Area wrestlers capture titles

CHAMPAIGN – There were all kinds of great stories highlighting area wrestlers at the IHSA wrestling finals at the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center.

Joliet Catholic Academy junior Dean Hamiti became the third wrestler from the area to win state titles during his first three seasons.

Coal City senior Daniel Jezik capped his successful career by winning a second-straight state title to go along with second- and sixth-place finishes.

Morris senior Robby Bates capped a 38-1 season by winning a state championship.

Lemont junior Apollo Gothard completed a perfect 45-0 season by winning his first title in his second straight trip to the finals.

Lemont senior Drew Nash, after being injured during most of the early part of the year, was able to cap a perfect 18-0 season with his first title.

And Lemont junior Mo Jarad going from a third-place sectional finisher who put it all together by not only reaching the finals, but winning the final state title of the day.

But there were also some stories that were significant for their accomplishment, but ultimately left those involved feeling disappointed.

Lemont senior Kyle Schickel reached his fourth-straight state title match, but for the fourth year in a row, settled for second place.

And Peotone senior Paul Keane also competed for a title for the fourth time and settled for his third second-place finish.

One of the biggest stories of the night involved Jezik (50-1), who handed Prairie Central’s Brandon Hoselton (56-1) his only defeat of the season in a clash of nationally-ranked competitors in the Class 1A 195-pound finals.

Hamiti (45-0) capped a perfect season by holding off a good challenge by Lemont senior Grant LaDuke (38-2) to capture a 3-2 victory in the Class 2A 152-pound finals. He becomes the third wrestler from the area to win three titles in his first three seasons.

But Lemont made history with its five finalists, three more than it had ever had before. And its three champions also are a best for the Indians in the finals.

Nash was in the second period of his Class 2A 126-pound title match with Washington’s Joey Cape when the match was halted because of an injury to the Panthers’ standout, who had to be assisted by medical personnel, which gave the title to Nash by injury default at 3:23.

Gothard had a battle on his hands in the 220-pound title match against another unbeaten junior, Glenwood’s Connor Miller. But he was able to pull out a 3-1 victory in overtime to give his team their second title.

Then Jarad (43-8) capped an unlikely postseason finish by recording a fall in 4:49 in the 285-pound title match to cap his team’s historic weekend.

The only real down note for the Indians was that Schickel (38-4) fell to TF North’s Sincere Bailey for the second time in two weeks, this time by a 4-3 score in the 145-pound finals.

Plainfield South senior James Pierandozzi (32-4), a four-time qualifier, earned a medal for the second-straight year, but dropped a 5-2 decision in the Class 3A 152-pound title match to Montini’s Joe Roberts.

Bates (38-1) captured a 5-2 win over Deerfield’s Cody Goodman in the Class 2A 195-pound finals to capture the area’s other state title.

Four others dropped title matches. Keane (44-2) dropped a 3-1 decision to Dakota’s Phoenix Blakely in the 1A 120-pound finals while Coal City senior David Papach (31-6) suffered an 8-6 loss to Winnebago’s Bryce Faworski in the 1A 160-pound title match.

JCA freshman Gylon Sims (41-7) suffered a 12-2 defeat against Washington’s Kannon Webster in the Class 2A 106-pound finals. And Lockport Mike Kaminski (44-5) fell in the Class 3A title match, losing by technical fall in 5:47 to Montini’s Dylan Ragusin.