at OPRF. He followed a fall with a 9-3 decision and then recorded a win by technical fall in 4:41 over Carl Sandburg’s Oscar Kalman in the semifinals. He was one of five seniors, and two from OPRF with David Ogunsanya the other, who placed in the top eight four times at the Whitlatch. In the third-place match, Vihrov (18-3) won a 13-2 major decision over Kalman (11-4). For fifth place, Downers Grove North’s Caden Chiarelli (9-4) recorded a pin in 4:34 over Geneseo’s Malaki Jackson (9-7), And in the seventh-place match, Wheaton North’s Jacob Veltri (14-4) captured a 16-2 major decision over Glenbard West’s Brennen Myra (14-7).

150 – Vince Tortoriello, Glenbard West

Vince Tortoriello made the significant jump from being an eighth-place finisher last year at 150 as a junior to becoming a champion as a senior at that same weight in the Rex Whitlatch Invite. Not only is that type of improvement difficult to achieve in one of the state’s perennially-toughest competitions but it was also very important for Glenbard West, which was in the title hunt throughout two days after making the leap from seventh place and 70 points behind champion Carl Sandburg in last year to battling down to the wire with Barrington until the final matches.

Tortoriello (16-1) joined Aidan Ortega (106) as a champion and was one of three finalists and eight others who placed eighth or better to help the Hilltoppers to collect 217 points, which was just 2.5 points behind the champion Broncos, who improved from a sixth-place finish a year ago. A state qualifier for the first time last season who’s ranked eighth at 150, he added to a title at Joliet Central and a runner-up finish at Barrington when he edged Rockford East senior Dana Wickson 5-4 in the 150 title match. After opening with two victories by technical fall, Tortoriello captured another tight decision, 4-2, over Maine South’s Gavin Hoerr in the semifinals. 

“Our team did really good,” Tortoriello said. “We had a huge improvement from last year, which is great to see. We’ve been at a lot of tough tournaments this year. Our coach changed up our schedule from last year, so we’re seeing better competition before state. It’s been a real great time being able to compete in these big tournaments. These long tournaments really help you get better and prepare you for state, and you get to spend a lot of time with your team, which really helps. Definitely my favorite thing about our team is that we’re really close. We’ve all been together since freshman and sophomore year. We’re a really close team and we’re really close with our coaches as well, so it’s been great. Really, I just haven’t stopped working. Last year, I didn’t get the results that I wanted at downstate, so I put my whole offseason or preseason into it, and I’ve been really working at it, and the results are paying off.”

Wickson (12-4), ranked fifth at 150 in 2A, also claimed second place at his own E-Rab Giardini Invite. A two-time state qualifier who was fifth at 150 last season, he joined classmate Ty Smart (157) as second-place finishers to lead the way for coach Gene Lee’s E-Rabs. After opening with two first-period falls, Wickson prevailed 7-5 by ultimate tiebreaker over West Aurora’s Evan Matkovich in the semifinals. In the third-place match, Oak Park and River Forest’s Aiden Noyes (15-4) won by fall in 1:50 over South Elgin’s Logan Dilallo (13-3). Matkovich (11-6) claimed fifth place by medical forfeit over Hoerr (13-2), who’s ranked tenth at 150 in 3A and was an IHSA qualifier in 2024. And in the seventh-place match, Lincoln-Way West’s Max Munn (15-6) won a 5-2 decision over Minooka’s Ben Cyrkiel (12-4). 

157 – David Ogunsanya, Oak Park and River Forest

David Ogunsanya got a taste of the awards stand at the IHSA Finals in 2024 when he placed sixth at 150 but he fell short of a medal in his return trip to Champaign. Now the Oak Park and River Forest senior is hoping that one last appearance downstate sees him finish with one of the top medals at his weight class. His 14-5 major decision over Rockford East senior Ty Smart to claim the 157 title at the Rex Whitlatch Invite is a big step toward that goal after placing second at Washington Community and fourth in his season-opening tournament at Marmion Academy.

Ogunsanya (14-3) joined Michael Rundell (113) and Jamiel Castleberry (126) as one of three title winners, which was an invite-high, for the fourth-place Huskies, who are coached by one of OPRF’s three four-time state medal winners, Jason Renteria, who also was a two-time IHSA champion. Ranked fifth at 157 in 3A and a third-place Whitlatch finisher a year ago, he opened with a win by technical fall, followed with a pin and earned his spot in the 157 title match with another victory by technical fall, in 4:17, over Barrington’s Daniel Blanke in the semifinals. He finished seventh for the most team points with 31.5. He also joined teammate Zev Koransky and three others as the only seniors who had top-eight finishes in all four of their years at the invite.

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“One of the biggest things I would say that’s different is in my freshman year, we were pushing, we were growing, we were building, and we were in that phase,” Ogunsanya said. “But now, one of the biggest things that I appreciate is just the energy and the youthfulness that each coach brings. You can tell they’re always giving 120 percent of their energy. There are times where coaches will reach out or I’ll reach out to them and they’re willing to spend two hours, three hours outside of their time on those practice days when they have work in the morning and things like that. They’re just willing to sacrifice, give everything to coach these young wrestlers that are rising up. So I think that’s really the biggest thing, that’s a big change. And then with coach Jason Renteria, it really helps because not only is he a four-time finalist and a two-time state champ from OPRF, but also he has collegiate experience. He trained with the Iowa Hawkeyes and he trained with Nebraska. So he’s with all these big names, and he has a lot of connections. He’s just getting us out there, giving us the opportunities, the challenges, the difficulties and just allowing us to grow from those struggles.” 

Smart (15-2), who joined classmate Dana Wickson (150) as finalists for coach Gene Lee’s E-Rabs, was hoping to add to the title that he captured at his own Giardini Invite. A two-time state qualifier who placed fifth at 157 last season and is ranked third at 157 in 2A, his first two victories were by technical fall and he earned his spot on the 157 title mat with a 6-4 decision over Neenah, WI’s Landen Sheppard in the semifinals. Blanke (15-3), an IHSA qualifier last year who’s ranked sixth at 157 in 3A, claimed third place with a pin in 2:25 over Sheppard (16-3). Glenbard West’s Jondelle Malunay (21-5) claimed fifth place by medical forfeit over Maine South’s Caden Ljubenko (14-3), who’s ranked tenth at 157 in 3A. And for seventh, West Aurora’s Malan Hatfield (13-4) won 10-7 over Carl Sandburg’s Obaida Hasan (13-4).

165 – Declan Koch, Neenah, WI

Declan Koch won his second-straight Rex Whitlatch Invite title after capturing an 8-0 major decision over Geneseo junior Izaac Gaines in the 165 title match. The Neenah, WI senior also joined Lyons Township 138 champion Griff Powell as the only two title winners who were still unbeaten, and both had 18-0 records. Koch was the lone finalist and one of nine top-eight finishers for coach Kyle Kleuskens’ fifth-place Rockets. He’s a three-time WIAA medalist and has finished in second place in Division 1 in the last two seasons. After opening with two falls, he claimed a 13-1 major decision over Lincoln-Way West’s Max Herman in the semifinals. He was a four-time finalist in the Whitlatch, placing second in 2022 and 2023, and also was one of the five seniors in the competition who finished in the top eight for four-straight years. 

Gaines (16-2), who joined Kye Weinzierl (175) as one of two-second-place finishers and seven top-eight placewinners for coach Tom Rusk’s seventh place Maple Leafs, earned his spot in the 165 finals with a fall in 1:30 over Glenbard West’s Tallis Taylor in the semifinals. A two-time state qualifier who’s ranked second at 165 in 2A and won a title at Rockford East, he claimed victories by technical fall in his first two matches. In the third-place match, Carl Sandburg’s Brady Ritter (15-2), a two-time IHSA qualifier who was ranked fourth at 157 in 3A, won an 8-1 decision over Herman (16-5), who’s ranked fifth at 165 in 3A. Minooka junior Kaden Meyer (10-4) took fifth with a fall in 1:55 over Taylor (13-5). And for seventh, Oak Park and River Forest’s Jeremiah Hernandez (13-7) won a 13-7 decision over Lyons Township’s Cornell Fennessee (12-7).

175 – Dayne Serio, West Aurora

Dayne Serio finished sixth last season at 165 in 3A to claim his first medal in his second trip to the IHSA Finals. Now he’d like to accomplish what his brother Dominic, who’s now competing at Ohio University, was able to achieve last season when he became a two-time state medalist and appeared in the 3A 157 title match, where he was edged 4-3 by Mount Carmel’s Liam Kelly, to become just the ninth individual from West Aurora to win multiple state medals. He won his first title of the season at the Rex Whitlatch after placing third at Marmion Academy in his only other tournament by claiming a 1-0 decision over Geneseo senior Kye Weinzierl in the 175 finals.

Serio (16-1) was the lone champion, a finalist along with runner-up Gabriel Richmond (113) and one of seven top-eight placewinners for coach Andrew Plata’s Blackhawks, who finished in ninth place. Ranked third at 175 in 3A, he claimed wins by technical fall in each of his other three matches, joining Weinzierl and four other individuals as the only ones in the competition who were able to achieve that feat. Serio, who finished in third place at last year’s Whitlatch, earned his spot in the 175 championship match with a victory in 1:12 over Barrington’s Sam Cushman. 

“Every time I’m in the practice room I think about my losses and how I can improve on that,” Serio said “And that pretty much just sparks a flame. So when I’m thinking that I’m tired, I’m tired, I’m done, I just keep going. I hate losing, I hate losing, I don’t like that feeling. Our team is literally a family and everybody loves each other and everybody’s friends. We all go out to lunch and go out to dinner. And we do summer workouts, about four days a week in the summer. It’s nonstop. We’re all family there. It’s a great atmosphere. Hopefully at the end of the year, the expected reward is going to be a little bigger.”  

Weinzierl (9-1), who fell to IC Catholic Prep’s Brody Kelly in last season’s IHSA 2A title match at 175, joined runner-up Izaac Gaines (165) as the top finishers among seven top-eight medal winners for coach Tom Rusk’s Maple Leafs, who finished in seventh place. Ranked second to Brody Kelly in 2A at 175, this was the first tournament of the season for the three-time state qualifier. As with Serio, his other three matches were victories by technical fall and the third of those came in 3:49 over Carl Sandburg’s Adnan Askar in the semifinals. In the third-place match, Cushman (13-5) won by fall in 2:39 over Askar (12-4). For fifth place, Downers Grove South’s Noah Greene (15-7), who collected the most total match points with 86, won by technical fall in 5:22 over Maine South’s Marty Greif (5-6). And Neenah, WI’s Connor Simons (8-6) took seventh place by medical forfeit over Glenbard West’s Vince Schoettle (10-6).

190 – Aaron Stewart, Warren Township

Aaron Stewart has faced some very challenging opponents in the early going of his senior season for Warren Township and lost to three of them, Marian Central Catholic’s Jimmy Mastny in the 190 finals at Marmion Academy to begin the season and then one week before the Rex Whitlatch Invite, back-to-back setbacks at the prestigious Ironman in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio to Lawrence North, IN’s Michael White and Blair Academy, NJ’s Salah Tsarni. But as the IHSA 3A champion at 175 in 2025 over Homewood-Flossmoor’s RJ Robinson and at 157 in 2024 knows all too well, it’s not where you start, but where you finish. The three-time state medalist who took third at 152 in 2023 is determined to end his Blue Devils career as a three-time IHSA champion. 

Stewart became a rare four-time Rex Whitlatch champion when he won the 190 title with a fall in 1:16 over Wheaton North senior Ryan Rosch. He joins junior teammate and fellow two-time IHSA champion Caleb Noble (120) as two of the six repeat title winners, as well as the best finishers among four top-eight medalists for coach Brad Janecek’s Blue Devils. The top-ranked individual at 190 in 3A who also won a title at Neuqua Valley, opened his run to his fourth title with a pair of pins in the first minute before earning his spot in the 190 finals with a fall in 3:23 over Minooka’s Santino Capodice in the semifinals. He was of five individuals, and the lone champ, to record four falls. And he led all of the title winners for the most team points with 34.

He was also one of five seniors who placed in the top eight for four-straight years in the invite.   

“We come to this tournament every year and I think I’ve won every year,” Stewart said. “I’ve gone to Nationals, Worlds, so this is just a tournament where I come to work on my techniques and to get better. There’s never a day off. For me, I practice seven days a week, 365 days a year, you can’t take any days off if you want to be the best. (Reason for Warren Township’s success) Definitely our coaches. The coaches always care for us, work for us, they’re family to us. And our guys, we’re family, too. Most of these guys in our room, we grew up together since we were four or five years old. We’ve been together forever. Just knowing these guys, it makes it a lot easier to work harder.”

Rosch (15-2), who’s ranked sixth at 175 in 3A, finished second for a second time with the 2025 IHSA qualifier also taking second place at Barrington to kick off the season. The senior was the lone finalist for coach Tim Walker’s Falcons. He recorded wins by technical fall in his first two matches before earning his spot in the 190 finals with a pin in 1:48 in the semifinals over Neenah, WI’s Kaden Roth (16-2) who went on to claim third with a fall in 1:43 over Capodice (10-4). In the fifth-place match, Barrington’s Aaron Jafri (13-6) claimed a 15-4 major decision over Downers Grove South’s Daniel Mensah (11-6). And for seventh, Lyons Township’s Luke Wilhelm (15-6) won 8-5 by sudden victory over Downers Grove North’s Jack Helsdon (11-8).

215 – Jimmy Talley, Lincoln-Way West

Jimmy Talley definitely dashed some hopes while also boosting the spirits of others as the Lincoln-Way West senior claimed a victory by technical fall in 2:39 over Glenbard West junior Phin Codinha in the 215 finals at the Rex Whitlatch Invitational. That win denied the Hilltoppers’ hopes of passing Barrington for the team title in the late going while also assuring that Talley’s Warriors would finish ahead of Oak Park and River Forest for third-place honors. But of equal  significance for Talley, his first tournament title of the season suggests that he might not just be able to qualify for the IHSA Finals for the first time, but also may be able to win a medal there.

Talley (15-2), ranked ninth at 215 in 3A, won 36 matches last season but failed to advance to the IHSA Finals from the Joliet Central Sectional. He placed fifth at Marmion Academy but then made another big statement at the Dan Gable Donnybrook in Iowa when he placed second to Bettendorf, IA’s Lincoln Jipp at 215. A year ago at the Whitlatch, he took third, but there was no drama this time as he won his initial three matches with first-period falls, with the last of those in 1:45 in the semifinals over Downers Grove North’s Nate Olona. His title run resulted in him tying Oak Park and River Forest’s Michael Rundell for the second-most team points with 33.5, which was just one-half point behind the leader, Warren Township’s Aaron Stewart. A finalist along with runner-up Shane Stream (138), he was one of eight top-eight finishers for the third-place Warriors, who are coached by 2020 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Brian Glynn.

“We’ve got a few guys out now, too and we’re still putting third, putting up good numbers,” Talley said. “(What’s he done to get better) I finally learned to move my feet. In years before, I was just a big defensive wrestler and I finally started moving my feet. (West’s coaching staff) A lot of them are my practice partners, too. I think we have, like nine seniors starting on the team right now. And we’ve all been wrestling with each other for four years.”

Codinha (6-3) joined champions Aidan Ortega (106) and Vince Tortoriello (150) as finalists and was also one of the 11 top-eight finishers for coach Pat McCluskey’s Hilltoppers, who placed seventh last year but made a great run for the team title before being edged by Barrington 219.5-217 for top honors. Codinha, who won 30 matches last season but fell one win shy of advancing from the Naperville North Regional, opened with a quick fall and then won a 19-9 major decision before earning his spot in the 215 finals with a 3-1 decision over Downers Grove South’s Chris Cali. In the third-place match, Geneseo’s Colten Mooney (14-4) claimed a 4-3 decision over Carl Sandburg’s Wyatt Hochgraber (14-4). For fifth place, Olona (14-3) won by fall in 4:20 over Cali (11-7). And for seventh place, Stevenson’s Aaron Von Heimburg (9-5) recorded  a pin in 0:34 over Neenah, WI’s Willy Brucks (10-7).   

285 – Colin Murphy, Downers Grove North

Colin Murphy didn’t compete in last year’s Rex Whitlatch Invite and was listed as having no varsity matches when he competed in Batavia’s Arlis Invite in January as a non-scoring competitor for Downers Grove North and he actually lost a 1-0 decision in the semifinals before settling for sixth place in the tournament. It’s quite a long ways to go from that showing to winning a championship at the Whitlatch Invitational and also being ranked sixth at 285 in 3A, but that’s what has unfolded for the Trojans senior after he claimed first place at 285 by injury default in 4:00 over Lyons Township senior Jimmy Hillmann to improve to 15-1 on the season.

Murphy opened with a fall before winning consecutive 4-1 decisions. The second of those came in the semifinals when he beat Minooka’s Robbie Murphy. He was one of six individuals who placed eighth or better for coach Chris McGrath’s Trojans, who finished 11th. Murphy avenged his only defeat, which came one week earlier in Downers Grove South’s Larry Gassen Duals Invite when he was pinned by Geneseo’s Josh Stahl, who he beat 4-1 in the quarterfinals.

Hillmann (16-3), who joined champion Griff Powell (138) as finalists for coach Griff Powell’s Lions, won three-straight decisions to reach the 285 title match, with the last of those being by a 10-6 score over Glenbard West’s Marc Tchapda in the semifinals. In the third-place match, Robbie Murphy (13-1), a 2025 IHSA qualifier who’s ranked seventh at 285 in 3A, pulled out a 2-1 victory over Stahl (15-3). For fifth place, Tchapda (17-5) won a 6-3 decision over West Aurora’s Alfonso Aguilar (12-6). And in the seventh-place match, Neenah, WI’s Brayden Milbrodt (12-8) was a 5-2 winner over Warren Township’s Nolan Lopez. 

Final standings of Hinsdale Central’s Rex Whitlatch Invitational

Barrington 219.5, Glenbard West 217, Lincoln-Way West 193.5, Oak Park and River Forest 191.5, Neenah, WI 177.5, Carl Sandburg 168, Geneseo 162.5, Minooka 148.5, West Aurora 146.5, Stevenson 120.5, Downers Grove North 119, Downers Grove South 118, Warren Township 105.5, Lyons Township 102, Wheaton North 94.5, Maine South 81.5, Rockford East 73.5, DeKalb 70, Neuqua Valley 52.5, Oswego 50, Hinsdale Central 46.5, Hinsdale South 41.5, South Elgin 29.5, Willowbrook 25, Belleville West 15.5

Championship matches of Hinsdale Central’s Rex Whitlatch Invitational

106 – Aidan Ortega (Glenbard West) over Stefan Vihrov (Stevenson), D 10-3

113 – Michael Rundell (Oak Park and River Forest) over Gabriel Richmond (West Aurora), F 1:31

120 – Caleb Noble (Warren Township) over Kaleb Pratt (Barrington), D 3-2

126 – Jamiel Castleberry (Oak Park and River Forest) over Saul Ramirez (Barrington), MD 16-4

132 – Ryan Dorn (Barrington) over Maddux Tindal (Minooka), MD 11-0

138 – Griff Powell (Lyons Township) over Shane Stream (Lincoln-Way West), MD 14-3

144 – Jimmy Whitaker (Barrington) over Zev Koransky (Oak Park and River Forest), MD 16-6

150 – Vince Tortoriello (Glenbard West) over Dana Wickson (Rockford East), D 5-4

157 – David Ogunsanya (Oak Park and River Forest) over Ty Smart (Rockford East), MD 14-5

165 – Declan Koch (Neenah, WI) over Izaac Gaines (Geneseo), MD 8-0

175 – Dayne Serio (West Aurora) over Kye Weinzierl (Geneseo), D 1-0

190 – Aaron Stewart (Warren Township) over Ryan Rosch (Wheaton North), F 1:16

215 – Jimmy Talley (Lincoln-Way West) over Phin Codinha (Glenbard West), TF 2:39

285 – Colin Murphy (Downers Grove North) over Jimmy Hillmann (Lyons Township), Inj. 4:00

Third-place matches of Hinsdale Central’s Rex Whitlatch Invitational

106 – Julian Hartwig (DeKalb) over Anthony Hayes (Carl Sandburg), D 1-0

113 – Kyle Hayes (Carl Sandburg) over Broden Butzke (Neenah, WI), F 1:34

120 – Evan Mishels (Stevenson) over Tanner Stone (Downers Grove South), MD 13-5

126 – Carter DiBenedetto (Lincoln-Way West) over Marcelo Cantu (Stevenson), MD 11-3

132 – Brady Glynn (Lincoln-Way West) over Brett Harman (Maine South), D 7-6

138 – Alejandro Aranda (Glenbard West) over Aiden Ortiz (Oswego), D 11-6

144 – Val Vihrov (Stevenson) over Oscar Kalman (Carl Sandburg), MD 13-2

150 – Aiden Noyes (Oak Park and River Forest) over Logan Dilallo (South Elgin), F 1:50

157 – Daniel Blanke (Barrington) over Landen Sheppard (Neenah, WI), F 2:25

165 – Brady Ritter (Carl Sandburg) over Max Herman (Lincoln-Way West), D 8-1

175 – Sam Cushman (Barrington) over Adnan Askar (Carl Sandburg), F 2:39

190 – Kaden Roth (Neenah, WI) over Santino Capodice (Minooka), F 1:43

215 – Colten Mooney (Geneseo) over Wyatt Hochgraber (Car Sandburg), D 4-3

285 – Robbie Murphy (Minooka) over Josh Stahl (Geneseo), D 2-1

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

UNITY INVITATIONAL

First-place finishes from Connor Collins (106), Brandon Gaither (113), Caleb Peters (190) helped Olympia win the 14-team Unity Invitational. The Spartans finished with 229 points to outpace Notre Dame (179.5), which edged out Benton (178.5) for second-place honors. Marquette (156) and host Unity (154.5) closed out the top five squads. 

“I’m really happy with how the boys competed,” Olympia coach Josh Collins said. “There was a lot of tough competition and the team performed well. We’ve got a fairly young team and we’re excited for their future and the future success of Olympia Wrestling. We still have a few adjustments to make in our lineup, and are hopeful that we will continue to improve throughout the season. We’ve got a lot of big goals we want to achieve as a team.”

1st: Olympia (229)

In addition to titles from Collins, Gaither and Peters, the Spartans brought back one second-place, four third-place and one fourth-place finishes. Darian Holloway placed second at 285, while Tucker Garey (126), Carter Knobloch (132), Kaden Collins (157) and Isaac Warnock (175) each won third-place matches. Cohen Maness (215) finished fourth. 

“We had three individual champions,” Collins said. “Connor Collins was the champion at 106 pounds. He’s a freshman that we’re really excited to have. We also had a champion in sophomore Brandon Gaither at 113. Brandon was a state placer at 106 pounds last season, and is on track to have another great season. Our third champion was freshman Caleb Peters at 190 pounds. This was his first tournament of the season as he’s been rehabbing from a football injury. We were really excited about how he performed in his return to competition.”

2nd: Notre Dame (179.5)

Remington Joesting (132) and Brady Mullens (285) won first-place matches to pace the Irish. Jesus DeLa Cruz (113), Christian Johnson (126) and Alijah Atkins (165) finished second, while Freddie Couri (120) and Thomas Baker (215) came in third. 

3rd: Benton (178.5)

The Rangers were powered first-place finishes by Zane Stanley (120) and Kaden Blades (144), while Derek Wilkey (150) and Peyton Robinson (157) added second-place finishes. Braxton Tittle (106) and Talon Hughes (190) came out with third-place finishes, while Eli Wilkey (138) placed fourth to cap the Rangers top-four finishing individuals. 

Final team scores: 

Olympia 229, Notre Dame 179.5, Benton 178.5, Marquette 156, Unity 154.5, Rochester 114, McNamara 111, Carterville 102, Camp Point Central 80.5, Charleston 73.5, Hoopeston Area 63.5, Peotone 58, Tremont 53.5, Urbana 44.

Additional champions: 126 Aiden Bell (Hoopeston Area); 138 Trotter Titus (Charleston); Hayden Smith (Unity); 157 Ben Mullins (Unity); 165 Abram Davidson (Unity); 175 Reily Leifheit; 215 Alex Schaefer (Marquette).

Statistics: Olympia posted the most pins in the least time with 24 in 45:23 and also earned the most tech falls in the least time with eight in 21:47. The Spartans also had the most total match points with 318. 

Individually, Kayden Thomas of Olympia had the most pins in the least time with four in 5:50, while Jack Welch of Camp Point Central had the fastest fall in 18 seconds. 

Caleb Peters (Olympia), Brady Mullens (Notre Dame) and Reily Leifheit (Marquette) each earned a tournament-high 30 team points, while Brandon Gaither of Olympia led with 57 total match points. Marquette’s Alex Schaefer provided the largest seed-place difference, as the No. 12 seed placed first at 215.

Championship match results:

106: Connor Collins (Olympia) TF 3:57 Dakota Harmon (Marquette) 

113: Brandon Gaither (Olympia) TF 1:59 Jesus DeLa Cruz (Notre Dame) 

120: Zane Stanley (Benton) TF 2:29 Isaac Wood (Carterville) 

126: Aiden Bell (Hoopeston Area) Fall 5:17 Christian Johnson (Notre Dame) 

132: Remington Joesting (Notre Dame) D 11-5 Case Hughes (Camp Point Central)

138: Trotter Titus (Charleston) F 3:10 Alex Kostecka (McNamara) 

144: Kaden Blades (Benton) Inj. 0:00 Hunter Shike (Unity)

150: Hayden Smith (Unity) D 15-8 Derek Wilkey (Benton) 

157: Ben Mullins (Unity) TF 5:55 Peyton Robinson (Benton) 

165: Abram Davidson (Unity) D 7-1 Alijah Atkins (Notre Dame) 

175: Reily Leifheit (Marquette) F 3:22 Josh Heath (Unity)

190: Caleb Peters (Stanford (Olympia) F 0:49 Tristin Golden (McNamara) 

215: Alex Schaefer (Marquette) TF 4:08 Connor Broughton (Rochester) 

285: Brady Mullens (Notre Dame) Inj. 0:00 Darian Holloway (Olympia)

Third-place match results: 

106: Braxton Tittle (Benton) Fall 5:32 Harrison Kolba (Rochester)

113: Evan Johnson (McNamara) F 1:50 Austin Barr (Rochester) 

120: Freddie Couri (Notre Dame) TF 4:00 Logan Leskanich (Marquette) 

126: Tucker Garey (Olympia) F 3:17 Miles Carroll (Rochester) 

132: Carter Knobloch (Stanford (Olympia) F 3:03 Blake Arseneau (McNamara) 

138: AJ Daly (Unity) MD 15-1 Eli Wilkey (Benton) 

144: Beau Thompson (Marquette) TF 2:41 Luke Lubert (Peotone) 

150: Gavin Slack (Carterville) F 0:35 Jordan Karmide (Peotone) 

157: Kaden Collins (Olympia) TF 2:17 Dorin Coss (Hoopeston Area) 

165: James Escobar (Rochester) F 1:14 Malik Mosley (Urbana) 

175: Isaac Warnock (Olympia) F 3:03 Bradley Smith (Unity)

190: Talon Hughes (Benton) F 4:24 Evan Pane (Peotone) 

215: Thomas Baker (Notre Dame) F 0:57 Cohen Maness (Olympia) 

285: Colton Maltby (Rochester) F 1:13 Remi Bryant (Charleston)

CLINTON HOLIDAY INVITATIONAL

Warrensburg Latham edged Clifton Central 277.5-274 to take home the team title at the Clinton Holiday Invitational. Westville (208), El Paso-Gridley (197.5) and Heyworth (177.5) completed the top five finishers in the 15-team event. Four Cardinals finished in first place, including Taygan Gossard (120), Zayden Mansfield (126), Francisco Lopez Banderas (138) and Charlie Wittmer (157). Six other Cardinals had top-four finishes in their weight classes.

“To be in the team race today, right up until the last few matches was a testament to our kids and the way they prepared going into this tournament while being student-athletes and preparing for finals and getting better in the room every night,” Warrensburg Latham coach Garrett Knock said. “We have found success in the four years that I have been at Warrensburg-Latham, but this was one of those moments that felt really good as a coach and where the program has grown too.”

1st: Warrensburg-Latham (277.5)

In addition to titles from Gossard, Mansfield, Lopez Banderas and Wittmer, the Cardinals had a second-place finish from Jack Kerley (285) and a third-place finish from Graham Blackwell (215). 

“Super proud of the way our kids stepped up today and took it match by match,” Knock said. “Seniors Charlie Wittmer and Taygan Gossard did a good job bringing home bonus points wins and individual titles today. Zayden Mansfield and Francisco Lopez Banderas did a great job and really elevated themselves today with multiple bonus points wins and individual titles as well. We had 12 total placers on the day and I’m super excited these guys found a way to grind it out and make the podium, which in turn put us in a place to win the tournament.” 

2nd: Clifton Central (274)

The Comets soared with three first-place finishes by Giona Panozzo (150), Brody O’Connor (215) and Josh McCurry (285). They also had second-place finishes from Owen Robinson (132), Evan Cox (144), and Colton Vaughn (175). Beau Williams (120), Garrison Bailey (157) and John Randles (165) came out with third-place finishes. 

3rd: Westville (208)

The Tigers had two first-place finishers in Ty McMasters (165) and Ethan Miller (190), while Liam Hughes (157) came home with second place and Levi Miller (132) finished third. Fourth-place finishers included Kason Cramer (106), Connor Mahaffey (144), Jacob Jones (215), and Kendall Newell (285).

Final team scores:

Warrensburg-Latham 277.5, Clifton Central 274, Westville 208, El Paso-Gridley 197.5, Heyworth 177.5, Farmington 154.5, Clinton 146, Normal University 117.5, Ridgeview 102, East Alton-Wood River 98, Rantoul 54, Metro East Lutheran 47, DeLand-Weldon 40, McArthur 35.5, Taylorville 34.

Additional champions:

106 Kole Petta (El Paso-Gridley); 113 Isaac Showalter (Farmington); 132 Miles Dennis Metro East Lutheran; 144 Bradley Ellis (Farmington); 175 Tristan Stamp (Heyworth).

Statistics: 

Clifton Central posted the most pins in the least time with 33 in 57:55, while Clinton earned the most tech falls in the least time with five in 18:07. Invite-champion Warrensburg Latham scored the most total match points with 388. 

Individually, Ethan Miller of Westville had the most pins in the least time with five in 4:01, while Jacob Hoffman of Normal University and Colton Vaughn of Clifton Central tied with the fastest falls in eight seconds. 

Ethan Miller (Westville), Isaac Showalter (Farmington) and Francisco Lopez Banderas (Warrensburg Latham) each earned a tournament-high 36 team points, while McCoy Moody of Clinton led with 77 total match points. Normal University’s Max Beard and McArthur’s Braydence Pettyjohn each provided the largest seed-place differences. Beard was a 14th seed who placed sixth at 126 and Pettyjohn was a 13th seed who placed fifth, also at 126.

Championship match results:

106: Kole Petta (El Paso-Gridley) TF-1.5 3:22 Jayden Schmider (Farmington)

113: Isaac Showalter (Farmington) F 1:12 Sawyer Manning (Ridgeview) 

120: Taygan Gossard (Warrensburg Latham) F 2:56 Emmet Roeder (Heyworth)

126: Zayden Mansfield (Warrensburg Latham) D 10-4 Tom Erwin (El Paso-Gridley) 

132: Miles Dennis (Metro East Lutheran) F 2:15 Owen Robinson (Clifton Central)

138: Francisco Lopez Banderas (Warrensburg Latham) F 3:29 Zane Bartz (East Alton-Wood River) 

144: Bradlee Ellis (Farmington) TF-1.5 3:21 Evan Cox (Clifton Central) 

150: Giona Panozzo (Clifton Central) MD 13-2 Nate Godfery (Heyworth) 

157: Charlie Wittmer (Warrensburg Latham) F 3:48 Liam Hughes (Westville) 

165: Ty McMasters (Westville) TF-1.5 2:00 Brandon Almanza (Rantoul)

175: Tristan Stamp (Heyworth) TF-1.5 2:00 Colton Vaughn (Clifton Central) 

190: Ethan Miller (Westville) F 0:33 Bryson Foster (El Paso-Gridley)

215: Brody O’Connor (Clifton Central) D 7-5 Jarrod Fulcher (Heyworth)

285: Josh McCurry (Clifton Central) MD 13-2 Jack Kerley (Warrensburg Latham) 

Third-place match results: 

106: Mateo Anaya (Clinton) F 5:51 Kason Cramer (Westville)

113: Asa Reedy (Normal University) TF-1.5 4:00 Kevin Sanderson (Warrensburg Latham) 

120: Beau Williams (Clifton Central) F 1:44 Cayden Bostic (Clinton) 

126: McCoy Moody (Clinton) TF-1.5 3:42 Kolton Johnston (Heyworth)

132: Levi Miller (Westville) D 4-0 Ariel Lopez Banderas (Warrensburg Latham) 

138: Gage Williamson (Farmington) Fall 1:12 Aiden Douglas (Clinton) 

144: Landon Johnson (Wood River (East Alton-W.R.)  F 0:43 Conner Mahaffey (Westville)

150: Isreal Ramirez (Clinton) TF-1.5 4:46 Jackson Painter (Ridgeview)

157: Garrison Bailey (Clifton Central) D 8-2 Nolan Whitman (El Paso-Gridley) 

165: John Randles (Clifton Central) F 5:01 Logan Wagoner (Ridgeview) 

175: Andrew Schmid (Clinton) M. For. Hayden Washum (Normal University) 

190: Jarod Krigbaum (Warrensburg-L) F 4:58 Kamden Gaither (Warrensburg Latham) 

215: Graham Blackwell (Warrensburg Latham) F 3:11 Jacob Jones (Westville) 

285: Ben Buis (El Paso-Gridley) F 0:40 Kendall Newell (Westville)

METAMORA BOYS HOLIDAY CLASSIC 2025

Host Metamora took home an impressive win in its own tournament, clinching the Metamora Boys Holiday Classic 2025 with 172.5 points. The next closest team, St. Joseph Ogden, finished with 154 points, while Plainfield South took third with 151.5 points. Rounding out the top five were Richwoods with 125 points, and Galesburg with 118 points. 

Connor Graham (144), Grady Neal (157), and Jayden Lambert (215) each finished in first place in their weight classes for the Redbirds. Five other Metamora wrestlers came up with top-four finishes. 

1st: Metamora (172.5)

In addition to the first-place finishes from Graham, Neal and Lambert, Tanner Durst (120) and Mark Aeschliman (190) placed third in their respective weight classes. Meanwhile, Kade Schieber (132), Kamden Kobylarz (138) and Logan Grap (285) brought home fourth-place finishes for the Redbirds. 

2nd: St. Joseph Ogden (154)

The Spartans earned three second-place finishers in Levi Lee (106), George Hale (120), Aiden Hundley (138). They added another five third-place finishers in Ben Wells (113), Camden Getty (126), Nathan Daly (150), Alex Vaughn (165) and Cam Wagner (285).

3rd: Plainfield South (151.5)

Allen Cortez (106), Islom Ismanaliev (120), Sean Volf (138) and Chase Pierceall (190) each battled to first-place finishes for the Cougars, while Macon Bucon (215) clinched a second-place finish and Quon Hamilton (106) finished third.

Final team scores: Metamora 172.5, St. Joseph Ogden 154, Plainfield South 151.5, Richwoods 125, Galesburg 118, Geneva 102, Pontiac 94, Eureka 71, Ottawa Twp. 68, Dunlap 53.5, Streator Twp. 45.5, ROWVA 34.5, Manual 30, Peoria High 3, St. Thomas More 2, Granville Putnam County 0.

Additional champions:

113 Mayson Munson (Ottawa Twp.); 126 Jack Voights (Pontiac); 132: Henry Watson (Eureka), 150 Gabe Robb (Richwoods); 165 Jayden Schmick (Dunlap); 175 Lucas Maier (Pontiac); 285 Hunter McCullough (Pontiac).

Statistics: 

Champion Metamora posted the most pins in the least time with 18 in 40:10, while Eureka earned the most tech falls in the least time with six in 15:31. St. Joseph Ogden scored the most total match points with 300. 

Individually, Quinn Hogan of Geneva had the most pins in the least time with three in 3:07, while his teammate David Rueth had the fastest fall in 28 seconds. 

Metamora teammates Grady Neal and Connor Graham tied with a tournament-high 26 team points, while Braiden Tucker of Galesburg led with 65 total match points. Cam Wagner of St. Joseph Ogden provided the largest seed-place difference, as the ninth-seed finished third at 285.

Championship match results:

106: Allen Cortez (Plainfield South) F 1:39 Levi Lee (St. Joseph Ogden)

113: Mayson Munson (Ottawa Twp.) D 11-9 Devin DiSilvestro (Geneva) 

120: Islom Ismanaliev (Plainfield (South) F 1:06 George Hale (St. Joseph Ogden) 

126: Jack Voigts (Pontiac) F 3:58 Nathan Ortiz (Richwoods) 

132: Henry Watson (Eureka) TF 3:19 Landon Darst (Galesburg) 

138: Sean Volf (Plainfield (South) TF 5:44 Aiden Hundley (St. Joseph Ogden)

144: Connor Graham (Metamora) F 1:01 Finn Hoffman (Eureka)

150: Gabe Robb (Richwoods) TF 2:00 Beaudry Fisk (Galesburg) 

157: Grady Neal (Metamora) F 1:58 Josh Bousek (Richwoods) 

165: Jayden Schmick (Dunlap) D 11-5 over David Rueth (Geneva)

175: Lucas Maier (Pontiac) SV-1 8-5 Anthony Makwala (Galesburg)

190: Chase Pierceall (Plainfield South) F 1:28 Wes Weatherford (Ottawa Twp.) 

215: Jayden Lambert (Metamora) MD 14-2 Mason Bucon (Plainfield South) 

285: Hunter McCullough (Pontiac) Fall 3:58 Landon Petty (Galesburg) 

Third-place match results: 

106: Quon Hamilton (Plainfield South) F 1:47 Talan Price (ROWVA) 

113: Ben Wells (St. Joseph Ogden) F 3:06 Kegan Miller (ROWVA)

120: Tanner Durst (Metamora) TF 4:18 Conner Knapp (Eureka) 

126: Camden Getty (St. Joseph Ogden) D 6-2 Rohit Pallavajjala (Geneva) 

132: Garritt Benstine (Streator Twp.) Inj. 1:38 Kade Schieber (Metamora)

138: Jesus Martinez (Streator (Twp.) F 3:14 Kamden Kobylarz (Metamora)

144: La’Darius Green (Manual) F 5:08 Ashton Houdek (Ottawa (Twp.) 

150: Nathan Daly (St. Joseph Ogden) F 3:02 Sam Hoffman (Eureka) 

157: Jack Bernardi (Galesburg) F 2:54 James Conway (Geneva) 

165: Alex Vaughn (St. Joseph Ogden) F 2:20 Jayden Hermacinski (Richwoods) 

175: Braiden Tucker (Galesburg) D 10-3 Mason Taylor (Galesburg) 

190: Mark Aeschliman (Metamora) F 3:49 Cale Johnson (Galesburg) 

215: Quinn Hogan (Geneva) F 1:34 Nathan Cortez (Manual) 

285: Cam Wagner (St. Joseph Ogden) F 3:25 Logan Grap (Metamora)

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

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

Lady of Lane Tournament

With eight girls finishing in the top six of their weight classes, led by a pair of individual champions, Wheaton Warrenville South snatched the crown at Saturday’s 16-team Lady of Lane tournament.

Coach Justin Squillo’s Tigers won 205.5-190.5 over second-place Lane, followed by District 210 (185), Taft (137), and Riverside-Brookfield (128.5) to round out the top five team finishes.

“This has been a great year for girls wrestling at Wheaton Warrenville South so far,” Squillo said. “With tremendous buy-in from our returning wrestlers and our numbers over doubling from just 8 girls last year to 18 this year, it has put us in a position to be competitive from a team standpoint, which is exciting.”

Individual champions Sommer Kibbe (120) and Michelle Rojas-Tellez (170) both pinned their way through the tournament.

“Both girls are senior leaders on this team and have seen great success this season largely in part due to their buy-in and work ethic on the mat and in the weight room,” Squillo said.

Team scores
Wheaton Warrenville South 205.5, Lane 190.5, District 210 185, Taft 137, Riverside-Brookfield 128.5, Niles West 121, Addison Trail 113, Noble/ITW Speer 112, Maine East 104.5, New Trier 95, West Chicago 88.5, Maine West 77, Rolling Meadows 70, Lake View 55.5, Glenbrook North 38.5, Saint Viator 38

1st- Wheaton Warrenville South (205.5)
Louisa Enslen (145) and Lana Cummings (155) also reached the title mat for WW South in bringing home second-place finishes. The Tigers got thirds from Andrea Jaimes-Alvarez (100), Heidi Bourne (135) and Lyric Rockymore (235), and a fifth from Estrella Jaimes (110)

“After a good week of practice we came into this tournament motivated and emphasizing wrestling for the team,” Squillo said. “Recognizing that everyone is a contributor, the girls wrestled with a purpose.

Cummings and Rockymore are first-year wrestlers, while Rockymore and Enslen are freshmen.

“I’m very proud of the girls,” Squillo said. “Every girl – beyond just the place winners – wrestled hard, supported one another as a team and had fun. This group is embracing our program philosophy of ‘Out Work, Out Tough, Out Believe’. The hard work and toughness is showing on the mat and after this victory. I can see the girls really starting to believe in themselves and their team. I am looking forward to the rest of the season, hoping we can keep things rolling after the holidays.”

2nd- Lane (190.5)
Lane’s four individual champions were the most for any team, as Sofia Guerrero (100), Lauren Guerrero (115), Zabby Badru (135) and Ella Barbour (145. Coach Liam Cummins also got a third from Kenaiece Barrett (170), a fourth from Mumtaz Abdul Malik (140), fifths from Imyjah Jackson (130) and Layla Moreland (155), and a sixth from Natalia Cordova (130).

3rd- District 210 (185)
While the varsity girls from the co-op of the Lincoln-Way schools were busy winning this year’s Hampshire tournament, District 210’s lower level girls were placing third at Lane on Saturday.
They did it largely thanks to a tournament-leading 30 pins and nine girls placing in the top six of their weight classes.
D 210 got four third-place finishes from Georgia Erhardt (105), Abby Lizak (120), Kate Bohm (145) and Aryana Moran (155), fourths from Kaitlyn Erdakos (135), Avery Holeman (170), and Toni Robertson (235), and fifths from Leeya Kruizenga (100), Grace Hansen (125), and Giana Olds (140).

Additional champions
105 J Colbert (Lake View), 110 Sunny Aitzemkour (New Trier), 125 returning state medal winner Ariella Dobin (Glenbrook North), 130 Alena Oshana (Maine East), 140 Batula Nasib (West Chicago), 155 Danely Villagomez (Riverside-Brookfield), 190 Estefany Bejarano (Riverside-Brookfield), 235 Esmerelda Bustamante (Noble/ITW Speer)

Additional runners-up
100 Adali Cruz (Noble/ITW Speer), 105 Bella Garcia (Noble/ITW Speer), 110 Evalyn Idzik (Saint Viator), 115 Alyssa Martel (Taft), 120 Mackensie Szajda (West Chicago), 125 Evolet Mata (Addison Trail), 130 Zmorah Izenstark (New Trier), 135 Sarah Al Radi (Niles West), 140 Grace Graves (Maine West), 170 Sylvia Lupa (Addison Trail), 190 Oliyah McKay (Noble/ITW Speer), 235 Lyric Walton (Maine East)

Statistics
District 210 led the way with 30 pins in 50:09, while Glenbrook North’s 3 tech falls in 5:59 were the most techs in the least time by any team. Lane scored the most total match points of any team with 325 — a huge edge over the second-most posted by District 210 with 183 match points.
Individually, Taft’s Alicia Hoyou had the most pins in the least time with four falls in 4:19, while Glenbrook North’s Ariella Dobin had the most tech falls in the least time with three techs in 5:59. Dobin also had the fastest tech fall, in 1:27, she scored the most single match points in the tournament with 20, and finished with the most total match points with 58. Riverside-Brookfield’s Estefany Bejarano scored the most team points with 32.

Championship match results
100-Sofia Guerrero (Lane) TF 17-2 Adali Cruz (Noble/ITW Speer)
105-J Colbert (Lake View) F 1:43 Bella Garcia (Noble/ITW Speer)
110-Sunny Aitzemkour (New Trier) F 0:46 Evalyn Idzik (Saint Viator)
115-Lauren Guerrero (Lane) F 3:29 Alyssa Martel (Taft)
120-Sommer Kibbe (WW South) F 1:59 Mackensie Szajda (WEGO)
125-Ariella Dobin (Glenbrook N) TF 20-4 Evolet Mata (Addison Trail)
130-Alena Oshana (Maine E) F 4:46 Zmorah Izenstartk (New Trier)
135-Zabby Badru (Lane) F 3:31 Sarah Al Radi (Niles W)
140-Batula Nasib (WEGO) D 9-2 Grace Graves (Maine W)
145-Ella Barbour (Lane) D 5-0 Louisa Enslen (WW South)
155-Danely Villagomez (R-B) F 0:11 Lana Cummings (WW South)
170-Michelle Rojas (WW South) F 4:17 Sylvia Lupa (Addison Trail)
190-Estefany Bejarano (R-B) F 2:38 Oliyah McKay (Noble/ITW Speer)
235-Esmerelda Bustamante (Noble/ITW Speer) F 1:02 Lyric Walton (Maine E)

Third-place match results
100-Andrea Jaimes-Alvarez (Lane) F 0:42 Melina Valdez (Addison Trail)
105-Georgia Erhardt (D 210) F 2:48 Guadalupe Nava Perez (Rolling Meadows)
110-Eliana Badeen (Maine E) F 0:28 Monica Sanchez (WEGO)
115-Nour Al Radi (Niles W) F 0:10 Breanna Garcia (Addison Trail)
120-Abby Lizak (D 210) F 2:45 Liza Sarkees (Maine E)
125-Jennifer Arenas (Taft) F 0:53 Fiona Monaco (Saint Viator)
130-Layla Zbiec (Taft) D 9-5 Drea Lazzara (Addison Trail)
135-Heidi Bourne (WW South) F 2:00 Kaitlyn Erdakos (D 210)
140-Zoe Pomeranets (Niles W) fft. Mumtaz Abdul Malik (Lane)
145-Kate Bohms (D 210) F 1:45 Mia Shefi (New Trier)
155-Aryana Moran (D 210) F 1:27 Danna Gutierrez (Maine W)
170-Kenaiece Barrett (Lane) D 12-5 Avery Holeman (D 210)
190-Emma Wilson (Niles W) F 3:17 Amira Williams (Maine W)
235-Lyric Rockymore (WW South) F 2:24 Toni Robertson (D 210)

Joe Bee Memorial

Belleville West won its second girls’ Joe Bee Memorial title in the three-year history of the tournament Saturday, finishing 20 points ahead of the 33-team field at Lanphier.

Individual titles from Brooke Stellhorn (190) and Andre’a Kirkpatrick (235) led the way for Belleville West, which had 11 girls finish in the top 10 of their weight classes.

“Andre’a is in her fourth year of wrestling while Brooke is in her second,” Belleville West coach Mech Spraggins said. “Brooke is actually a soccer great player who came out to wrestle with some friends and has decided to stick with the sport.”

Belleville West fairly limped into the tournament, missing starters at 105, 115, and 120 pounds after placing second at this year’s 30-team War in Wentzville dual team tournament.

“I knew going into Saturday we’d have to make some adjustments in the lineup to even have a chance at winning it,” Spraggins said. “But it’s kind of nice being in the South Western Conference with teams like Edwardsville, which makes our bar very high. We’ll chase them until we close the gap and in the meantime we’ll collect as many team wins as we can along the way.”

Team scores:
Belleville West 164.5, LaSalle-Peru 144.5, Cahokia 96, Glenbard South 96, Jacksonville 94.5, Pekin 93, Granite City 91, Glenwood 82.5, Springfield Co-op 81.5, Civic Memorial 78.5, Mahomet-Seymour 73, Macomb 68, Oakwood/ Salt Fork 57, Bloomington 56, Paris 51.5, Cumberland 49, Olympia 48.5, Normal West 43, Clifton Central/ Iroquois West 41, Alton 40.5, Rantoul 37, Limestone 34, West Vigo IN 34, Mt. Zion 32, Highland 29.5, North Mac 21, PORTA 18, Centennial 12, Jersey 9, Normal University 8, Vandalia 4, Unity Christian/ Argenta-Oreana 0

1st-Belleville West (164.5)
In addition to titles from Stellhorn and Kirkpatrick, the Maroons got thirds from Riley Weems (110), Ja’yla Hurst (135), Alyssa Hardt (140) and Moriah Lampley (155), sixths from Michaela Wentz (130) and Inetta Grubbs (170), a seventh from Micaela Gustafson (155), an eighth from Akiya Jett (145), and a 9th from Kendyll Otten (125).

“Alyssa Hardt is just a tough kid, also in her second year,” Spraggins said. “She’s like the catalyst of the team. She’s also pretty green but  goes to camps over the summer to try to catch up with the better wrestlers.

“Riley Weems is our little spark plug at 110 and will be fun to watch over the next few years. Jayla Hurst and Moriah Lampley are both just quiet girls that contribute greatly. Inetta Grubbs bumped up to 170 from 155, giving up nearly 20 pounds to take fourth — ultimately the reason we could pull off a 10-point cushion.”

The Maroons also led the tournament with 27 pins — two ahead of second-place LaSalle-Peru.

2nd- LaSalle-Peru (144.5)
Coach Nolan Keeney got an individual title from Sarah Lowery (110), a second from Lily Higgins (235), a third from returning state medal-winner Kiely Domyancich (125) and a fourth from Avalyn Edwall (140) among the Cavaliers’ top four finishes.

Keeney also got fifths from Kalista Frost (100), Amelia Buckley (105), Theadora Pappas (140), and Marissa Eggersdorfer (155), a seventh from Mackenzie Miller (135), an eighth from Paige Evans (130), and a ninth from Emily Lowery (115).

3rd- Cahokia (96)
A pair of runner-up finishes from Te’Aja Young (130) and Janylah Holman (170) and a fourth from Kamryn Brown (190) led the Lady Comanches to a third-place tie in the team standings with Glenbard South.

Coach Nick DeLoach also got a fifth from Dakota Bell (130), a sixth from Gabrielle Conner (190), a seventh from Nyla Bryant (120) and a ninth from Deja Porter (120).

3rd- Glenbard South (96)
The Raiders got runner-up finishes from Valerie Aliga (100) and Moriah Lampley (155) to lead the way, plus a fifth from Evie DeSantis (135), a sixth from Talia Kaiser (125), sevenths from Lashuna York (110) and Vivian Aliga (115), and an eighth from Nabiha Khader (120).

Additional champions
100 Kadi Wilber (Glenwood), 105 Tessa Donaldson (Pekin), 115 Autumn Starr (Bloomington), 120 Ava Mayer (Pekin), 125 Aryanna Jones (Alton), 130 returning state runner-up Sydney Cannon (Mt. Zion), 135 Chloe Rice (Civic Memorial), 140 Audrey Barnes (Granite City), 145 returning state champion Natalie Beaumont (Cumberland), 155 Alicia Swank (Bloomington), 170 returning state runner-up Payton Temple (Clifton Central)

Additional runners-up
100 Chloe Collins (Olympia), 105 Phoenix Criss (Springfield Co-op), 110 Leena Cavender (Jacksonville), 115 Ma’Kayla Bonner (Granite City), 120 Kate Wochner (Oakwood/ Salt Fork), 125 Claire Shaw (Civic Memorial), 135 Tala Asad (Springfield Co-op), 140 Elsie Dozier (Glenwood), 145 Taylor Sutton (East Peoria), 155 Talhia Hostetter (Limestone), 190 Avery Lundgren (Macomb)

The unbeatens (10-match minimum)
Pekin’s Tessa Donaldson (11-0 at 105), Mt. Zion’s Sydney Cannon (13-0 at 130), Granite City’s Audrey Barnes (16-0 at 140), Clifton Central’s Payton Temple (17-0 at 170), Belleville West’s Brooke Stellhorn (10-0 at 190)
 

Statistics
Belleville West finished with the most pins in the least time for the tournament, with 27 falls in 55:52. Mt. Zion had the most tech falls in the least time with two in 4:51. Glenbard South finished with the most match points in the field with 216, to LaSalle-Peru’s 198.
Individually, LaSalle-Peru’s Kiley Domyancich had the most pins in the least time with four falls in 3:34, while East Peoria’s Dezyrae Murray posted the fastest fall in 12 seconds. Mt. Zion’s Sydney Cannon had two tech falls in 4:51 to finish with the most techs in the least time, and Cahokia’s Deja Porter posted the fastest tech fall in 1:52.
Paris’ Hellie Barrett and Cahokia’s Janylah Holman tied for the most single-match points with 23 points, and Glenbard South’s Valerie Aliga had the most total match points with 66. The largest seed-place difference came from East Peoria’s 15th-seeded Taylor Sutton, who placed second at 145 pounds.

Championship match results

100-Kadi Wilbern (Glenwood) F 1:45 Chloe Collins
105-Tessa Donaldson (Pekin) F 4:27 Phoenix Criss (Springfield Co-op)
110-Sarah Lowery (L-Peru) F 1:43 Leena Cavender (Jacksonville)
115-Autumn Starr (Bloomington) F 3:48 Ma’Kayla Bonner (Granite City)
120-Ava Mayer (Pekin) F 1:35 Kate Wochner (Oakwood/SF)
125-Aryanna Jones (Alton) TF 4:05 Claire Shaw (Civic Memorial)
130-Sydney Cannon (Mt. Zion) TF 2:21 Te’Aja Young (Cahokia)
135-Chloe Rice (Civic Memorial) MD 15-2 Tala Asad (Springfield Co-op)
140-Audrey Barnes (Granite City) F 2:12 Elsie Dozier (Glenwood)
145-Natalie Beaumont (Cumberland) F 0:39 Taylor Sutton (E Peoria)
155-Alicia Swank (Bloomington) 6-0 OT Talhia Hostetter (Limestone)
170-Payton Temple (Clifton C) F 2:45 Janylah Holman (Cahokia)
190-Brooke Stellhorn (Belleville W) F 3:09 Avery Lundgren (Macomb)
235-Andre-a Kirkpatrick (Belleville W) F 4:28 Lily Higgins (L-Peru)

Third-place match results

100-Valerie Aliga (Glenbard S) F 1:38 Jasmine Johnson (Rantoul)
105-Alexia Glover (PORTA) F 3:10 Kaidence Eveland (Paris)
110-Riley Weems (Belleville W) F 1:43 Mackenzie Gound (Rantoul)
115-Katilyn Knight (Jacksonville) F 3:11 Lainey Ehler (Oakwood/SF)
120-Olivia Jarrett (Glenwood) D 12-7 Hellie Barrett (Paris)
125-Kiely Domyancich (L-Peru) F 1:37 Fay Reese (E Peoria)
130-Nichole Castillo (Glenbard S) F 2:42 Dayza Phillips (Alton)
135-Ja’yla Hurst (Belleville W) F 1:14 Jessa Bark (West Vigo IN)
140-Alyssa Hardt (Belleville W) F 1:04 Avalyn Edwall (L-Peru)
145-Dru Hyde (Macomb) F 1:05 Diem Bryan (Mahomet-Seymour)
155-Moriah Lampley (Belleville W) F 5:12 Alyssa Artman (Pekiin)
170-Summer Nichols (Cumberland) F 0:46 Mallory Feldhaus (E Peoria)
190-Vanessa Kelley (Springfield Co-op) F 0::40 Kamryn Brown (Cahokia)
235-Madeline Cooley (Jacksonville) F 1:05 Nina Landmann (Highland)

Lakes Snow Brawl
The 11-team field saw host Lakes snare the team title by a hair, 145.5-141.5 over second-place Antioch. Freeport (133) was third followed by Lyons (100.5) and St. Charles East (87.5) to round out the top five.
Lakes got individual titles from Christina Hasner (145), Kamila Loaiza (190), and Joslin Coon (235) to lead the way among eight girls who finished in the top four of their weight classes.

Team scores
Lakes 145.5, Antioch 141.5, Freeport 133, Lyons 100.5, St. Charles East 87.5, Wauconda 75, Richmond-Burton 57.5, Buffalo Grove 40, Lake Forest 30, Grayslake North 17.5, Intrinsic Charter-Downtown 12, Carmel 4

1st-Lakes (145.5)
In addition to titles from Hasner, Loaiza, and Coon, Lakes got second-place finishes from Elise Kaylor (130), Michelle Otuonye (140) and Erika Celik (235), and thirds from Osmairi Medina Alvarado (115) and Megan Murray (145).

2nd-Antioch (141.5)
Sasha Johnson (140) won an individual title for the Sequoits, who also got seconds from Londyn Lloyd (110), Rylee Dunlavy (145) and Josie Blau (170), thirds from Dylylah Patterson (125), Magdelyn Brough (130) and Isabella Marcomb (135), and a fourth from Alyana Cotton (115).

3rd-Freeport (133)

The Pretzels got titles form Brea Balles (115), NaJeyah Wallace (155) and Caydence Fellows (170), a second from Kaiya Kalindo (120), and thirds from Ariyana Calmese (105), Bella Martins (155) and Nalani Isaac (170).

Additional champions
100 Ester Migues-Gaytan (Grayslake North), 105 Jhania Wickert-Harris (Lyons), 110 Sydney Stieb (St. Charles East), 115 Brea Balles (Freeport), 120 Mirabelle Duboeuf (Lake Forest), 125 Caroline Marogy (Buffalo Grove), 130 Madelyn Peterie (Richmond-Burton), 135 Sofia Turek (Lyons)

Additional runners-up
100 Bailynn Dunham (St. Charles East), 105 Kachi Tijerina (St. Charles East), 115 Sophia Rivas (St. Charles East), 125 Zoe Connelly (Lyons), 135 Brooklyn Peterie (Richmond-Burton), 155 Gesselle Vazquez (Wauconda)

The unbeatens (10-match minimum)
Richmond-Burton’s Madelyn Peterie (11-0 at 130)

Statistics
Second-place Antioch led the tournament with the most pins in the least time, with 18 in 29:28. The Sequoits also led the field with the most tech falls in the least time, with three in 11:43, and had the most total match points with 177.
Individually, St. Charles East’s Autumn Badon had the most pins in the least time with four falls in 3:01, while Antioch’s Londyn Lloyd had the most tech falls in the least time with two in 6:39. St. Charles East’s Valentina Solorzano and Grayslake North’s Ester Migues-Gaytan tied for the fastest tech fall at 2:00.
Lyons’ Gabby Jackson scored the most single-match points with 24 and Wauconda’s Jadzie Dominguez scored the most total match points with 43. The largest seed-place difference came from Freeport’s NaJeyah Wallace, as the No. 9 seed won the title at 155 pounds.

Championship match results
100-Ester Migues-Gaytan (Grayslake N) F 1:08 Bailynn Dunham (SC East)
105-Jhania Wickert-Harris (Lyons) F 2:00 Kachi Tijerina (SC East)
110-Sydney Stieb (SC East) F 0:54 Londyn Lloyd (Antioch)
115-Brea Balles (Freeport) TF 4:00 Sophia Rivas (SC East)
120-Mirabelle Duboeuf (Lake Forest) F 2:57 Kaiya Galindo (Freeport)
125-Caroline Marogy (Buffalo Grove) F 1:29 Zoe Connelly (Lyons)
130-Madelyn Peterie (Richmond-Burton) TF 2:26 Elise Kaylor (Lakes)
135-Sofia Turek (Lyons) F 2:47 Brooklyn Peterie (Richmond-Burton)
140-Sasha Johnson (Antioch) F 0:36 Michelle Otuonye (Lakes)
145-Christina Hasner (Lakes) TF 5:01 Rylee Dunlavy (Antioch)
155-NaJeyah Wallace (Freeport) D 10-7 Gesselle Vazquez (Wauconda)
170-Caydance Fellows (Freeport) F 5:58 Josie Blau (Antioch)
190-Kamila Loaiza (Lakes) BYE
235-Joslin Coon (Lakes) F Erika Celik (Lakes)

Third-place match results
100-Eleanor Ecklund (Carmel) BYE
105-Ariyana Calmese (Freeport) TF 4:24 Lauren Anderson (Grayslake N)
110-Mariah Zalapa (Lyons) F 1:57 April Stevens (Wauconda)
115-Osmairi Medina  Alvarado (Lakes) F 2:12 Alyana Cotton (Antioch)
120-Autumn Badon (SC East) F 0:31 Breanna Warren (Richmond-Burton)
125-Dylhlah Patterson (Antioch) F 0:28 Jadzie Dominguez (Wauconda)
130-Magdelyn Brough (Antioch) F 1:51 Mari Sorice (Lyons)
135-Isabella Marcomb (Antioch) F 1:16 Tallika Shields (Wauconda)
140-Jatziry Godoy (Wauconda) F 2:40 Gabby Jackson (Lyons)
145-Megan Murray (Lakes) F 3:34 Camille Camarena (Wauconda)
155-Bella Martins (Freeport) F 1:16 Victoria Marquez (Grayslake N)
170-Nalani Isaac (Freeport) F 0:51 Allison Schultz (Richmond-Burton)
190-None
235-Leilany Ramirez-Chavez BYE

Metamora Girls Holiday Classic
Galesburg snared the team title at this year’s 21-team Metamora Girls Holiday Classic, topping second-place St. Joseph-Ogden 89-83. Champaign Central (59) was third, Dunlap (54) placed fourth, and host Metamora (53) rounded out the top five team finishes.

1st- Galesburg (89)
The Silver Streaks got in individual title from Dai Driana Wilford (130), a second from Hannah Barton (155), and thirds from Amyah Pruitt (125), Delilah Gregory (135) and Vivian Aldus (140).

2nd- St. Joseph-Ogden (83)

Ainsley Freeman (125) and Maddie Wells (155) won title for the Spartans, who also got a second from Madison Alsip (120), and fourths from Candice Wright (130) and Taylor Vaughn (145).

3rd- Champaign Central (59)
The Maroons got an individual title from  ly’Jah Grant, a second-place finish from Zaiyrah Bailey (140), and a third from Onisty Murphy (155).

Team scores
Galesburg 89, St. Joseph-Ogden 83, Champaign C 59, Dunlap 54, Metamora 53, Washington 52, Richwoods 47.5, ROWVA 45.5, Streator 45.5, Sterling 40.5, El Paso-Gridley 38, Manual 31.5, St. Thomas More 30, Notre Dame 30, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/ Fisher 21, Sparta 20, Putnam County 18, Geneva 15, Pontiac 11, Illinois Valley Central 9, Peoria 4
Additional champions
100 Lesly DeLaCruz (Notre Dame), 105, Leah White (Richwoods), 110 Leilah Vaughn (Streator), 115 Kiana Mayne (El Paso-Gridley), 120 Payton Henson (Streator), 135 Mylee Edwards (Metamora), 140 Olivia Curtis (Dunlap), 145 Vivianna Torres (Sterling), 190 Patience Riggs (ROWVA), 235 Marley Clark (Richwoods)

Unbeaten (10-match minimum)St. Joseph-Ogden’s Maddie Wells (10-0 at 155)

Statistics
St. Joseph-Ogden posted the most pins in the least time, with 11 pins in 13:49, while Galesburg had the most tech falls in the least time, with two at 3:01. Galesburg posted the most match points with 138, followed by Dunlap with 119.
Individually, Champaign Central’s Onisty Murphy had the most pins in the least time with five in 7:51. Sterling’s Devaeh had the fastest tech fall at 1:04. St. Joseph-Ogden’s Ainsley Freeman scored the most team points with 26, while Galesburg’s Delilah Gregory scored the most total match points with 39 and Sterling’s Nevaeh had the most single-match points with 21.
The largest seed-place difference went to Metamora’s Mylee Edwards, who was seeded seventh but won the title at 135 pounds.

Championship match results
100-Lesly DeLaCruz (Notre Dame) TF 1:48 Katherine Garcia (Sterling)
105-Leah White (Richwoods) F 3:25 Grace Aeschliman (Metamora)
110-Leilah Vaughn (Streator) F 2:23 Madison Poll (St. Thomas More)
115-Kiana Mayne (EP-Gridley) F 1:40 Peace Creath (Richwoods)
120-Payton Henson (Streator) F 3:29 Madison Alsip (SJ-Ogden)
125-Ainsley Freeman (SJ-Ogden) F 0:44 Calliope Willman (Metamora)
130-Dai Driana Wilford (Galesburg) F 1:22 Jaydah Green (Richwoods)
135-Mylee Edwards (Metamora) F 3:45 Emma Zeigler (Washington)
140-Olivia Curtis (Dunlap) F 2:47 Zaiyrah Bailey (Champaign C)
145-Vivianna Torres (Sterling) F 1:08 Claire Simmons (St. Thomas More)
155-Maddie Wells (SJ-Ogden) F 0:23 Hannah Barton (Galesburg)
170-ly’Jah Grant (Champaign C) F 1:21 Perla Cortez (Manual)
190-Patience Riggs (ROWVA) F 0:27 Ella Irwin (Putnam County)
235-Marley Clark (Richwoods) F 0:53 Kya Norman (Richwoods)

Third-place match results
100-Jaymaries Andres (Metamora) F 5:15 Kayla Hassell (Geneva)
105-Jaylynn Elmore (ROWVA) BYE
110-Marissa Brown (ROWVA) TF 3:41 Nevaeh Delgado (Sterling)
115-Avery Manning (ROWVA) injury dflt. Charity Miguel (GCMS/Fisher)
120-Paeyton Dickerson (Dunlap) F 3:55 Ruthie Orella (Sparta)
125-Amyah Pruitt (Galesburg) F 0:51 Michaela HIttle (IV Central)
130-Anabell Southern (EP-Gridley) F 3:52 Candice Wright (SJ-Ogden)
135-Delilah Gregory (Galesburg) F 4:27 Sammy Baker (Notre Dame)
140-Vivian Aldus (Galesburg) F 1:07 Bailey Guth (Washington)
145-McKenzie Miller (GCMS/Fisher) F 1:00 Taylor Vaughn (SJ-Ogden)
155-Onisty Murphy (Champaign C) F 0:44 Lilly Severson (Sparta)
170-Grace Mordhorst (Washington) F 1:42 Olivia Miller (Pontiac)
190-Zanasia Simmons (Manual) F 1:08 Atalyssa Craig (Dunlap)
235-Arianna Tamayo (Sterling) BYE

By Chris Walker for the IWCOA

AG SCI Lady Cyclones 2025

St. Laurence is only in its second year in the sport, but its team has more than doubled in size and it’s beginning to have success, as was demonstrated when it won the title at the 23-team AG SCI Lady Cyclones Tournament at Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences.

Coach Arturo Nesci’s Vikings St. Laurence had four champions and four others who placed in the top five to finish with 195 points, placing it 17.5 points ahead of runner-up Portage, IN. The host Cyclones took third with 110 points while Leyden (101), Back of the Yards (95.5), TF South (87.5), Crete-Monee (84), Hillcrest (78), Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy (75) and Rich Township (73) rounded out the top-10 teams in the field.

“We are in our second year,” St. Laurence coach Arturo Nesci said. “Started with eight first-year wrestlers and now have 21. The tournament had 26 teams.”

1st: St. Laurence (195)

Title winners for the champion Vikings were Nina Nesci (120), Hannah Marusarz (140), Jocelyn Gonzalez-Ruiz (145) and Elise Brown (235) while Cecelia Riccordino (100), Jenayah Velazquez (125), Magdalena Roa (130) and Delia Humphrey (155) all placed fifth.

2nd: Portage, IN (178.5)

Madisyn Mikels (105) won the lone title for Portage, who also had four girls who placed second, Grace Pinkelton (110), Sophia Jorge (115), Hailee Esco (130) and Ja`Lynn Parker (155).

3rd: Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences (110)

Winning titles for coach Andrea Hale’s third-place Cyclones were Danita Palmore (115) and Elena Haugh (170) while Madison Cruz (140) took third, Rainie Mack (120) placed fourth and Carmen Jackson (110) was fifth.

Additional individual champions:

100: Sariya Maddox (Rich Township); 110: Zoey Dodgers (Leyden); 125: Kendra Chatman (Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy); 130: Catherine Diehl (Wheaton Academy); 135: Mercedes Carrasco (De La Salle Institute); 155: Melissa Nance (Hillcrest); 190: Jordyn Coleman-Harrison (Hillcrest)

Additional runners-up:

100: Ashley Lopez (Back of the Yards); 105: Anapaula Cerna Rivera (De La Salle Institute); 120: Sabrina Bono (Leyden); 125: Dimond Calvin-Bowsky (Crete-Monee); 135: Stephanie Villada-Garcia (Mother McAuley); 140: Evelyna Perez (Back of the Yards); 145: Jazariah Willis (Hillcrest); 170: Jermia Moore (TF South); 190: Nyomi Ascencio (Back of the Yards); 235: Andrea Aguilera (Leyden)

Statistics of note:

Haugh and Nance led all champions with 30 team points while Carrasco and Diehl tied for third with 29.5 and Marusarz and Nesci tied for fifth place with 29 points. Ag Sciences’ Carmen Jackson had the most total match points with 56. And Nesci also had the largest seed-place difference after being seeded 15th and winning the title at 120. The Vikings had a 32-20 advantage in pins over Portage and easily had the most total match points with 277 while the host Cyclones were second with 206 points.

Final team scores;

St. Laurence (195), Portage, IN (178.5), Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences (110), Leyden (101), Back of the Yards (95.5), TF South (87.5), Crete-Monee (84), Hillcrest (78), Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy (75), Rich Township (73), Mather (71), De La Salle Institute (69.5), Evergreen Park (67), Mother McAuley (64), Hancock (51), York (51), Little Village Lawndale (42), Kenwood Academy (36), Fenwick (32.5), Wheaton Academy (29.5), Marist (19.5), Morgan Park (9), North Chicago (3).

Title match results:

100: Sariya Maddox (Rich Township) over Ashley Lopez (Back of the Yards), F 0:46

105: Madisyn Mikels (Portage, IN) over Anapaula Cerna Rivera (De La Salle Institute), Inj. 3:57

110: Zoey Dodgers (Leyden) over Grace Pinkelton (Portage, IN), F 2:36

115: Danita Palmore (Agricultural Sciences) over Sophia Jorge (Portage, IN), D 7-0

120: Nina Nesci (St. Laurence) over Sabrina Bono (Leyden), MD 16-6

125: Kendra Chatman (Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy) over Dimond Calvin-Bowsky (Crete-Monee), F 0:50

130: Catherine Diehl (Wheaton Academy) over Hailee Esco (Portage, IN), TF 3:46

135: Mercedes Carrasco (De La Salle Institute) over Stephanie Villada-Garcia (Mother McAuley),  F 3:18

140: Hannah Marusarz (St. Laurence) over Evelyna Perez (Back of the Yards), MD 13-0

145: Jocelyn Gonzalez-Ruiz (St. Laurence) over Jazariah Willis (Hillcrest), F 5:00

155: Melissa Nance (Hillcrest) over Ja’Lynn Parker (Portage, IN), F 2:44

170: Elena Haugh (Agricultural Sciences) over Jermia Moore (TF South), F 3:30

190: Jordyn Coleman-Harrison (Hillcrest) over Nyomi Ascencio (Back of the Yards), F 2:26

235: Elise Brown (St. Laurence) over Andrea Aguilera (Leyden), Inj. 2:14

Third-place match results:

100: Iris Cardenes (Evergreen Park) over Adalie Aguilapolo (Mather), F 0:51

105: Camila Ramirez (Little Village Lawndale) over Myricle Hudson (Crete-Monee), F 3:54 

110: Dakodia Kelly (TF South) over Emily Gandar (Leyden), F 1:11

115: Rihanna Raygoza (Little Village Lawndale) over Danita Green (Kenwood Academy), For.

120: Victoria Serment (De La Salle Institute) over Rainie Mack (Agricultural Sciences), D 6-2

125: Azzaria Quintanilla (Portage, IN) over Laniyah Asberry (Rich Township), F 0:31

130: Talea Ferguson (Marist) over Ariadna Cruz (Mather), TF 4:38

135: Olivia Hetzler (Portage, IN) over Liana Wilcox (Rich Township), M. For.

140: Madison Cruz (Agricultural Sciences) over Nyla Hall (Rich Township), F 4:20

145: Neriah Treadway (Hancock) over Mira Novick (York), F1:36

155: Layla Ross (Evergreen Park) over Mya Coffey (TF South), MD 11-0

170: Lilith Merikort (Evergreen Park) over Amirah Favela (Fenwick), F 0:46

190: Kaylee Slattery (Crete-Monee) over Phoenix Boyson (Mother McAuley), F 0:57

235: Maya Grant (Mother McAuley) over Marlene Segundo (Mather), F 0:45 

Curie Metropolitan Queen of the Mayhem 2025

East Aurora continued its run of tournament success after easily winning the title at Curie Metropolitan’s 24-team Queen of the Mayhem 2025 Tournament in Chicago by collecting 267.5 points, which was 78 points ahead of runner-up J. Sterling Morton, who scored 189.5 points. 

It was the third-straight tournament championship for coach Ryan Mick’s Tomcats, who also claimed first-place showings at Larkin and their own invite after finishing in second place to Lincoln-Way co-op in their initial tournament, which was at Minooka.

The rest of the top 10 included Oak Lawn (155), Marist (145.5), Curie (119), Evanston Township (99), South Elgin (96), Lake Park (89.5), Eisenhower (81) and Thornton Township (73.5).

1st: East Aurora (267.5)

Lupita Garcia (140) and Lilli Ortiz (235) won title matches while Jelena Coyomani (120), Valentina Barboza (125), Ivy Ruiz (140) and Jaylene Dealba (190) each placed second to lead the Tomcats. Carmen Garcia (100), Joselyn Llanos (110) and Ayelen Higuera (130) took third, Arianna Olguin (190NoNs) also placed third and contributed 16 team points. Vanessa Tesillos (105), Ninel Alvarez (115), Carolina Ascencio (145) and Alyssa Galarza (155) placed fourth. And there was an all-Tomcats matchup for the 140 championship with Garcia winning over Ruiz.

2nd: J. Sterling Morton (189.5)

Jordan Rodriguez (100) and Anali Wilson (170) took home titles to lead coach Fernando Arratia’s Mustangs. Victoria Vargas (115) placed second and Sophia Almaraz (105) and Dionna Burks (140) were third. Karla Munoz (110), Isis Marcano (120), Fatima Martinez (125) and Liliana Ionescu (135) finished fourth while Quetzalli Delgado (140) and Rhysel Anum (145) were sixth and Jalissa Jaramillo (155 NonS) placed third with 16 team points.

3rd: Oak Lawn (155)

Elizabeth Bisonaya (100) won a title to pace coach Matt Arthur’s third-place Spartans. Journey Jackson (130) and Priscilla Ruiz (145) placed second, Felix Morales (105) and Eliana Caudillo (115) were fifth and Allison Nava (110), Nataly Romero (170) and Bianca Ocampo (190) took sixth.

Additional individual champions:

110: Giselle Arambula (Curie Metropolitan); 115: Gymaria Brown (Curie Metropolitan); 120: Gracie Meluch (Naperville Central); 125: Molly O`Connor (Lemont); 130: Melva Gallego-Sugar (Naperville Central); 135: Ava Burns (Lake Park); 145: Marlen Morelos Perez (Eisenhower); 155: Allison Garbacz (South Elgin); 190: Jadelin Caballero (Larkin)

Additional runners-up:

100: Maria Quintero (Fenton); 105: Ariana Baier (Lemont); 110: Ariel Woodfin (Thornton Township); 135: Stella Harris (Marist); 155: Lily Fish (Reavis); 170: Phoebe Heyboer (Eisenhower); 235: Abby Parker (Marist)

Statistics of note:

Wilson led all champions with 32 team points while Burns was second with 31.5 points and Rodriguez ranked third with 31 team points. There was a five-way tie for fourth with 30 points between Arambula, Brown, Meluch, O’Connor and Ortiz while Garbacz was ninth with 29 points and led all competitors in total match points with 65 while Lake Park’s Reese Nicolas was second with 61 points. Wilson and Oak Lawn’s Eliana Caudillo were the only individuals with five falls while Garbacz and Nicolas were the only two with two wins by technical fall. Burns had the largest seed-place difference, improving 19 spots to win the 135 title. The longest title match was at 190 where Caballero prevailed with a fall in 7:46 over Dealba. East Aurora had the most pins with 35 while J. Sterling Morton edged East Aurora 240-239 for most total match points. 

Records of champions:

Champions who were unbeaten following Queen of the Mayhem 2025 were Bisonaya (12-0 at 100), O’Connor (11-0 at 125), Garbacz (14-0 at 155) and Wilson (15-0 at 170) while title winners with one defeat were Arambula (12-1 at 110), Brown (13-1 at 115), Morelos Perez (13-1 at 145), Caballero (14-1 at 190) and Ortiz (13-1 at 235).

Final team scores:

East Aurora (267.5), J. Sterling Morton (189.5), Oak Lawn (155), Marist (145.5), Curie Metropolitan (119), Evanston Township (99), South Elgin (96), Lake Park (89.5), Eisenhower (81), Thornton Township (73.5), Larkin (72), Lemont (61), Naperville Central (61), Reavis (60), Fenton (53), Bremen (44), Dyett (23.5), Niles North (21.5), Proviso East (16), Chicago Academy (15), Phoenix STEM Military Academy (11), Lincoln Park (8), Intrinsic Downtown (3), Mansueto (3)

Title match results:

100: Elizabeth Bisonaya (Oak Lawn) over Maria Quintero (Fenton), F 3:01

105: Jordan Rodriguez (J. Sterling Morton) over Ariana Baier (Lemont), MD 10-0

110: Giselle Arambula (Curie Metropolitan) over Ariel Woodfin (Thornton Township), F 4:31

115: Gymaria Brown (Curie Metropolitan) over Victoria Vargas (J. Sterling Morton), F 1:17

120: Gracie Meluch (Naperville Central) over Jelena Coyomani (East Aurora), F 4:00

125: Molly O`Connor (Lemont) over Valentina Barboza (East Aurora), F 2:51

130: Melva Gallego-Sugar (Naperville Central) over Journey Jackson (Oak Lawn), MD 13-1

135: Ava Burns (Lake Park) over Stella Harris (Marist), F 1:56

140: Lupita Garcia (East Aurora) over Ivy Ruiz (East Aurora), F 0:18

145: Marlen Morelos Perez (Eisenhower) over Priscilla Ruiz (Oak Lawn), F 1:29

155: Allison Garbacz (South Elgin) over Lily Fish (Reavis), TF 5:24

170: Anali Wilson (J. Sterling Morton) over Phoebe Heyboer (Eisenhower), F 1:30

190: Jadelin Caballero (Larkin) over Jaylene Dealba (East Aurora), F 7:46

235: Lilli Ortiz (East Aurora) over Abby Parker (Marist), F 1:52

Third-place match results:

100: Carmen Garcia (East Aurora) over Adelina Diaz (Chicago Academy), D 7-3

105: Sophia Almaraz (J. Sterling Morton) over Vanessa Tesillos (East Aurora), F 2:48

110: Joselyn Llanos (East Aurora) over Karla Munoz (J. Sterling Morton), F 2:18

115: Janiya Hawkins (Dyett) over Ninel Alvarez (East Aurora), D 12-7

120: Oyetola Rachael Jacobs (Evanston Township) over Isis Marcano (J. Sterling Morton), MD 14-2

125: Ava Enright (Marist) over Fatima Martinez (J. Sterling Morton), MD 15-3

130: Ayelen Higuera (East Aurora) over Yaretzi Avila Calixto (Curie Metropolitan), TF 3:26

135: Amelia Quinlan (Bremen) over Liliana Ionescu (J. Sterling Morton),  F 0:36

140: Dionna Burks (J. Sterling Morton) over Tyler Lee (Thornton Township), M. For.

145: Isabella Vernon (Evanston Township) over Carolina Ascencio (East Aurora), MD 8-0

155: Mariana Morelos Perez (Eisenhower) over Alyssa Galarza (East Aurora), M. For.

170: Mariana Flores (Larkin) over Daiana Lopez (Curie Metropolitan), F 2:59

190: Paige Washburn (Lake Park) over Fatima Gomez (Evanston Township), F 2:50

235: Ariana Solideo (Fenton) over Miniyai Adams (Thornton Township), F 2:39