The Illinois High School Association kicked of its Wrestling State Series throughout the state with Regional competitions in classes 1A, 2A and 3A divisions.
Among the host sites was Fenton High School in Bensenville which fetured a 2A Regional. Teams from St. Patrick, Fenwick, Montini and Fenton were expected to be the contenders for the regional title and a chance to compete in the IHSA Team Dual Championships later in the month.
When all the wrestling was concluded, earning the top spot and advancing 12 westlers to the Deerfield Sectional was St. Patrick of Chicago. Their team score of 219 points easily outdistanced the runner up, Fenwick, who tallied 188 points, followed by Fento at 155 and Montini at 152..
St Patrick had 8 finalist winning five titles while Fenwick finished with 3 champions of their seven finalist.
The top three place winners at each of the 14 weight classes next head the Deerfield Sectional hoping to gain a top four finish and a trip to the State finals later this month.
Jack Dombeck (L) of Elmwood Park and Justin Ranzonni (R) of St. Patrick face off in the 106-pound Championship at the Fenton Regional. Dombeck gave Elmwood Park its lone Champion with fall over Ranzonni for the Fenton Regional Title.
St. Patricks’ Olin Walker (L) finds air during his takedown of Fenton’s previously unbeaten wrestler Kon Papadopolous (r) in the 113-pound Regional Championship at Fenton HS. Walker won 13-3.
A tight final at 120-pounds saw Montini’s David Hernandez (L) battle Schurz’s Majd Hamarsha (R). Hamarsha held on to the decision winning 13-11 for the Regional Title at
Fenton HS.
The 126-pound Regional title went to St. Patricks’ Niko Karamaniolas, here taking down Kris Popovich of Ridgewood and gaining a fall at 1:38 of the first period.
Fentons’ Alberto Bracamontes (L) lifts St. Patricks’ Sean Conway during their 132-pound Championship bout. Conway would later pin Bracamontes to win the Regional Championship.
Tommy Sullivan of Fenwick(L) held off a strong effort from Justin Dickeson of Fenton for the 3-1 win in their 138 Championship bout.
Jayden Colon of Montini (L) looks to his coaches while trying to pin Fenwicks’ Rowan White during their 145-pound Championship bout at the Fenton Regional. Colon did win by fall.
At 152-pounds, Montini won another Championship when David Mayora (R) managed to pin Fenwicks’ (L) Finn McGee for the Regional title.
Montini’s Will Prater (L) looks to his coaches while Martin Paris of Fenwick tries to finish a takedown in their 160-pound Championship bout. Prater went on to win by a 10-2 decision.
Viktor Kilmczyk of Fenton (R) tries to fight off the single-leg attempt by St. Patricks’ Gio Hernandez during their Regional Championship at 170-pounds. Hernandez won in overtime 3-1.
Jack Clancy of St. Patrick tries to get out from under Fenwicks’ Conor Paris control during their 182-Pound Cahmpionship bout at Fenton HS. Paris went on to pin Clancy in the final period.
Alex Goworowski of St. Patrick looks to finish off Fenwicks’ Conor Stetz in their 220-Pond Regional Championship. Alex managed to drive Stetz over to his back for the fall during this effort above.
Fighting off as best he can, Schurz heavyweight’ Danny Ortiz couldn’t stave off the inevitible from Fenwicks’ Jimmy Liston during the 285-pound Regional Championship. Liston pinned Ortiz moments later.