By Patrick Z McGavin-Photos By Jenn-Anne Gledhill
**Additional Photos are Avilable at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/hinsdalesectionals **
HINSDALE—During a season where everything felt like a dream, Collin Carrigan had to own up and learn from a rare mistake.
The Glenbard West senior suffered his first loss by a 4-3 decision against Lyons’s Gunnar Garrelli in the 165-pound championship match of the regional on February 2.
“After my loss, I felt like I didn’t wrestle very well,” Carrigan said. “I went back to my coach. My biggest thing was my level. At the regional, I was just too high, and I had to come down and be at a more even level.
“Everything was there.”
He was not going to repeat the same mistake twice.
Carrigan avenged the regional defeat with the 5-3 decision over Garrelli in the 165-pound championship match of the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional on Saturday, February 9. A transfer from Marmion, he qualified for the individual championships that begin Thursday and run through Saturday, February 16, at the University of Illinois.
In the three-class state format, each group is composed of four sectionals that make up the 192 state qualifiers across the classes. The top-four sectional finishers advance to state.
State power Mount Carmel had a sectional best nine finalists, with four individual champions. Led by two-time state champion Seth Mendoza (126 pounds), the Caravan qualified 13 individuals.
Marist had three individual champions and eight qualifiers. Marmion had two champions and seven qualifiers. Batavia also had two champions, and four qualifiers.
Glenbard West, Sandburg and Hinsdale Central had one champion apiece. Fifteen of the 29 programs that competed at the sectional qualified at least one individual.
The results of the championship matches:
106 – Rocco Hayes (Sandburg) F 0:30 Logan Conover (Marmion)
Sandburg junior Rocco Hayes started things afire with a lightning fast and brilliant takedown he converted into a devastating quick fall. Hayes (44-1) posted the fall over Marmion freshman Logan Conover in just :30 of mat time.
After suffering a tight loss against Marmion’s Nicholas Garcia in the 106-pound championship match last season, he was primed for a fast start.
“Getting into my offense was really the key,” Hayes said. “I wanted to get into my offense quickly. That’s where I am at my best. I think what I learned from that match with Garcia last season is that I’m much more offensive in my attack than I was in the past. I’ve been working on that with my coaches.”
Hayes has had a fantastic last nine months. He won the 100-pound freestyle division of the Fargo national championship last August. He finished third in the state last year. He is ready for the next step.
“I just want to go out there, and have fun,” Hayes said. “The coaches always tell us to go out there, and have fun. That’s the key for me, as well as staying physical and being aggressive out there.”
113 – Nicholas Garcia (Marmion) D 6-5 Justin Williamson (Mount Carmel)
Just call Nicholas Garcia the escape artist. Stymied by Mount Carmel freshman Justin Williamson, the Cadets’ sophomore found his groove at just the right time by overcoming a 3-0 deficit at the start of the third period.
After a scoreless first period, Wililamson (29-9) stunned Garcia by turning him for three back points.
“He had a really good strategy,” Garcia said. “It felt like he was just trying to hold on. During that second period, he had a great ride on top, and he turned me. I knew I had it in me. I had to go back to what I do best out there.”
Garcia (41-7) used a third period reversal and takedown to capture his second consecutive sectional title.
120 – Ino Garcia (Batavia) MD 9-1 Madden Parker (Sandburg)
The Bulldogs’ senior secured his third consecutive state trip with a dominant first period. After being awarded a point for an illegal move by Parker, Garcia took charge with a takedown and three-point near fall for the commanding 6-0 lead.
His superb command, agility, quickness and greater reach thoroughly stymied Parker (40-6), who qualified for his first state appearance. Now Ino Garcia looks to improve upon his sixth place finish at 113 pounds last season.
126 – Seth Mendoza (Mount Carmel) TF 4:24 18-3 Michael Esteban (Marist)
Being one of the best wrestlers in the country has its own point of honor and supreme recognition. Seth Mendoza is not one to ever lose his focus.
He blitzed Marist’s Michael Esteban with his dazzling technique and dynamic attack, generating two takedowns and a three-point near fall en route to the 18-3 technical fall.
He also defeated Esteban by technical fall in the regional championship match.
Mendoza (38-2) is a two-time defending state champion. He is unbeaten this season against Illinois competition.
“This is the third time we’ve wrestled this season,” Mendoza said. “I like wrestling guys over and over. You definitely get a feel for it. Sometimes they’ll throw a curveball at you, and try out different stuff here and there. You always have to be prepared for it.”
Esteban (32-8) reached his second consecutive state appearance.
132 – Evan Stanley (Mount Carmel) D 7-2 Ethan Sonn (Marist)
One of the top freshmen in the state, Evan Stanley continued to impress with his methodical, sharp and highly detailed 7-2 decision over Marist’s Ethan Sonn.
In another rematch from the regional, Stanley (34-5) took charge with two first period takedowns over his rival freshman Sonn (21-15).
138 – Donavon Allen (Marist) SV-1 5-3 Zach Stewart (Marmion)
Just when the moment appeared bleak, Marist’s Donavon Allen found his steely composure. He fought off a late rush by Marmion’s Zach Stewart for the 5-3 sudden victory.
Allen (31-6) appeared to have the upper hand with a first period takedown. He built his lead to 3-0 after the second period with an escape.
Stewart (26-8) responded with an escape at the start of the third period and the takedown at the 5:28 mark that forced overtime. Stewart got in tight on Allen twice.
Allen decided he had enough.
“I saw that he seemed tired, and that just fed my hunger,” he said. “I knew I had time to recover, even after he tied up the match. I felt very comfortable out there in what I was doing. I kept believing in myself, and I kept believing in my wrestling. I just finished hard, and never stopped believing in myself or what I could do out there.”
Allen delivered the decisive shot for the single takedown at the 6:32 mark.
“I was definitely a little mad that I gave up the lead,” he said.
144 – Aidan Huck (Batavia) D 5-3 Jairo Acuna (Mount Carmel)
Everything was a blur in the moment. In retrospect, Batavia senior Aidan Huck knew the key to his 5-3 comeback victory over Mount Carmel’s Jairo Acuna.
After Acuna took the early lead with the first period takedown, Huck answered with the reversal.
With the match tied at 2-2, Huck rode out Acuna for the duration of the second period. He didn’t score any points. He did what was necessary.
“I think that’s one of my biggest strengths,” Huck said. “Being on top is definitely one of my big things that I got very good at in my career. Just laying him down during the second period definitely wore him out. That led into the third, where I just took it out of him.”
Huck (40-5) took his first lead with the third period escape and sealed the victory with the takedown. Despite the loss, Acuna (29-11) qualified for state the second straight season.
“A sectional championship was definitely one of my biggest goals,” Huck said. “That was also my 40th, and that was also a big goal. It will lead to a good seed at the state tournament.”
150 – Will Denny (Marist) MD 15-4 Dominic Serio (West Aurora)
In the only rematch from a year ago, Will Denny showed what he was fully capable of. The Marist grappler used an early four-point action with a takedown and near fall for the 15-4 major decision over West Aurora’s Dominic Serio.
Last season, Denny defeated Serio by fall in the 144-pound championship.
“I wasn’t expecting it coming off the bat like that,” Denny said. “I’ll take what I can get, and it feels really good. My coaches told me to stay aggressive and keep rewarding myself. This was my main goal, and now I just have to get the job done.”
Denny (38-4) built his advantage with two takedowns and back points during the second period.
Serio (29-2) missed all of January recovering from a knee injury. He qualified for his second consecutive state appearance.
157 – Edmund Enright (Mount Carmel) D 5-0 Noah Quintana (West Aurora)
Eddie Enright has a reach that is virtually impossible to counter. West Aurora’s Noah Quintana was the latest victim.
The Mount Carmel senior used size and length to counter the athleticism of Quintana for the 5-0 decision. A state runner-up at 152 pounds last season, the Northwestern commit improved to 36-3.
He took charge with a late first period takedown. He closed out the match with an escape and takedown in the third period.
“It was the same mentality as last year, knowing I’d have a good match no matter who I was going up against,” Enright said “It’s good to have a match like that where I have to push myself a little bit more, control the pace and everything, before the big show next week.”
Quintana (28-6) qualified for the second time in his career.
165 – Collin Carrigan (Glenbard West) D 5-3 Gunnar Garelli (Lyons)
A week ago, Garrelli took the opening lead. Carrigan made sure the outcome was different
“Last week he got a last second takedown in the first period, and he went up 2-0,.” Carrigan said. “I felt like I was chasing him. Today getting the early score was really important. That helped me win.”
Carrigan registered the first takedown for the 2-1 lead after the first period. He built his advantage to 3-1 in the second period. After Garrelli narrowed the margin go 3-2 at the start of the third period, Carrigan pulled away with his second takedown, at the 5:09 mark.
Garrelli (44-2) was fourth at 160 pounds last year.
The rubber match seems destined in the state championship match.
175 – Colin Kelly (Mount Carmel) MD 19-7 Sedeeq Al Obaidi (Wheaton Warrenville South)
Mount Carmel senior Colin Kelly never takes anything for granted.
As a sophomore two years ago, he won the state championship at 152 pounds. He lost the rematch to the same wrestler last season.
Kelly (39-1) annihilated the field with a 19-7 major decision over Wheaton Warrenville South’s Sedeeq Al Obaidi in the championship match.
“I have a lot of gratitude, and I appreciate all the small things, like waking up, enjoying the eggs for breakfast I eat,” he said. “I concentrate on the small things, getting good quality sleep. It all backs into victory.”
He had six takedowns through the first two periods.
“I try never to look at the competition,” he said. “I almost feel like it’s me versus me. It’s a battle against yourself. I like to have fun and enjoy the moment. I try to score points. It’s a boring match if I don’t score any points. I want to get the fans involved, and just make wrestling a better sport.”
Al Obaidi (37-3) qualified for his second individual state appearance.
190 – Conor Phelan (Marist) F 2:32 Rylan Breen (Mount Carmel)
Conor Phelan never lost confidence, or gave up hope.
“It was all about not letting the current score get to me,” he said. “I knew there were still a lot of opportunities, even when I was losing.”
Phelan turned the tables on Mount Carmel rival Rylan Breen, turning a 4-1 second period deficit by catching him on his back for the fall at 2:32.
Breen (26-8) had previously beaten Phelan (36-8) twice this season, including a major decision at the regional a week earlier.
“What I learned from the first two matches is that I have to be the one who scores. Nobody is going to win the match for me,” he said. “I really had no choice at being passive there. The second I stopped advancing, he is able to stretch me out, and he can attack me, and I can’t attack him.”
Phelan finished third at 182 pounds. Breen was sixth a year ago.
“The earlier guys were not very dynamic, and not very fun to wrestle against. On the other hand, Breen is always trying to score, and he’s a lot of fun to go up against,” he said.
215 – Joey Favia (Marmion) D 3-2 William Jacobson (Mount Carmel)
Of all the champions on Saturday, Marmion sophomore Joey Favia had the most to rejoice.
A year ago, he suffered a devastating ankle injury that deprived him off a chance to advance to state. His first period takedown marked the only offensive points as he withstood a late rush by Mount Carmel’s William Jacobson in the championship match.
“He’s very lengthy, and hard to take down, but I think I did pretty well there,” Favia said. “I felt like I could have capitalized on more shots. You do what you do, and the match is over. “I’m really excited about going downstate. It’s just a great opportunity.”
Jacobson (25-12) qualified for his second time.
Favia (34-6) is ready. “Great things are to come,” he said.
285 – Marko Ivanisevic (Hinsdale Central) D 3-0 Alex Poholik (Mount Carmel)
Marko Ivanisevic saved the best for the home crowd, fighting off the defensive maneuvers of Mount Carmel’s Alex Poholik for the 3-0 decision.
Fifth at 220 pounds last season, Ivanisevic (37-2) scored the only offensive points on a takedown in the third period.