Tournament recaps: Stillman Valley, Erie-Prophetstown, Harvard, Rich Township

By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA

Stillman Valley Holiday Tournament

Oregon edged Dundee-Crown for the team title at this year’s Stillman Valley Holiday Tournament, with 12 wrestlers earning team points, led by individual champion Anthony Bauer (157).

Oregon took this year’s crown in the 16-team field by a mere three points, outpointing Dundee-Crown 181-178. Stillman Valley (162), The Classical Academy (149.5) from Colorado, and Wheaton Academy (121) rounded out the top five team finishes.

It was the Hawks’ second consecutive Stillman Valley title.

“We knew going in we had a chance to be in the running to win the team title if we wrestled well,” Oregon coach Justin Lahman said. “Our final round had some big matches that we had to have to stay in the lead.”

Heading into the final round, Oregon held a seven-point lead over Dundee-Crown and a 13-point lead over Stillman Valley, and the Hawks 

Lahman sent four wrestlers to the championship mat. In addition to Bauer’s title, Landon Ege (113), Jackson Glendenning (165), and Andrew Young (175) placed second. 

Nelson Benesh (120), Jayden Berry (138), Ethan Mowry (150), and Quentin Berry (190) also keyed the team victory, as all four reached the third-place mat and won their final matches of the day. Those third-place matches kept the tide turned in Oregon’s favor.

“Benesh had a big comeback win at 120 over Landon Blanton after bumping up for the team this tournament,” Lahman said. “Then we followed that up with a rematch at 138 with Jayden Berry that got revenge from a loss earlier to Dundee Crown. We had another head to head match up at 190 with Quentin Berry and he was able to secure a win.”

Set Rote (215) also finished fourth for the Hawks, while Colton Flaharty (126) and Preston LaBay (132) added sixth-place finishes. 

“It was a great team performance with everyone willing to do what it took for the title in back-to-back seasons,” Lahman said. “Hopefully this will help build our confidence that we can wrestle with most teams if we stay aggressive and believe in ourselves.”

Second-place Dundee-Crown got an individual title from Teigen Moreno (215), a second from Chris Gerardo (126), and thirds from Jesus Sanchez (113), Julio Ramos (157), and Jose Gavina (165). D-C coach Tim Hayes got team points from 13 wrestlers on the day.

Wheaton Academy led the field with four champions in Lincoln Hoger (126), Will Hupke (138), Tyler Jones (144) and Chasen Kazmierczak (150), while Johnsburg had three champs in Eric Bush (106), Landon Johnson (132) and Duke Mas (165). Stillman Valley had two champions in Mack Jones (113) and Blake Mollett (285).

Also winning titles were Kaneland’s Kamron Scholl (120), Amboy’s Lucas Blanton (175), and Marengo’s Maverick Quatroke (190).

The Classical Academy had three runners-up in Jacob Gaona (138),Will Schipfer (150) and Ridge Blackwood (157), and other second-placers included Aurora Central Catholic’s Vince Hefke (106), Lisle’s Alexander Ferari (120), Kaneland’s Alex Gochis (132) and Marengo’s Mason Lampe (144).

Individual third-placers included Stillman Valley’s Michael Pannarale (106) and Henry Hildreth (144), The Classical Academy’s Trenton Courtright (126), Luke Sorensen (132) and Caleb Shirin (175), St. Edward’s Dominic Savini (215), and Winnebago’s Josh Cowman (285).

Fourth-placers included Dundee-Crown’s Aiden Healey (106) Vinnie Velazquez (132) Caleb Yancoskie (138) Zach Anderson (190) and Darius Ford (285), Mendota’s Gavin Steveson (113), Amboy’s Landon Blanton (120), Lisle’s Adam Drake (126) and Johnny Consuegra-Lopez (144), Kaneland’s Kyle Rogers (150), Wheaton Academy’s Deonta Giles (157), Stillman Valley’s Braden Rogers (165), and Marengo’s Connor Sacco (175).

For the tournament, Wheaton Academy’s Hupke’s three pins in 2:56 were to most pins in the least time. Hupke also tied for the overall lead in team points scored (30 with Dundee-Crown’s Moreno.  Marengo’s Boley Hunter had the most single match points scored with 21, and his 48 total match points were the most by any wrestler in the tournament.

Sillman Valley Holiday Tournament championship match results:

106 – Eric Bush (Johnsburg) F 2:36 Vince Hefke (Aurora Central Catholic)

113 – Mack Jones (Stillman Valley) D 5-0 Landon Ege (Oregon)

120 – Kamron Scholl (Kaneland) D 9-3 Alexander Ferari (Lisle)

126 – Lincoln Hoger (Wheaton Academy) D 8-1 Chris Gerardo (Dundee-Crown)

132 – Landon Johnson (Johnsburg) D 4-2 Alex Gochis (Kaneland)

138 – Will Hupke (Wheaton Academy) F 0:47 Jacob Gaona (Classical Academy, CO)

144 – Tyler Jones (Wheaton Academy) D 6-3 Mason Lampe (Marengo)

150 – Chasen Kazmierczak (Wheaton Academy) D 9-6 Will Schipfer (Classical Academy, CO)

157 – Anthony Bauer (Oregon) D 9-3 Ridge Blackwood (Classical Academy, CO)

165 – Duke Mays (Johnsburg) MD 10-0 Jackson Glendenning (Oregon)

175 – Lucas Blanton (Amboy) D 11-4 Andrew Young (Oregon)

190 – Maverick Quatroke (Marengo) D 7-1 Brock Needs (Stillman Valley)

215 – Teigen Moreno (Dundee-Crown) F 1:39 Braxton Jennings (Stillman Valley)

285 – Blake Mollett (Stillman Valley) F 2:35 Angil Serrano (Mendota)

Final team scores: 1. Oregon (181) 2. Dundee-Crown (178) 3. Stillman Valley (162) 4. The Classical Academy, CO (149.5) 5. Wheaton Academy (121) 6. Kanelend (93) 7. Marengo (92) 8. Johnsburg (87) 9. Lisle (66) 10. Amboy (48) 11. Durand (39) 12. Mendota (38) 13. Aurora Central Catholic (22) 13. St. Edward (22) 13. Winnebago (22) 16. Mooseheart (0)

Erie-Prophetstown Holiday Tournament

Lena-Winslow/Stockton used an individual title from Eli Larson (175) and scoring from 13 wrestlers to top the 18-team field in Erie. The Panthers won 206.5-176.5 over second-place Seneca.

Newman Central Catholic (132), Morrison (129), and Rockridge (125) rounded out the top five team finishes.

Panthers coach Kevin Milder also got team points from second-placers Jared Dvorak (157) and Jeremiah Luke (215); thirds from Reece Demeter (120), Brady Haas (165) and Michael Haas (285); fourths from David Prater (113), Arrison Bauer (132) and Oliver McPeek (190); and fifths from Teegan Arnold (126), Mauricio Glass (138), Karl Hubb (144), and Oliver McPeek (190).

“Erie was a very competitive tournament with multiple ranked wrestlers,” Milder said. “We only had one champion, but our team depth carried us to the team title with twelve of our thirteen wrestlers placing in the top five.”

Second-place Seneca and coach Todd Yegge got individual titles from Ethan Othon (120) and Chris Peura (215), and seconds from Raiden Terry (106), Asher Hamby (175) and Landen Venecia (190).

Third-place Newman Central Catholic got a pair of individual titles for coach Brian Bahrs, from Brady Grennan (132) and Carter Rude (144), and seconds from Zhyler Hansen (120) and Daniel Kelly (165).

Also winning titles in Erie were East Peoria’s Cooper Chester (106) and Jose Del Toro (285), Illini Bluffs’ Hunter Robbins (113) and Ian O’Connor (138), Rockridge’s Thomas Soward (126) and Ryan Lower (165), Orion’s Mason Anderson (150) and Maddux Anderson (190), and Morrison’s Karder White (157).

Other second-placers included Illinis Bluffs’ Wyatt Knowles (113) and Jackson Carroll (144), Sherrard’s Blake Pender (126), Rockridge’s Jude Finch (132), Mercer County’s Ethan Monson (138) and Zeke Arnold (150), and East Peoria’s Keegan Barnes (285).

Third-place finishers included Sherrard’s Luke Werner (106) and Braiden Khral (113), Rock Falls’ Logan Thome (126), West Carroll’s Connor Knopp (132), New Central Catholic’s Briar Ivey (138), Erie-Prophetstown’s Wyatt Goossens (144) and Tristan Hovey (150), Seneca’s Nate Othon (157), Mercer County’s Bodie Salmon (175), Fulton’s Mason Kuebel (190), and Peoria Heights’ Isaac Coleman (215).

Also placing fourth were Fulton’s Zander Ketelsen (106), Rock Falls’ Josiah Tarbill (120) and Korbin Oligney (150), Morrison’s Kamden White (126), Camden Pruis (138) and Brady Anderson (165), Alleman’s Adam Jacks (144), Newman Central Catholic’s Caleb Donna (175), East Peoria’s Chase Bancroft (215), and Jeremy Gagnon (285).

Rock Falls’ Jacob Hosler’s four pins in 3:04 were the most falls in the least time of any wrestler in the tournament, and East Peoria’s Jose Del Toro posted the fastest fall in 0:05.

Del Toro also also tied for the most team points scored (28) with Morrison’s Karder White, Orion’s Mason Anderson, and Rockridge’s Ryan Lower. Seneca’s Wyatt Cooper and Morrison’s Camden Pruis tied for the most single match points with 20, Lena-Winslow/Stockton’s Tegan Arnold led the field with 35 total match points, and the largest seed-place difference went to East Peoria’s Cole Brooks when he placed sixth as the No. 15 seed at 138.

Erie-Prophetstown Holiday Tournament championship matches:

106 – Cooper Chester (E. Peoria) D 5-2 Raiden Terry (Seneca)

113 – Hunter Robbins (Illini Bluffs) D 3-1 Wyatt Knowles (Illini Bluffs)

120 – Ethan Othon (Seneca) MD 16-5 Zhyler Hansen (Newman Central)

126 – Thomas Soward (Rockridge) F 1:23 Blake Pender (Sherrard)

132 – Brady Grennan (Newman Central) OT 3-1 Jude Finch (Rockridge)

138 – Ian O’Connor (Illini Bluffs) D 6-4 Ethan Monson (Mercer County)

144 – Carter Rude (Newman Central) D 5-2 Jackson Carroll (Illini Bluffs)

150 – Mason Anderson (Orion) D 6-3 Zeke Arnold (Mercer County)

157 – Karder White (Morrison) F 0:54 Jared Dvorak (L-W/Stockton)

165 – Ryan Lower (Rockridge) D 12-6 Daniel Kelly (Newman Central)

175 – Eli Larson (L-W/Stockton) D 5-2 Asher Hamby (Seneca)

190 – Maddux Anderson (Orion) F 2:30 Landen Venecia (Seneca)

215 – Chris Peura (Seneca) D 11-7 Jeremiah Luke (L-W/Stockton)

285 – Jose Del Toro (E. Peoria) D 2-1 Keegan Barnes (E. Peoria)

Final team scores: 1. Lena-Winslow/Stockton (206.5) 2. Seneca (176.5) 3. Newman Central Catholic (132) 4. Morrison (129) 5. Rockridge (125) 6. East Peoria (103) 7. Orion (95) 7. Rock Falls (95) 9. Illini Bluffs (79) 10. Sherrard (77) 11. Mercer County (66) 12. Fulton (63) 13. Erie-Prophetstown (60) 14. Polo (39) 15. Alleman (31) 16. West Carroll (27.5) 17. Peoria Heights (26) 18. Galena (0).

Harvard’s Sciacca/Holtfreter Tournament

Wheeling got the job done in Harvard, winning the team title 214.5-186.5 over second-place Hampshire at this year’s Sciacca/Holtfreter Tournament. Host Harvard (166) was third, followed by Woodstock (121) and Vernon Hills (102) to round out the top five team finishes.

Wheeling got an individual title from David Perez (106), runner-up finishes from Nicholas Montesios (150) and John Scanlon (157), and thirds from Frankie Katz (113), Max Katz (126), Jonathan Dominguez (190), and Marco Mercado (215).

Alex Nesterenko (132) and Gabriel Serrano (144) placed fourth for coach Charlie Curran, who also got fifths from Austin Berger (138), Miguel Guerrero (165), Jonathan Martinez (175), and Pablo Morales (285).

“We had a true team effort at Harvard this weekend,” Curran said. “We had all fourteen wrestlers place in the top five, which gave us a huge bump in team points. 

“Our guys were putting opponents to their backs and getting pins. In the last two rounds we had fourteen wins, thirteen of them with bonus points, and eleven of those were by fall. We had a great day and I couldn’t be prouder of how our team performed and responded throughout the day.”

Curran applauded Perez for his championship effort, along with the hard-fought wins that Montesinos, Lopez, and Scanlon earned to reach the finals.

The Wheeling coach didn’t stop there.

“Alex Nesterenko gave incredible effort in all of his matches, and has really shown huge improvement since the beginning of the season,” Curran said. “Max Katz, Frankie Katz, and Jonny Dominguez all took tough losses in the semis, but each of them pinned their way back to third place.”

Hampshire coach Matthew Todd got individual titles from Logan Campbell (138) and Joey Ochoa (285), seconds from Lou Jensen (113), Sam Beamon (138), Aidan Rowells (175) and Carter Hintz (190), and thirds from Andrew Salmieri (120), Aric Abbot (150), and Mike Brannigan (165).

Harvard got titles from Rey Romo (113), Owen Vail (120), Daniel Rosas (150), and Christian Mercado (157), a second-place finish from Riley Vest (285), and a third from Logan Nulle (144) for coach David Schultz.

Other wrestlers winning titles in Harvard were North Boone’s Gavin Ekberg (126), Walther Christian’s Caleb Peterson (132), Vernon Hills’ Jack McGowan (138) and Ilya Dvoriannikov (165), Woodstock North’s Kaden Combs (175), and Woodstock’s Zach Canaday (190) and Andrew Ryan (215).

Second-place winners also included Alden-Hebron’s George Longfield-Lofti (106), Woodstock’s Taqi Baker (126) and Daniel Bychowski (144), Bremen’s Izaiah Gonzalez (132), and North Boone’s Maysen Smith (165) and Jimmy Elsworth (215).

Also finishing third were Alden-Hebron’s Riley Krumsee (106), Streamwood’s Uli Rojas (132), Boylan’s Netavia Wickson (138), Vernon Hills’ Dylan Moncayo (157),  Bremen’s Adrian Esparza (175), and Bremen’s Marco Olvera (285).

Placing fourth were Walther Christian’s Mia Herrera (106), Boylan’s Ricardo Perez (113), Bremen’s Sean Unzueta (120) and Dionte’ Jones (138), Harvard’s Brennan Peters (126) and Charley Tolentino (165), Streamwood’s Juan Cortez (150), Hampshire’s Uriah Beamon (157), Woodstock’s Edgar Arana (175), Streamwood’s Jace Wolf (190) and Josh Burton (215), and Woodstock’s Everett Flannery (285).

The Sciacca/Holtfreter is named for two pivotal figures in Harvard history; John Sciacca, who founded the wrestling program at Harvard and was head coach for 15 years, retiring in 1978; and Richard Holtfreter, head coach for nine years who guided Harvard to a team state title in 1983.

Sciacca/Holtfreter championship matches:

106 – David Perez (Wheeling) F 0:50 George Longfield-Lofti (Alden Hebron)

113 – Rey Romo (Harvard) MD 18-6 Lou Jensen (Hampshire)

120 – Owen Vail (Harvard) F 3:55 Miguel Lopez (Wheeling)

126 – Gavin Ekberg (North Boone) D 4-2 Taqi Baker (Woodstock)

132 – Caleb Peterson (Walther Christian) Inj. Def. Izaiah Gonzalez (Bremen)

138 – Logan Campbell (Hampshire) D 9-2 Sam Beamon (Hampshire)

144 – Jack McGowan (Vernon Hills) D 10-3 Daniel Bychowski (Woodstock)

150 – Daniel Rosas (Harvard) MD 13-0 Nicholas Montesino (Wheeling)

157 – Christian Mercado (Harvard) F 2:32 John Scanlon (Wheeling)

165 – Ilya Dvoriannikov (Vernon Hills) F 2:47 Maysen Smith (North Boone)

175 – Kaden Combs (Woodstock North) TF 5:59 Aidan Rowells (Hampshire)

190 – Zach Canaday (Woodstock) F 1:35 Carter Hintz (Hampshire)

215 – Andrew Ryan (Woodstock) F 3:52 Jimmy Elsworth (North Boone)

285 – Joey Ochoa (Hampshire) F 2:33 Riley Vest (Harvard)

Final team scores: 1. Wheeling (214.5) 2. Hampshire (186.5) 3. Harvard (166) 4. Woodstock (121) 5. Vernon Hills (102) 6. Bremen (91) 7. Streamwood (74) 8. North Boone (53) 9. Walther Christian (42) 10. Rockford Boylan (41) 11. Woodstock North (40) 12. Elmwood Park (20) 13. Alden-Hebron (16) 14. Harvard 2 (1).

Rich Township’s Raptor Varsity Invite

The team from Merrillville, Indiana dominated the 15-team field at this year’s Raptor Invite, posting a 281-183.5 edge over second-place Evergreen Park. Romeoville (177) finished third followed by Hope Academy (161) and Hillcrest (143.5) to round out the top five team finishes.

Merrillville was led by individual champions Joy Cantu (106), Marlone Kirksy (144), and Cameron Crisp (175), and second-placers Matthew Maldonado (126), Tyler Knight (157) and Josiah Edmonds (190). Merrillville also got thirds from Warren Brown (132), Anthony Bustamante (165), Terrelle Elmore (215) and Raymond James (285).

Second-place Evergreen Park got individual titles for coach Ron Zimmerman from Johan Bonilla (113), Chance Woods (126), and and Genesis Ward (190), and a second-place finish from Ashton Gray (138).

Third-place Romeoville got an individual title from Brian Farley (120) and runner-up finishes from Savion Essiot (113), Mason Gougis (175) and Jamir Thomas (285).

Other tournament champions included Hillcrest’s Jovan Williams (132) and Klaven Sullivan (138), Hope Academy’s Santiago Chaparro (150) and Tony Jones-Blakely (165), Tinley Park’s Sebastian Sanderson (215), and Hope Academy’s Roy Phelps (285).

Also placing second at Rich Township were JS Morton’s Tristan Rodriguez (106) and David Roa (150), Rich Township’s Kyrin King (120), Saint Ignatius’ Colton Huff (132), Nate Sanchez (144) and Melson Ngassa (215), Hope Academy’s Arkail Griffin (157), and Romeoville’s Jamir Thomas (285).

Other third-placers included Rich Township’s Keyshawn Pittman (106), T-F South’s Jayden Scott (113), Evergreen Park’s Angel Ramirez (120) and David Johnson (144), Hope’s Josiah Willis (126) and Dylan Galvez (138), Hillcrest’s Trevon Williams (150), T-F North’s Joseph Merritt (157) and Damari Dogan (175),  Romeoville’s Isiah Escobar (190), and Merrillville’s Terrelle Elmore (215).

Also finishing fourth were Hillcrest’s Amari Brown (106) and Eric Pike (190), Morton’s David Roldan (113) and Rafael Lopez Granados (157), Saint Ignatius’ Alex Villenueva (120), Hillcrest’s Elijah Wofford (126), T-F North’s Deshawn Jones (132), Merrillville’s Isaiah Price (138) and Angel Bustamante (150), Rich Township’s Tristin King (144), T-F South’s Titus Woodring (165), Hope Academy’s Ismael Martinez (175), Romeoville’s Mohammad Almadani (215), and Eisenhower’s Isac Hernandez (285).

Merrillville’s Marquell Shelton’s four pins at 144 in 3:28 were the most pins in the least time by any wrestler present in the tournament, while Saint Ignatius’ Alex Villenueva had the most tech falls in the least time, earning two techs in 6:26.

Tinley Park’s Sebastian Sanderson’s 30 team points earned were the most by any wrestler; the most single match points (22) were scored by Evergreen Park’s Adrian Cervantes; the most total match points (50) came from Saint Ignatius’ Villenueva; and the largest seed-place difference came from Saint Ignatius’ Melton Ngassa, who was seeded 12th and placed second at 215.

Rich Township Raptor Varsity Invite championship matches:

106 – Joy Cantu (Merrillville) D 6-4 Tristan Rodriguez (Morton)

113 – Johan Bonilla (Evergreen Park) F 2:46 Savion Essiot (Romeoville)

120 – Brian Farley (Romeoville) F 1:07 Kyrin King (Rich Township)

126 – Chance Woods (Evergreen Park) D 5-0 Matthew Maldonado (Merrillville)

132 – Jovan Williams (Hillcrest) F 4:58 Colton Huff (Saint Ignatius)

138 – Klaven Sullivan (Hillcrest) MD 13-1 Ashton Gray (Evergreen Park)

144 – Marlone Kirksy (Merrillville) F 1:12 Nate Sanchez (Saint Ignatius)

150 – Santiago Chaparro (Hope Academy) D 6-4 David Roa (Morton)

157 – Adrian Pellot (Merrillville) TF 4:00 Arkail Griffin (Hope Academy)

165 – Tony Jones-Blakely (Hope Academy) MD 14-6 Tyler Knight (Merrillville)

175 – Cameron Crisp (Merrillville) F 1:28 Mason Gougis (Romeoville)

190 – Genesis Ward (Evergreen Park) F 1:00 Josiah Edmonds (Merrillville)

215 – Sebastian Sanderson (Tinley Park) F 3:32 Melson Ngassa (Saint Ignatius)

285 – Roy Phelps (Hope Academy) D 5-0 Jamir Thomas (Romeoville)

Final team scores: 1. Merrillville, IN (281) 2. Evergreen Park (183.5) 3. Romeoville (177) 4. Hope Academy (161) 5. Hillcrest (143.5) 6. Saint Ignatius (137) 7. JS Morton (133) 8. Rich Township (78.5) 9. T-F North (63) 10. T-F South (61) 10. Tinley Park (61) 12. Crete-Monee (33) 13. Eisenhower (21) 14. Bloom Township (13) 15. Intrinsic Charter (3).