Sectional archives
Wednesday, Feb. 18
Schammert punches his ticket
PremiumPreps photo by Gary Larsen
Leyden's Adam Schammert (top) battles St. Patrick's Alex Ortiz at this year's Berman tournament. Schammert beat Ortiz 3-1 at 160 for a sectional title on Saturday.
Eagles' senior won a tough field at the Leyden sectional
By Gary Larsen
There’s visiting Assembly Hall as a spectator, and then there’s competing on the floor as a participant.
Leyden’s Adam Schammert will be wearing a singlet in Champaign this year.
“It’s real exciting, especially senior year. I knew I had one last chance, and I got it done,” Schammert said. “It’s hard for me to sleep now, so I can’t even imagine what it will be like down there.”
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Class AA state qualifiers by wins
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Tuesday, Feb. 17
Lincoln-Way Central Sectional
Victims of an unfortunate situation
Sixteen ranked individuals among those not at state
By Curt Herron
A lot of really fine wrestlers entered the Class 3A Lincoln-Way Central Sectional with high hopes of earning a trip to state.
But the disappointing reality was that many of them were going to fall by the wayside in what was regarded as the state'as toughest sectional.
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State powers survive at brutal tournament
Minooka, Neuqua send 5 to state, Providence gets 4 qualifiers
By Curt Herron
Minooka, Neuqua Valley, Providence Catholic, Plainfield Central and West Aurora were ranked among the top teams in the state during the season.
So it's not surprising that those teams received over one-third of the qualifiers from last weekend's Class 3A Lincoln-Way Central Sectional.
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Knights register a round to remember
Lincoln-Way Central's 5-0 effort leads to five qualifiers
By Curt Herron
It was a moment that retiring coach Mark Ruettiger will no doubt remember as one of his many favorite memories during his long tenure at Lincoln-Way Central.
With trips to state on the line, his Knights went 5-0 in the semifinal wrestlebacks at Saturday's Class 3A Lincoln-Way Central Sectional.
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Fenton Sectional
Three's as good as two
Top-quality wrestling reigns at Fenton
By Ed Muniz
The change in the new IHSA wrestling state tournament wasn’t received happily by everyone. There were many proponents of the IHSA going to three classes but many more opponents to the change.
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Montini not overlooking its opponents
By Ed Muniz
When all the dust settled at the AA Fenton Sectional, two teams dominated the finals as expected. The Montini Broncos and the Crystal Lake Central Tigers laid claim to ten of the fourteen titles.
The Broncos saw seven of the ten finalists lay claim to a sectional championship while CLC took three titles with them.
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Leyden Sectional
St. Charles East sends four to Champaign
St. Charles North top hopes bitten by flu bug
By Kevin McGavin
Danny Mercadante has been prominently featured in the St. Charles East lineup since his freshman year.
But the Saints’ four-year starter had experienced nothing but heartache at his previous three postseason tournaments. Saturday at the Class 3A Leyden sectional, however, Mercadante continued to stake his claim for elite status at 145 pounds.
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Monday, Feb. 16
Class A state qualifiers by wins
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Read Reid
Hall-of-Famer recalls tournament highlights
By Reid Hanley
First a word of explanation: I fully intended to be a weekly participant on Premium Preps wrestling coverage, but health problems have kept me on the sidelines. Dave Surico has asked me to come up with some state tournament memories and I’m going to give it a shot.
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Lincoln-Way Central Sectional
Lockport turns in record showing
PremiumPreps photo by Gary Larsen
Lockport's Jameson Oster (right) won his second sectional title on SaturdayPorters win three titles, advance six to state finals
By Curt Herron
Lockport added to its historic season by making a little more history on Saturday at the Class 3A Lincoln-Way Central Sectional.
The Porters set a new program record by qualifying six individuals for this weekend's state finals in Champaign.
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Leyden Sectional
Hinsdales crown four sectional champs
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Hinsdale South's Ryan Garringer at work earlier this season at the BermanSchramm, Garringer, Allen, and Clegg get it done at Leyden
By Gary Larsen
Hinsdale South’s Ryan Garringer is not the same guy he was last year, or the year before that. The senior has become something on the mat that he never was before.
An animal.
Garringer won his 40th match of the year by pinning his way to a sectional crown at 189 pounds. Forget about getting out of the first period with him; nobody even got through a full minute against Garringer at Leyden.
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Click here to read about 135-pound champ Spartacus Chino
Click here to read about Lake Park's Mike DeSario and others
Batavia gets four to Champaign
PremiumPreps photo by Gary Larsen
Batavia's Charlie Ryan (top) is on his way to Champaign
Champions Arlis, Danny Watson extend winning streaks
By Kevin McGavin
Logan Arlis and Danny Watson are seasoned-state veterans for Batavia.
The two booked return trips to Champaign and the University of Illinois’ Assembly Hall for the inaugural Class 3A state finals this weekend. They closed out sterling campaigns in the regular season and two postseason preliminary tournaments.
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Sunday, Feb. 15
Barrington Sectional
Mid-Suburban League lockdown
PremiumPreps photo by Gary Larsen
Grant's Lee Munster (red) at work earlier this year at OPRFLeague wins nine titles; Grant's Munster is dominant
By Mike Garofola
The strength of the MSL came shining through Saturday evening at the Barrington sectional. The northwest suburban conference power handed rivals from the North Suburban Conference, Fox Valley Conference, Central Suburban League and others a wrestling lesson all across the weight classes as it marched 22 through and into the class 3A state tournament next Friday in Champaign. The NSC was second best with 18 entrants for the big show.
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Lemont Sectional
Lemont qualifies six for state in AA
Four Indians capture sectional champships
By Rick Sorci
Lemont showed there is strength in numbers.
The Indians sent 12 wrestlers to the AA sectional they hosted and got half of them, as well as three alternates, to the state tournament next week in Champaign.
Lemont had four champions, the most at the sectional, and two others who placed
third to earn the trip.
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Rust-free Webster wins sectional title
Bremen senior backs up promise of freshman year after two-year hiatus
By Rick Sorci
He’s coolness under fire.
That’s how Bremen coach Mike Collins describes his 145-pound sectional champion Terrell Webster.
The senior punched his ticket to Champaign with an impressive showing at the Lemont Section Saturday, which included an impressive 10-2 major decision over Kurt Day of Rich East in the finals.
He’s in the hunt for the top spot in his weight class in the AA tournament next week.
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Lemont Sectional notebook
By Rick Sorci
Team points don’t mean a thing at the individual wrestling sectionals. But if you’re keeping score at home, host Lemont, with four first place finishers, two thirds and three finishing fourth, led the way in the 32-team event with 162.5 points. Riverside-Brookfield, with a pair of champions and runners-up, tallied 92. The top five included Rich East (80 points), Richards (74) and Crete-Monee (71).
Lemont led all teams in the sectional with nine wrestlers in finals, with four vying for championships and five going for third place. RB was next with five, including four in title bouts. Richards, Rich East and Crete-Monee had three finalists each and Bremen two. Hillcrest had four wrestlers going for third place.
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Saturday, Feb. 14
Barrington Sectional
Scary Friday the 13th in Barrington
Favorites chopped down as if Jason was on the mat
By Mike Garofola
It should have come to no one's surprise inside the packed Barrington fieldhouse that the start of the quarterfinal session was only a spooky signal of what was to come... especially on the dreaded Friday the 13th.
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Lincoln-Way Central Sectional
Drendel stuns Klimara in quarterfinals
West Aurora soph pins unbeaten, top-ranked 103-pounder
By Curt Herron
Nicholas Drendel figured that he was in a no-lose situation.
And early on in his 103 quarterfinal match with Providence's unbeaten and top-ranked Eddie Klimara he was losing badly.
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Simpson edges Spangler in showdown
Juarez, Zinzer are others who capture state-ranked clashes
By Curt Herron
It's rough whenever two of the state's top wrestlers meet up in the sectional quarterfinals.
But that's just what happened for 16 individuals at Friday's Class 3A Lincoln-Way Central Sectional in New Lenox.
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De La Salle Sectional
Oak Park not pretty but still effective
Powell wants his Huskies to step things up on day two
By Andre' Morgan
The state’s top-ranked team in Class 3A, Oak Park-River Forest, flexed it’s muscle in Friday's opening day of action at the De La Salle Sectional in Chicago.
Other teams of note in the competition are Sandburg, Marian Catholic, Mount Carmel, Brother Rice, Marist, St. Rita, Fenwick, Lyons and CPS champion Kelly.
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Leyden Sectional
Smith takes down a big dog
Lake Park heavyweight posts first-period pin to advance
By Gary Larsen
A pair of heavyweight shockers ended Day One of the Class 3A Leyden sectional on Friday, provided courtesy of WWSouth’s Pat O’Shea and Lake Park’s Devon Smith.
Smith (34-13) sent the Leyden crowd home with the upset of the day, when he pinned regional champ Mike Albanese (38-3) at the 1:23 mark of their quarterfinal match.
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Freshmen staying alive at Leyden
Marchok one of six rookies to reach the semifinals
By Gary Larsen
Schaumburg’s Josh Marchok knew right away that as a freshman wrestling at 189 pounds, there were certain road blocks to negotiate.
“These guys are like men. They’re stronger I am,” Marchok said. “Last year (in kids’ club wrestling) I was able to use my strength against guys, but I couldn’t rely on that this year.”
“I’ve tried to rely on my technique, and that has made me a better wrestler.”
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Fenton Sectional
Malouf out of tournament
Team competition status also affected
By Ed Muniz
Crystal Lake Central's Christian Malouf, Class AA second-ranked wrestler at 119 pounds, was disqualified for punching Eric Powell of Montini in the back of the head in frustration.
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Kukla gives favorite all he wants
Montini's Robertson survives quarterfinal scare
By Ed Muniz
Highly-favored and top-ranked Stephen Robertson of Montini found his quarterfinal 125-pound match Friday against Jeff Kukla of Richmond-Burton quite challenging.
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Fenton title and third-place match preview
By Ed Muniz
Heading into the Fenton Sectional finals, both Montini and Crystal Lake Central held form and will clash head to head in five of the 14 finals. Montini has 10 finalists with three others vying for third while CLC has eight finalists with two others also going for third.
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Plano Sectional
Plano Championship, third-place pairings
103 pounds
Championship: Alex Jones (Wilmington) vs. Trent Lyons (Reed-Custer)
Third place: Cesar Martinez (Harvard) vs. Brad Blechschmidt (Lisle).
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Wilmington knows the way to the top step
Wildcats Jones, Heino, VanDuyne, Murphy and Bailey win titles
By Darryl Mellema
Wilmington’s wrestlers wore a path in the mats walking to the victory stand during Saturday’s second day of competition at the Plano Class A Sectional.
The Wildcats brought 13 wrestlers to the sectional and advanced nine to Saturday’s second day of competition. There, Wilmington was practically unstoppable, advancing all nine to next week’s state finals in Champaign. Of those advancing, five go as sectional champions.
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Humble Odeen a team player
Moves to 37-0, Coal City teammate Hanley takes title
By Darryl Mellema
He is undefeated this year and currently looks unstoppable – but what Chase Odeen wanted to talk about after winning the Class 1A Plano Sectional title was the success of his teammates.
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Manteno's Anthony Higbee a cereal winner
Excited consolation winner to make Downstate debut
By Darryl Mellema
Every now and again, a wrestler strikes a Wheaties box pose following a match–with hands raised high over head. Sometimes they even pump the arms.
Manteno’s Anthony Higbee pumped his arms into the air a couple of times. Then he did it again.
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Friday, Feb. 13
Lincoln-Way Central Sectional preview
Fun to watch, painful to stomach
Eleven brackets have four or more ranked individuals
By Curt Herron
If an event can be both a positive and a negative, then this weekend's Class 3A Lincoln-Way Central certainly fits the bill.
On the one hand, the two-day competition in New Lenox features the best field of any of the other 11 sectionals in the state.
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Lincoln-Way Central Sectional pairings
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Fenton sectional
The main event: Montini vs. CL Central
By Ed Muniz
Before the opening match of the Fenton Sectional, both Montini and Crystal Lake Central looked very focused on the job at hand. Neither team was talking much about the other, but were well aware of the others presence.
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Time for Montini, CL Central to get it on
Tough competition abounds at Fenton sectional
By Ed Muniz
The second leg of the IHSA individual state series begins today. In 2A action, the Fenton Sectional in Bensenville will feature full squads from the top two teams facing off. Top ranked Montini showed its’ wrestling prowess at the Fenton regional last week qualifying their whole team to the sectional that included 12 champions. Montini had 14 finalists.
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Plano Sectional
Plano's Iverson hopes break goes his way
Reaper senior one win away from trip Downstate
By Darryl Mellema
As progressions go, Adam Iverson appeared to be right on track through the first two years of his Plano wrestling career.
A middle school state champion, Iverson had a 22-win season as a freshman, then won 25 matches and qualified for the state meet as a sophomore.
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After sour start, Heading has sweet day
Harvard advances 12 to Saturday action
By Darryl Mellema
Like many teenagers, Driscoll senior Chris Heading entered late Friday afternoon with a bit of an empty stomach.
So he ate some candy, which ended up being a mistake. Heading, you see, was preparing for the IHSA Class A Plano Sectional. While the hunger pang went away and he got a brief sugar buzz, the after effects of the candy break left Heading sluggish.
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Mooseheart duo's sectional stay all too short
By Darryl Mellema
All wrestlers are guaranteed only one match in the IHSA postseason, despite the double-elimination aspect of the tournament.
The way things work is that if a wrestler loses, and if his victor loses his next match, the wrestler is done due to the combination of his loss combined with his victor’s defeat.
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Rosters by team
Alden-Hebron (4)
Joey Gricar (125), Tyler Henken (130), Jacob Gricar (135), Peter Crocco (160).
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Thursday, Feb. 12
Sectional qualifiers from Romeoville regional
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Sectional qualifiers from West Aurora regional
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Plano Sectional
Lower weight opening-round and quarterfinal pairings
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Upper weights opening-round and quarterfinal pairings
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Fenton Sectional
Opening-round and quarterfinal pairings
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Wednesday, Feb. 11
Lincoln-Way C. Sectional weight breakdown
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De La Salle Sectional weight breakdown
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Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009
PremiumPreps.com Top 50
PremiumPreps photo by Gary Larsen
Glenbard North's Tony Ramos, seen here burying an early-season victim
Here's the latest PremiumPreps.com Top 50
selected Jan. 6 by Gary Larsen and Curt HerronTop 25 selections, in ranked order 1. Tony Ramos, Glenbard North, 125 2. Jon Morrison, Sandburg, 125 3. Ellis Coleman, Oak Park-River Forest, 135 4. Bobby Barnhisel, Fenwick, 152 5. Mark Stenberg, Lockport, 171
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PremiumPreps Top 50
By PremiumPreps staff
1. Tony Ramos, sr., Glenbard North
The Iowa-bound, two-time returning state champ went 42-1 in winning the state title at 125 last year. He enters this year with 130 career wins and is the top-ranked prep wrestler in the country at 130 pounds, per WIN Magazine.
2. Jon Morrison, sr., Sandburg
Last year's champion at 119 and 2007 runnerup at 103 went 43-0 last season and has 133 career wins. The Oklahoma State-bound athlete is ranked No. 2 at 125 by WIN Magazine.
3. Jimmy Chase, sr., Glenbard North
The knee brace is gone from the leg of last year’s state champ at 130, and the Binghamton-bound Chase should end up at 135 or 140 this season.
4. Edwin Cooper, so.,
Only lost to unbeaten Max Nowry of Wheeling a year ago to finish 47-1 to claim second place at 103. Is ranked No. 6 at 112 by WIN Magazine.
5. Lee Munster, jr., Grant
The Northwestern-bound
6. Justin Farmer, sr., L-Way Central
Was the runnerup to Jon Morrison at 119 a year ago when he went 44-7 and took third place at 112 in 2007. Has 123 victories in his career.
7. Ellis Coleman, sr.,
Coleman went 48-2 in placing third at 125 last year. He’ll attend the U.S. Olympic Education Center, and figures to chase a state title at either 135 or 140 this year.
8. Mario Gonzalez, sr.,
A 27-3 record and a third-place state medal last year won’t be good enough for the two-time state placer and this year’s top dog at 189 pounds in
9. Carl Foreside, sr., Montini
Foreside went 55-4 last year and was runner-up to Richmond-Burton’s Jordan Blanton at 171. He' on the short list of the most exciting wrestlers in
10. Matt Boggess, sr., Prospect
Boggess (44-1): stunning injury in championship bout last season could provide all the motivation this 3-year star needs to book his place in main event. Enters final season with 113 career victories.
11. Stephen Robertson, so., Montini
Robertson’s lone loss last year came to Mt. Carmel’s B.J. Futrell in the title match at 112 last year. Transfer posted a 45-1 record as a freshman at Niles West.
12. Isaiah Gonzalez, sr., Montini
Gonzalez went 43-8 and placed second downstate at 145 last year for the Class AA state champion Broncos. He’s slated to start the season at 160 this year.
13. Mark Marianovich, sr., Marian Catholic
Finished with a 29-3 record last season after falling in the semifinals and taking fourth at 130. Also placed sixth at 112 two years earlier.
14. Elias Larson, sr., Marian Catholic
Earned his first state medal last year after going 43-6 to finish sixth at 140. Fell one spot shy of collecting medals the two previous years.
15. Chris Narel, sr., Lincoln-Way East
Last year's third-place finisher at 285 had a 41-3 record. Should be even better under new coach Tyrone Byrd.
16. Nick Proctor, jr.,
Proctor went 40-10 and placed third at 145 as a sophomore last year, but a year’s growth has him flirting with the 160/171 divisions this season.
17. Jake Wojcik, sr.,
Posted a 50-3 record while claiming a fifth-place finish at 130 a year ago. Has collected 112 victories during his Celtic career.
18. Bobby Barnhisel, sr., Fenwick
Barnhisel is likely on a mission this year after placing fifth at 130 as a sophomore, and going 41-2 but failing to bring home a place-medal at 140 last year.
19. Jameson Oster, so.,
Capped a successful debut by finishing with a 43-5 record. He reached the semifinals and claimed fourth place at 112 last season.
20. A.J. Smith, sr., Marist
Earned his first state medal a year ago after finishing 44-3 while advancing to the semifinals and claiming fourth place at 189.
21. Chris Dardanes, jr.,
Dardanes went 42-6 for Fenwick last year in placing fourth at 125, and the addition of him and twin brother Nick to the Huskies’ lineup launches OPRF near the top of the state rankings.
22. Clayton Kendall, sr., De La Salle
Made his first trip to the awards stand in 2008 after going 36-9 and taking fourth at 171. Is ranked 12th at 189 by WIN Magazine.
23. Mark Stenberg, sr.,
Greco-Roman specialist is ranked fifth at 160 by WIN Magazine. Went 43-8 last season after capturing a sixth-place finish at 160.
24. Nick Dardanes, Oak Park-River Forest
Last year’s fifth-place finisher at 119 went 34-5. He and brother Chris will settle somewhere from 125 to 135 this season.
25. Jahwon Akui, so., St. Rita
Won Cadet titles at 160 in Freestyle and Greco-Roman in the summer. Was 15-1 a year ago and is ranked 20th at 160 by WIN Magazine.
The second 25:
26. John VanDuyne,
27. Allen Tate, Crete-Monee
28. A.J. Juarez,
29. Brian Bokoski, Minooka
30.Reggie Reed, Bloom
31 Joe Gosinski, Glenbard North
32
33 Seth Bonic, Morris
34 Matt Dwyer, Hononegah
35. Eduardo Dominguez,
36. Mike Albanese,
37. Adam Heimer, L-Way Central
38. Mike Tetlow,
39. Josh Castellano, Fenton
40. Trevor Wenmouth, Downers Grove S.
41. Josh Zinzer,
42.
43. Joe Foreman, Downers Grove N.
44. Mike DeSario,
45. Matt Bystol,
46. Tom Davidson, Rolling Meadows
47. Pat Clegg,
48. Matt Holmes, Lakes
49. Kyle Czarnecki,
50. Luke Smith,
Special Mention 50:
Jack Allen, Hinsdale Central, 215
Tom Ambrose, Providence, 119
Charles Argue, Mt. Carmel, 171
Matt Cavallaris, Neuqua Valley, 112
Seth Bonic, Morris, 119
Julian Brooks, Romeoville, 135
Sammy Brooks, OPRF, 152
Eddie Castillo, Bloom, 285
Spartacus Chino, WWSouth, 135
Kyle Czarnecki, Buffalo Grove, 171
Mike DeSario, Lake Park, 119
R.J. Dilcher, Lyons Township, 145
Ross Ferraro, Montini, 285
Jose Flores, Hoffman Estates, 215
Jake Gingerich, Bradley-Bourbonnais, 152
Pat Hamill, York, 152
Matt Holmes, Lake Villa Lakes, 135
Dan Howell, Oswego, 215
Elliot Hudson, Montini, 145
Tim Knowles, Hinsdale Central, 140
Trevor Jauch, Crystal Lake Central, 112
Tyler Larson, DeKalb, 112
Tom Laskowske, Palatine, 103
Matt Leibforth, Lemont, 135
Christian Malouf, Crystal Lake Central, 119
Daniel Mercadante, St. Charles East, 152
Demetrios Mitchell, Hersey, 145
Luke Nelson, Brother Rice, 140
Francisco Ochoa, Fenton, 285
Mike Olp, WWSouth, 189
Matt Ortega, St. Patrick, 215
Alex Ortiz, St. Patrick, 160
Marcus Rangel, Minooka, 135
Brandon Rubino, St. Charles East, 112
Andrew Rudd, Batavia, 160
Kyle Schomer, Plainfield Central, 135
Jake Schramm, Hinsdale South, 103
Robby Schultheis, Warren, 103
Arthur Smith, Marist, 189
Juan Soliz, Carl Sandburg, 160
Adam Stine, Neuqua Valley, 135
Tony Tonelli, Lockport, 130
Joe Uccardi, Plainfield Central, 125
Danny Watson, Batavia, 171
Dan Vargas, Wheeling, 189
Miko Villanueva, Dundee-Crown, 103
Ryan Warczynski, Minooka, 152
Khari Washington, Proviso West 171
Terrell Webster, Bremen, 145
Josh Zinzer, West Aurora, 130
