High school wrestling: Individual previews for all 35 local athletes competing at state

Thirty-five McHenry County wrestlers qualified for the 2019 IHSA wrestling state meet, which begins Thursday and runs through Saturday at State Farm Center in Champaign. Here is a list of all 35 local wrestlers competing at state, with a little background on each.

CLASS 3A

Cary-Grove

• Charlie Gruen

Year: Junior

Weight: 132

Record: 37-10

Road to state: Third at regional, fourth at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Jared Gumila, Plainfield North (36-8)

Huntley

• Jake Jensen

Year: Freshman

Weight: 106

Record: 29-16

Road to state: First at regional, third at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Ronan Schuelke, Glenbard North (37-4)

• Sam Spencer

Year: Junior

Weight: 126

Record: 39-4

Road to state: First at regional, second at sectional

State experience: Third trip; qualifier at at 106 in 2017, fifth-place medalist at 113 in 2018.

First opponent: Javen Estrada, Lincoln-Way West (35-5)

• Andrew Lira

Year: Sophomore

Weight: 132

Record: 31-12

Road to state: First at regional, second at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Isaac Martinez, Moline (38-8)

• Jeremy Jakowitsch

Year: Sophomore

Weight: 138

Record: 30-14

Road to state: First at regional, fourth at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Justin Benjamin, St. Charles East (42-4)

• Joaquin Miranda

Year: Freshman

Weight: 145

Record: 30-14

Road to state: Second at regional, fourth at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: James Pierandozzi, Plainfield South (29-4)

• Gannon Kosowski

Year: Senior

Weight: 152

Record: 34-10

Road to state: First at regional, second at sectional

State experience: Second trip; qualifier at 138 in 2018

First opponent: Justin Major, Batavia (38-7)

• David Ferrante

Year: Junior

Weight: 170

Record: 41-2

Road to state: First at regional, first at sectional

State experience: Third trip; fourth-place at 152 in 2017, qualifier in 2018

First opponent: Danny Lingen, Oak Park-River Forest (20-7)

• Aj Henkle

Year: Senior

Weight: 195

Record: 6-2

Road to state: First at regional, fourth at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Peter Christensen, Montini (43-2); Christensen, a senior, won the 195-pound state championship in 2018

Jacobs

• Justin Peters

Year: Senior

Weight: 120

Record: 34-14

Road to state: Second at regional, fourth at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Michael Jaffe, Marmion (38-3); Jaffe, a senior, finished fourth at 113 in 2018

• Jake Harrier

Year: Junior

Weight: 132

Record: 40-2

Road to state: First at regional, third at sectional

State experience: Third trip; qualifier at 113 in 2017, fifth-place medalist at 120 in 2018

First opponent: Cole Ferguson, Yorkville (28-11)

• John Ridle

Year: Senior

Weight: 145

Record: 35-8

Road to state: Second at regional, third at sectional

State experience: Second trip; qualifier at 138 in 2018

First opponent: Kevin Countryman, Providence (37-9)

McHenry

• Brody Hallin

Year: Freshman

Weight: 138

Record: 36-9

Road to state: First at regional, second at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Damien Lopez, DeKalb (34-12)

CLASS 2A

Crystal Lake Central

• Dillon Carlson

Year: Freshman

Weight: 113

Record: 30-7

Road to state: Second at regional, third at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Carter Hall, Champaign Central (35-5)

• Caden Ernd

Year: Sophomore

Weight: 152

Record: 32-5

Road to state: First at regional, first at sectional

State experience: Second trip; qualifier at 132 in 2018

First opponent: Brayden Smith, Metamora (35-8)

• Brock Montford

Year: Senior

Weight: 182

Record: 32-6

Road to state: First at regional, first at sectional

State experience: Second trip; qualifier at 113 in 2017

First opponent: Mikhel Teverbaugh, Chicago Ag. Science (25-4)

Crystal Lake South

• Christian Olsen

Year: Sophomore

Weight: 113

Record: 35-1

Road to state: First at regional, first at sectional

State experience: Second trip; fourth-place medalist at 106 in 2018

First opponent: Rick Wright, Mattoon (27-12)

• Peyton Timmons

Year: Junior

Weight: 126

Record: 33-2

Road to state: First at regional, first at sectional

State experience: Second trip; qualifier at 113 in 2018

First opponent: Jesse Stewart, Springfield (27-11)

• Jason Burburija

Year: Junior

Weight: 220

Record: 25-5

Road to state: First at regional, first at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: David Ortiz, De La Salle (11-8)

Harvard

• Nik Jimenez

Year: Freshman

Weight: 120

Record: 46-5

Road to state: Second at regional, third at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Grant Peterson, Peoria Notre Dame (38-4)

Marian Central

• Josh Glover

Year: Freshman

Weight: 106

Record: 38-8

Road to state: Second at regional, third at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Alex Crawford, Sycamore (32-5)

• Elon Rodriguez

Year: Sophomore

Weight: 113

Record: 40-5

Road to state: third at regional, second at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Trey Pearcy, Charleston (29-2)

• Daniel Valeria

Year: Junior

Weight: 132

Record: 29-7

Road to state: First at regional, first at sectional

State experience: Second trip; qualifier at 126 in 2018

First opponent: Mo Jodeh, Oak Forest (34-13)

• Bryce Shelton

Year: Sophomore

Weight: 138

Record: 33-13

Road to state: First at regional, second at sectional

State experience: Second trip; qualifier at 120 in 2018

First opponent: Eddie Villalobos, Rochelle (14-6); Villalobos, a senior, finished fifth at 138 in 2018.

• Kaden Randazzo

Year: Sophomore

Weight: 152

Record: 35-13

Road to state: Third at regional, second at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Keondre Jackson, Freeport (30-7)

• Dylan Connell

Year: Sophomore

Weight: 160

Record: 42-2

Road to state: First at regional, first at sectional

State experience: Second trip; state champion at 152 in 2018

First opponent: Elijah Pesek, Nazareth (32-7)

• Mason Schwalbach

Year: Sophomore

Weight: 220

Record: 22-18

Road to state: Second at regional, second at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Ezekiel Childs, Tinley Park (20-5)

• Thor Paglialong

Year: Senior

Weight: 285

Record: 21-9

Road to state: Second at regional, fourth at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Danny Skold, St. Francis (35-1)

Prairie Ridge

• Jace Sparks

Year: Senior

Weight: 120

Record: 15-3

Road to state: First at regional, fourth at sectional

State experience: Second trip; qualifier at 106 in 2016

First opponent: Joey Cape, Washington (42-3); Cape, a sophomore, was the state runner-up at 113 in 2018

• Trey Piotrowski

Year: Senior

Weight: 138

Record: 32-6

Road to state: Second at regional, third at sectional

State experience: Third trip; fifth-place medalist at 138 in 2017, sixth-place medalist at 138 in 2018

First opponent: Tristen Westbay, East Peoria (28-5)

• Tommy Evans

Year: Sophomore

Weight: 170

Record: 35-3

Road to state: First at regional, third at sectional

State experience: Second trip; qualifier at 160 in 2018

First opponent: Dontaice Roberson, Champaign Centennial (35-3)

• Kyle Koelblinger

Year: Junior

Weight: 182

Record: 34-6

Road to state: Second at regional, second at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Dominee Daniels, De La Salle (30-5)

• Josh Crandall

Year: Junior

Weight: 195

Record: 15-2

Road to state: First at regional, first at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Cole Garcia, Coal City (29-8)

• Calvin Pesina

Year: Senior

Weight: 220

Record: 29-10

Road to state: Third at regional, fourth at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Apollo Gothard, Lemont (41-2); Gothard, a sophomore, earned a fifth-place medal at 195 in 2018.

CLASS 1A

Johnsburg

• Justin Peake

Year: Junior

Weight: 182

Record: 36-3

Road to state: First at regional, third at sectional

State experience: First trip

First opponent: Neal Downen, El Paso-Gridley (35-7)