Chicago-area conference tournament roundup for Jan. 27-28

By Gary Larsen

Five Chicago-area conference and league tournaments took place over the weekend and the following team champions emerged:

Chicago Public League boys’ tournament: Lane Tech
Chicago Public League girls’ tournament: Rickover Naval Academy
East Suburban Catholic Conference tournament: Joliet Catholic

Upstate Eight Conference girls’ tournament: East Aurora
Southland Athletic Conference boys’ tournament: Rich Township

Here is a roundup of those five tournaments:

Upstate Eight Conference girls’ tournament team champion: East Aurora

East Aurora posted a 277.5-223 edge over second-place Bartlett to win this year’s Upstate Eight Conference tournament, hosted by Glenbard East.
Fenton (203.5) finished third, followed by West Chicago (198.5), Glenbard East (159.5), Elgin (146), South Elgin (127), Glenbard South (114.5), Larkin (98), and Streamwood (77).
East Aurora coach Ryan Mick sent nine wrestlers to the championship finals and got individual  titles from Kameyah Young (100), Dahlia Lagos (140/145), and Jordan Smith (170), and second-place finishes from Monica De La Cruz (100), Ixzayana Cruz (105), Liliana Hernandez (125), Yoheadi Contreras (130), Brenda Excobedo (135), and Anjanne Haywood (190).

Second-place Bartlett got an individual title from Angie Carpintero (110), while third-place Fenton got titles from Roxy Patino (125) and Sophia Sosa (135).

West Chicago led all teams with four individual champs in Summer Silks (115), Kaitlynn Pilon (120), Jenny Espinal (130), and Jayden Rodriguez (190).

Upstate Eight Conference championship matches:

100: Kameyah Young (East Aurora) TF Monica De La Cruz (East Aurora)
105: Mali Patino (Elgin) D 8-3 Ixzayana Cruz (East Aurora)

110: Angie Carpinrtero (Bartlett) F Alyssa Elizondo (West Chicago)

115: Summer Silks (West Chicago) F Susana Correa (West Chicago)

120: Kaitlynn Pilon (West Chicago) F Salome Patino (Elgin)

125: Roxy Patino (Fenton) F Liliana Hernandez (East Aurora)

130: Jenny Espinal (West Chicago) D 7-3 Yoheadi Contreras (East Aurora)
135: Sophia Sosa (Fenton) F Brenda Excobedo (East Aurora)

140/45: Daliah Lagos (East Aurora) BYE

155: Maria Ferrer (Larkin) D 10-8 Yamile Penaloza (Fenton)

170: Jordan Smith (East Aurora) F Alex Arquilla (Glenbard South)

190: Jayden Rodriguez (West Chicago) TF Anjanne Haywood (East Aurora)

235: Kaleigha Johnson (Glenbard East) D 3-2 2OT Andrea Gordillo (Elgin)

Upstate Eight Conference 3rd-place matches:

100: Kezziah Depaz (West Chicago) F Melissa Viveros (Elgin)

105: Kandace Dang (Glenbard East) F Lucy Nguyen (Bartlett)

110: Melanie Granda (Larkin) D 10-6  Luz Avilez (East Aurora)

115: Haven Colagrossi (Glenbard South) F  Alexandra Avila (Larkin)

120: Giselle Castillo (Fenton) F Tina Ebrahimi (Larkin)

125: Emily Pizano (Elgin) F Norah Huggins (Bartlett)

130: Briana Anselmo (Elgin) F Autumn Piepenbrink (Glenbard East)

135: Jazmin Vera (East Aurora) BYE
140/145: Daliah Lagos (East Aurora) BYE

155: Ingrio Guillen (East Aurora) F Jennifer Pena (Bartlett)

170: Danarria McClay (Glenbard East) D 3-2 Asia Lacey (Glenbard East)

190: Valerie Serna (Bartlett) BYE

235: A`ja Young (Larkin) BYE

Southland Athletic Conference boys’ tournament team champion: Rich Township

Host Rich Township sent eight wrestlers to the finals at this year’s Southland Athletic Conference tournament, and won four individual titles in out-pointing second-place Crete Monee 201-163 in Richton Park.

Thornton (128.5) placed third, followed by Kankakee (126), Thornwood (34), and Bloom Township (32).
Coach Alex Pell’s Raptors got titles from Davion Henry (106), Diondre Henry (113), Deyonte Drake (120) and Nasir Bailey (145), and second-place finishes from Jason Carey (132), Greg Sauls Sanders (160), Kenny Clark (182), and Dylaan Richmond (285).

The Raptors also got thirds from Cornelious Darden (126), Tristin King (138), Isaac Dunbar (152), Jace Franklin (195), and Chris Walton (220), and a fourth from LC Harris (170).

Second-place Crete Monee also sent eight to the finals and matched Rich Township with four individual champions in Jerome Brown (138), Jaylene Johnson (152), Elijah Grayer (160), and Brandon Alexander (182), and four runners-up in Jordan Kirkpatrick (120), Josyah Holland (145), Michael Smith (170), and Justin Lawton (220).

Southland Athletic Conference boys’ tournament championship matches:

106: Davion Henry (Rich Township) F 1:43 Taniyah Sherman (Kankakee)
113:Diondre Henry (Rich Township) F 2:51 Aidan Fields (Kankakee)

120:Deyonte Drake (Rich Township) D 9-2 Jordan Kirkpatrick (Crete Monee)

126:Jeremiah Jones (Thornwood) F 3:47 Destiny Bright (Thornton)

132: Fred Osborne (Thornton) D 5-4 Jason Carey (Rich Township)

138: Jerome Brown (Crete Monee) F 3:14 Kahlil Craig (Bloom Township)

145: Nasir Bailey (Rich Township) F 3:11 Josyah Holland (Crete Monee)
152: Jaylene Johnson (Crete Monee) F 3:53 Kyler Barker (Thornton)

160: Elijah Grayer (Crete Monee) F 0:24 Greg Sauls Sanders (Rich Township)

170: Davion Adams (Thornton) F 1:40 Michael Smith (Crete Monee)

182: Brandon Alexander (Crete Monee) F 1:29 Kenny Clark (Rich Township)

195: Micheal Bannerman-Blankston (Kankakee) F 1:20 Qilee Jackson (Thornton)

220: Lionel Senior (Thornton) F 2:50 Justin Lawton (Crete Monee)

285: Rogelio Cornejo (Kankakee) F 0:52 Dylaan Richmond (Rich Township)

Southland Athletic Conference boys’ tournament 3rd-place matches:

106: None

113: David Jones (Crete Monee) BYE

120: Jakil Whalum (Kankakee) F 3:05 Arick Lathem (Thornwood)

126: Cornelious Darden (Rich Township) TF 2:57 Cam Walter (Bloom Township)

132: Alejandra Cornejo (Kankakee ) F 1:37 Shawn Johnson (Crete Monee)

138: Tristin King (Rich Township) F 2:43 Ryan Jackson (Thornton)

145: Caleb Dickens (Kankakee ) D 5-3 Clarence Allen (Thornwood)

152: Isaac Dunbar (Rich Township) F 0:49 Dale Hebert (Kankakee)

160: None

170: Travon Jordan (Kankakee ) F 3:20 LC Harris (Rich Township)

182: Kuntrell Rogers (Thornton) D 16-12 Erick Valdez-Cruz (Kankakee)

195: Jace Franklin (Rich Township) D 9-2 Xavier Lloyd (Crete Monee)

220: Chris Walton (Rich Township) F 3:55 Eliasar Rosales (Bloom Township)

285: Dominic Rodriguez (Bloom Township) BYE

East Suburban Catholic Conference tournament champion: Joliet Catholic Academy

The East Suburban Catholic Conference Tournament was expected to be a battle between two of the state’s best teams, Joliet Catholic Academy and Marist, and that’s just what happened when the eight-team event took place at Marist in Chicago’s Mount Greenwood neighborhood.

JCA, the top-ranked team and defending 2A state champion, got past Marist, ranked fourth in 3A and a dual team qualifier a year ago, by a 226-221.5 margin as the Hilltoppers captured their first championship and denied the defending champion RedHawks of their 38th title in 42 years. St. Patrick (72.5), Notre Dame College Prep (63) and Nazareth Academy (44.5) were next best.

Coach Ryan Cumbee’s champion Hilltoppers featured title winners Jason Hampton (113), Gylon Sims (120), Jake Hamiti (138), Mason Alessio (160), Nico Ronchetti (182) and Dillan Johnson (285) while Noah Avina (106), George Hollendoner (126), Nolan Vogel (132), Luke Hamiti (145), Connor Cumbee (152) and Zach Pomatto (195) were second and Isaac Clawson (170) and Hunter Powell (220) placed third.

‘It was a total team effort with strong individual performances by many,” Ryan Cumbee said. “Winning this conference title is a great way to close the regular season and head into the state series with confidence.”

Leading coach Brendan Heffernan’s second-place RedHawks were champions George Marinopoulos (106), Matthew Cornfield (126), Donavon Allen (132), Will Denny (145), Andrew Dado (152), Jacob Liberatore (170) and Peter Marinopoulos (195), runners-up Tommy Fidler (113), Michael Esteban (120), Ricky Ericksen (160), Conor Phelan (182) and Luke Liberatore (220) while Tyrese Johnson (138) and Ryan Lanigan (285) finished third.

There were 10 head-to-head title matches between the Hilltoppers and RedHawks and the hosts won six of them. Marist had seven champions and JCA had six. The ESCC’s other title winner was Nazareth Academy’s Gabe Kaminski (220). Individuals who repeated as champions were Marist’s Dado, Denny, Liberatore, George Marinopoulos and Peter Marinopoulos and JCA’s Alessio, Johnson and Sims.

Other second-place finishers were St. Patrick’s Niko Karamaniolas (138), Marian Catholic’s Lloyd Mills (170) and Nazareth Academy’s Sam Stec (285).

In some of the closest title matches, Dado edged Cumbee 3-2 at 152, Hampton won 4-0 over Fidler at 113, Denny captured a 12-6 decision over Luke Hamiti at 145 and Kaminski won 9-2 over Luke Liberatore at 220. 

Capturing titles by fall were Jake Hamiti (138), Alessio (160), Liberatore (170), Ronchetti (182) and Johnson (285). Claiming title with wins by technical fall were Allen (132) and Peter Marinopoulos (195). And winning titles by major decision were George Marinopoulos (106), Sims (120) and Cornfield (126).

Other third-place finishers were Notre Dame’s Johnny Sheehy (106), Quinn Mahoney (160), Jim Amatore (182) and Aiden Rice (195), St. Patrick’s Calvin Stahl (113), Olin Walker (120) and Van Grasser (145), Carmel’s Alex Asllani (126) and Tony Hinojosa (132) and Saint Viator’s John Whelan (152).

Also placing fourth were St. Patrick’s Daniel Goodwin (106), Ben Kusar (132), Devin Nichol (160), Gio Hernandez (170) and Aiden Gomez (220), Notre Dame’s John Greifelt (113), Brady Krueger (120), James Frugoli (126), Michael McCarthy (138) and Tony Pena (152), Marian Catholic’s Evan Fitzgerald (145) and Nazareth Academy’s Scott Creviston (182).

Jacob Liberatore led all competitors with 22 team points, Ronchetti and Sims had 21 points, Alessio, Denny and Hampton each had 20 team points, Allen, Jake Hamiti and Kaminski had 19.5 points, Cornfield scored 19 points and Johnson and George Marinopoulos had 18 points.

East Suburban Catholic Conference championship matches

106 – George Marinopoulos (Marist) MD 9-1 Noah Avina (Joliet Catholic Academy)

113 – Jason Hampton (Joliet Catholic Academy) D 4-0 Tommy Fidler (Marist)

120 – Gylon Sims (Joliet Catholic Academy) MD 10-1 Michael Esteban (Marist)

126 – Matthew Cornfield (Marist) MD 11-2 George Hollendoner (Joliet Catholic Academy)

132 – Donavon Allen (Marist) TF 4:19 Nolan Vogel (Joliet Catholic Academy)

138 – Jake Hamiti (Joliet Catholic Academy) F 2:53 Niko Karamaniolas (St. Patrick)

145 – Will Denny (Marist) D 12-6 Luke Hamiti (Joliet Catholic Academy)

152 – Andrew Dado (Marist) D 3-2 Connor Cumbee (Joliet Catholic Academy)

160 – Mason Alessio (Joliet Catholic Academy) F 1:53 Ricky Ericksen (Marist)

170 – Jacob Liberatore (Marist) F 0:14 Lloyd Mills (Marian Catholic)

182 – Nico Ronchetti (Joliet Catholic Academy) F 3:07 Conor Phelan (Marist)

195 – Peter Marinopoulos (Marist) TF 5:47 Zach Pomatto (Joliet Catholic Academy)

220 – Gabe Kaminski (Nazareth Academy) D 9-2 Luke Liberatore (Marist)

285 – Dillan Johnson (Joliet Catholic Academy) F 1:02 Sam Stec (Nazareth Academy)

East Suburban Catholic Conference third-place matches

 106 – Johnny Sheehy (Notre Dame) MD 12-3 Daniel Goodwin (St. Patrick)

113 – Calvin Stahl (St. Patrick) D 6-4 John Greifelt (Notre Dame)

120 – Olin Walker (St. Patrick) TF 2:56 Brady Krueger (Notre Dame)

126 – Alex Asllani (Carmel) F 2:38 James Frugoli (Notre Dame)

132 – Tony Hinojosa (Carmel) D 9-6 Ben Kusar (St. Patrick)

138 – Tyrese Johnson (Marist) TF 6:00 Michael McCarthy (Notre Dame)

145 – Van Grasser (St. Patrick) F 3:29 Evan Fitzgerald (Marian Catholic)

152 – John Whelan (Saint Viator) D 2-1 Tony Pena (Notre Dame)

160 – Quinn Mahoney (Notre Dame) F 4:00 Devin Nichol (St. Patrick)

170 – Isaac Clawson (Joliet Catholic Academy) D 1-0 Gio Hernandez (St. Patrick)

182 – Jim Amatore (Notre Dame) D 3-1 Scott Creviston (Nazareth Academy)

195 – Aiden Rice (Notre Dame) Bye

220 – Hunter Powell (Joliet Catholic Academy) F 1:28 Aiden Gomez (St. Patrick)

285 – Ryan Lanigan (Marist) Bye

Chicago Public League boys’ tournament team champion: Lane Tech

The Chicago Public League boys’ tournament took place Sunday, hosted by De La Salle, and when the dust settled it was Lane Tech earning the team title with 253 points. Taft (225) placed second, followed by Phoenix Military Academy (183.5), Rickover Naval Academy (133.5), Gary Comer (114), Little Village (110), Kelly (99), Sarah Goode (94), Kenwood (89.5), and Lindblom (86) to round out the top 10 team finishes.

Lane Tech coach Matthew Yan got five individual titles on the day, from Evan Coles (106), Alex Valentin (113), Finn Merrill (138), Felix Zavala (145), and Fernando Lopez (152). Finishing second for Lane was Nasser Hammouche (132), while Marcello Valle (126) and Julian Hutchinson (285) placed third.

Chicago Public League tournament championship matches:

106: Evan Coles (Lane Tech) MD 15-3 Bernardo Roque (Taft)

113: Alex Valentin (Lane Tech) MD 10-2 Victor Alvarado (Kennedy)

120: Jose Lua (Phoenix Military) F 3:58 Nathaniel Sales (Rickover)

126: Cameron Griffin (Kenwood) D 7-5 Mauricio Cisneros (Phoenix Military)
132: Vin Moreno (Phoenix Military) F 5:43 Nasser Hammouche (Lane Tech)

138: Finn Merrill (Lane Tech) F 1:14 Xavier Woods (Sarah Goode)

145: Felix Zavala (Lane Tech) F 2:45 James Odulaja (Kenwood)

152: Fernando Lopez (Lane Tech) F 2:59 Faizol Salam (Gary Comer)

160: Jimmy Lua (Phoenix Military) D 9-8 Damond Butler (Curie)

170: Antonio Padilla (Solorio) D 6-1 Arlo Johnston (Mather)

182: Wilhelm Lord (Hyde Park) F 5:39 Frankie Cruz (Kelly)

195: Sean Brown (CMA-Bronzeville) D 12-8 Kaleb Abney (Phoenix Military)

220: Elijah Edwards (Sarah Goode) F 0:11 Demonte Smallwood (Bowen)

285: Grzegorz Krupa (Taft) F 1:59 Fernando Gomez (Back of the Yards)

Chicago Public League 3rd-place matches:

106: Brian Bahena (Little Village) F 1:26 Josuè Tankson (Kennedy)

113: Lance Rosales (Taft) TF 2:24 Adan Bucio (Phoenix Military)

120: Lawrence Rosales (Taft) D 6-0 O`Ryan Sandifer (Gary Comer)

126: Marcello Valle (Lane Tech) F 3:59 Jacob Pizarro (Rickover)

132: Justin Hernandez (Rickover) D 4-0 Awwal Ogunsolu (Kelly)

138: Maxwell Nevinger (Senn) D 8-6 Austin Dempsey (Taft)

145: Alejandro Olvera (Rickover) D 11-9 Sergio Ramirez (Lindblom)

152: Kendall Martin (Sarah Goode) F 1:39 Adonai Zora-Awini (Rickover)

160: Michaelangelo Scalera (Taft) F 4:27 Ameir Alexander (Schurz)

170: Larnzell McNeal (Gary Comer) D 7-6 Nehemiah Pinder (Kenwood)

182: Jaden Shores (Morgan Park) F 2:31 Emmanuel Ellis (Westinghouse)

195: Grant Hansen (Taft) F 2:20 Jakob Okonkwo (Lindblom)

220: Arturo Gonzalez (Kelly) SV-1 2-1 Josue Olivo (Lindblom)

285: Julian Hutchinson (Lane Tech) F 0:47 Adrian Chavez (Little 

Village)

Chicago Public League girls’ tournament team champion: Rickover Naval Academy

With three individual champions and two second-place finishers, the girls from Rickover Naval Academy walked away with this year’s CPL team title at De La Salle.

Rickover posted a 192-105 edge over second-place Back of the Yards. Curie (100) finished third, followed by Phoenix Military Academy (83), Lane Tech (75), Kelly (72), Lindblom (62), South Shore (60), Washington (57.5), and Kenwood (51) to round out the top-10 team finishes.

Rickover coach Andrew Holden got individual titles from Mia Vazquez (100), Annabella Guzman (130), and Clara Biela (170), and seconds from Litzy Guaman (110), and Camila Martinez-Gonzalez (155). Rickover also got thirds from Shayla Trujillo (135) and Jannine Flores (190), a fourth from Rubi Bandera (105), fifths from Maritza Ponce (115), Nattalio Ribero-Alanis (140), and Alisa Burk (145), and a sixth from Kimmely Trujillo (120).

Chicago Public League girls’ tournament championship matches:

100: Mia Vazquez (Rickover) F 0:20 Evelin Martinez (Curie)

105: Diana Lopez (Phoenix) F 3:11 Kimani Glaspe (Westinghouse)

110: Hida Thomas (Back of the Yards) F 2:55 Litzy Guaman (Rickover)

115: Jaqueline Dimas (Kelly) D 6-5 Michaela Yu (Taft)

120: Monica Griffin (Bowen) F 1:13 Nyah Lovis (Lane Tech)
125: Nykya Scott (Lindblom) F 1:56 Tyhesia Goss (CMA Bronzeville)

130: Anabella Guzman (Rickover) F 1:35 Yesenia Depaz (Back of the Yards)

135: Vanessa Torres (Curie) F 0:27 Leslie Ruiz (Lake View)

140: Itzel Jimenez (Washington) F 4:39 Zoe Gonzalez (Curie)

145: Gisell Patino (Back of the Yards) F 0:34 Beverly Thompson (Kenwood)

155: AJ Grant (Phoenix) F 0:43 Camila Martinez-Gonzalez (Rickover)

170: Clara Biela (Rickover) F 0:36 Nicole Chmelar (Lane Tech)

190: Krystal Thomas (South Shore) F 0:21 Liana Andrade (Kelly)

235: Aaliyah Grandberry (Curie) D 2-0 Jasmine Mejia (Rickover)

Chicago Public League girls’ tournament 3rd-place matches:

100: Yazmin Mendoza (Kelly) F 0:44 Giselle Arabula (Curie)

105: Chloe Arana (Washington) TF 4:18 Rubi Bandera (Rickover)

110: Mia Thomas (Phoenix) F 3:17 Melany Corona (CMA Bronzeville)

115: Marisol Castro Duran (Phoenix) F 3:45 Ellie Frost (Lane Tech)

120: Raynisha Sims (Lake View) F 5:13 Xel Yanez (Lindblom)

125: Gabriela Romero (Lane Tech) INJ Joselyn Rodriguez (Back of the Yards)

130: Ava Woods (South Shore) F 0:56 Carolina Deldago (Lindblom)

135: Shayla Trujillo (Rickover) F 1:55 Krishna Garfias (Mather)

140: Leah Morris (Kenwood) D 14-8 Vanessa Alejandro (Lindblom)

145: Ayanna Mathis (Curie) F 1:15 Laniya Fields (Curie)

155: Keyla Morales Sauceda (Crane) F 4:29 Karina Melgaza-King (Westinghouse)

170: Ganiyat Hamzat (Senn) D 3-0 Sophia Monroy (C. Academy)

190: Jannine Flores (Rickover) F 3:09 MariCarmen Arce (Phoenix)

235: Destiny Thomas (South Shore) F 1:54 N`Dyia Mahon-Godfrey (Kelly)