May 13, 2024
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Boys wrestling: Three Marmion wrestlers win titles at Clint Arlis Invite

Batavia senior Ben Brown wins title, stays undefeated

By Chris Walker
Batavia’s Ben Brown competes against Naperville North’s Matt Murphy In a 190-pound championship match during The Clint Arlis Invitational Wrestling meet at Batavia High School in Batavia on Saturday, Jan 13, 2024.

Batavia’s Ben Brown competes against Naperville North’s Matt Murphy In a 190-pound championship match during The Clint Arlis Invitational Wrestling meet at Batavia High School in Batavia on Saturday, Jan 13, 2024. (Sean King for Shaw Local News Ne)

BATAVIA – Defensive tackles Alex Pasquale and Tyler Fortis haven’t faced each other on the football field, but the Lemont and Maine South heavyweights have found each other on the wrestling mats.

They met again Jan. 13 in the finals of Batavia’s Clint Arlis Invitational with Pasquale pulling out a 2-1 decision for the title.

“That was a tough match and Tyler is always a great competitor,” Pasquale said. “I’ve been to football camp with him. We play the same position and I’ve wrestled him the past two years so we know each other quite well. It’s always a good time wrestling him. He’s a tough competitor.”

Lemont 150-pounder Noah O’Connor (33-3) joined Pasquale (21-3) on the award stand, earning a 6-2 win over Rockton Hononegah’s Max Haskins.

Marmion’s Joseph Favia fights for position over Washington’s Josh Hoffer In a 215-pound championship match during The Clint Arlis Invitational Wrestling meet at Batavia High School in Batavia on Saturday, Jan 13, 2024.

Marmion’s Joseph Favia fights for position over Washington’s Josh Hoffer In a 215-pound championship match during The Clint Arlis Invitational Wrestling meet at Batavia High School in Batavia on Saturday, Jan 13, 2024. (Sean King for Shaw Local News Ne)

“I felt pretty dominant throughout the match,” O’Connor said. “He had a takedown first period, but it was like a takedown on the edge of the mat so it was debatable and nothing besides that. And first period at the end, I was able to get a reversal, which was pretty critical because if not, it would’ve been close. That tied it at the end of the first period. I was able to escape and ride him out second period and ride out for all the third period so I felt pretty dominant that match.”

At last year’s inaugural Clint Arlis Invitational, Batavia’s Ben Brown was upset as a top seed in the first round, but fought back to take fifth place. This year, Brown, a senior, was a champion and remained undefeated after earning a 9-2 decision over Naperville North’s Matt Murphy.

“There was a sour taste last year,” Brown said. “I didn’t come out right and this year I made sure I did.”

Rockton Hononegah, which had seven wrestlers in the finals and won six of those matches, scored 189.5 points to win the team title. Washington was the runner-up with 172.5 points. Marmion was third with 168.5.

The Cadets had three champions who are all sophomores – Nicholas Garcia at 120, Ashton Hobson at 144 and Joseph Favia at 215.

Garcia edged Maine South senior Teddy Flores 2-1. It was Flores’ first loss after 33 consecutive wins.

“I really just wanted a shot at him for a personal reason,” Garcia said. “I wanted to prove to myself that I can beat anyone at 120. I want to beat everyone at 113. It hasn’t happened yet, but hopefully one day I can.”

https://www.shawlocal.com/kane-county-chronicle/2024/01/14/boys-wrestling-three-marmion-wrestlers-win-titles-at-clint-arlis-invite/

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