Wrestling notes: McHenry ‘peaking’ heading into the postseason

Crystal Lake Central riding high after invite

McHenry’s Chris Moore (top) controls Huntley’s Aadi Patel at 170 pounds in their Fox Valley Conference dual on Friday in Huntley.

McHenry is right where coach Dan Rohman wants to be heading into the final week of the regular season.

The Warriors won all three of their duals at Burlington Central in dominant fashion on Saturday and are one win away from winning the Fox Valley Conference title outright.

“I think our boys are starting to peak at the right time,” Rohman said. “This is the time of year where you want everything to start coming together, and I think that’s happening for us.”

Chris Moore (182 pounds) and Luis Anacleto (220) each led the way on Saturday with three pins. Aiden Schuldt (138) had two pins, while Ryan Hanson (106) had a pin and a technical fall. Myles Wagner (113), Avian Roman (145), Ruben Melgarejo (152), Johan Lopez (195), Andy Lara (285) and Aiden Fischler (160) each had one pin.

McHenry’s dominating performance had a lot to do with the Warriors lineup being close to 100%. The team lost Ryan Nagel for the season because of a collarbone injury at the Batavia Invite earlier in the month, but everyone else has become comfortable with their spot in the lineup.

“It’s huge,” Rohman said. “I think the kids need that. It’s the familiarity of knowing this is what our lineup looks like, and we all know what we’re capable of doing. Now it’s going out there and getting it done.”

The Warriors will have one last thing to accomplish before they start their postseason run. McHenry already claimed a share of the FVC title with its win over Burlington Central on Thursday, Jan. 19, but can win the conference outright with a win over Dundee-Crown on Thursday.

Winning the FVC has been a goal for the Warriors ever since they lost the conference by a dual last season, and they’re ready to fulfill that goal.

“It was a goal that kids set at the beginning of the season that they wanted to achieve, and they worked really hard,” Rohman said. “Having that in our grasp on Thursday night, that means a lot for us.”

Crystal Lake Central feeling good after invite win

Crystal Lake Central’s first-place finish at the Oak Park-River Forest Invitational on Saturday was exactly what coach Justen Lehr thought the Tigers needed heading into the postseason.

Not only did the Tigers win their last tournament of the regular season, but they competed in a tournament that will come close to replicating their regional in over a week.

“It’s good to wrestle high-level competition that you don’t have to worry about competing against in the postseason,” Lehr said.

Central won the nine-team tournament thanks to strong showings from Leo Diaz (285) and Zach Carnrite (145), both of whom won their weights. Dylan Ramsey (113) and Ben Butler (160) each finished second, Cayden Parks (170) and TJ Metz (182) each placed third while Payton Ramsey (106), Jon Barrick (195) and Tommy McNeil (220) each took fourth.

Lehr thought Saturday’s invitational was good practice for when Central travels to Rockford East to compete in its regional Feb. 4. The tournament will have a similar number of teams who the Tigers haven’t competed against this season, which is why competing in Saturday’s invitational exposed them to different styles of competition.

“It’s good to see where you’re at with what you were doing against kids that aren’t prepared for it,” Lehr said. “There’s nothing worse than wrestling the same kid four or five times in one year. It turns into no one does anything.”

Before heading out to Rockford, the Tigers will close out the regular season with a FVC dual against Huntley on Thursday. While there will be some rivalries on the mat and sushi on the line for coaches, Thursday will be one last opportunity to compete in a high-level environment before the postseason begins.

“You’ve got two teams in the last dual of the year who might win their regionals, 2A, 3A,” Lehr said. “I think it sets up the level of competition, the intensity. It plays well rolling into the postseason.”

Marian Central’s dominant middle

The middle of Marian Central’s lineup came up big against St. Patrick on Thursday, as the group established itself as one of the most-dominant lineups in the state.

Each Hurricanes wrestlers from 120 to 160 is ranked top-10 in the state, according to Illinois Matmen. Andrew Alvarado (120) is No. 8 at his weight in Class 1A, Kaden Harman (126) is fourth, Vance Williams (132) is third, Nick Davidson (138) is seventh, Charlie Fitzgerald (145) is fifth, Ethan Struck (152) is seventh and Max Astacio (160) is third.

Alvarado has been out of the lineup trying to get to his competing weight, so Harman has enjoyed leading off a dominating part of the lineup.

“It’s amazing,” Harman said. “Especially when you’re the start of it, I need to get this train rolling. Everyone just keeps picking up steam afterward.”

The group will get reinforcements with Alvarado returning to the lineup along with Austin Hagevold at 106, who’s been out with a knee injury. The two will join an already dominant part of the lineup that is making lasting impacts for the program.

”They’re leaders in the practice room, they’re leaders outside of the practice room,” Marian co-coach Ryan Prater said. “They all win.”

Prairie Ridge, Marian unite for friendly rivalry

Prairie Ridge coach Justin Peete thought the Wolves’ matchup at Marian Central on Jan. 17 was a good way to help grow the sport.

“It’s fun to have that friendly rivalry where you’re also on the same team when it comes to building wrestling as a whole,” Peete.

Peete has a good relationship with Marian co-coaches Jordan Blanton and Prater and said they know how to put together a good wrestling dual. Marian held on to beat PR 49-30.

The dual featured some top-10 state matchups, including the Wolves’ Tyler Evans beating Kaden Harman and the Hurricanes’ Vance Williams besting Mikey Meade and Ethan Struck taking down Xander York.

Peete is excited to continue the friendly rivalry for years to come.

“It was a cool family event for me, that’s how it felt,” Peete said. “Two really good programs, coaching staffs who are in wrestling for the right reasons.”

Wolves bond outside the mat

Prairie Ridge got in some bonding time outside of competition over the weekend.

The Wolves traveled to Evanston on Friday to watch Northwestern and Illinois battle in a Big Ten dual, and Peete said the Wolves will go back to Evanston on Friday to watch the Wildcats host Wisconsin.

“I think being around the sport, being a fan of the sport makes you better,” Peete said. “It’s another way to learn and process. We’ve been doing a lot of team bonding stuff.”