Wrestling: Joliet Catholic edges Washington in battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2

WASHINGTON – It was a battle, but the Joliet Catholic Academy wrestling team has arrived.

For the first time in school history, the Hilltoppers will be wrestling in the dual team state finals. In a great dual meet between the two top-ranked teams in the state, they punched their ticket by defeating perennial power Washington, 30-29, on Tuesday at the Class 2A Washington Dual Team Sectional.

It will be the first dual team state appearance for the top-ranked Hilltoppers, who hadn’t won a regional in school history until two years ago. They will face No. 8 Rock Island, a 42-27 winner over No. 12-ranked Sycamore in the other sectional at Washington, in the 2A dual team state quarterfinals Friday at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.

“This is the biggest moment in my coaching career,” JCA coach Ryan Cumbee said. “I took a program that had almost dropped wrestling five years ago, and we did everything from scratch. We barely had a wrestling room then and no mats on the walls.

“We just defeated one of the toughest teams in the state in their home gym. Now we get to go for the gold, baby.”

Washington had wrestled for the Class 2A dual team state championship the past six contested seasons. The Panthers won the title four straight years between 2016-19 and finished second in 2015 and 2020.

Although the two teams wrestled in the second dual of a triangular meet Jan. 20 at Washington, and JCA was victorious by a score of 45-24, the Hilltoppers knew this one wasn’t going to be easy.

“We knew it was going to be tough,” said JCA sophomore Connor Cumbee, who is Ryan’s son. “The stakes were a lot higher this time.”

They were, and with his team trailing, 22-21, Cumbee registered a pin in 5:26 at 152 pounds to put the Hilltoppers ahead for good, 27-22.

“I knew I needed that pin,” Cumbee said. “I had to do it for the team, and it feels great.”

Junior Mason Alessio followed with an 8-2 victory at 160, and JCA led, 30-22. But a huge moment came at 170 pounds when freshman Nico Ronchetti was nearly pinned a couple of times in the third period. But he fought off the attempts and instead lost a 21-9 major decision to junior Blake Hinrichsen.

“In a dual meet everyone had their jobs,” coach Cumbee said. “In certain situations that job is to not give up a lot of points on a tech or a pin. Nico did a great job of that.”

With the Hilltoppers up, 30-26, Caden Moore had a similar situation in the final bout. He lost 4-3 to fellow senior Joe Hoffer, but the Panthers still fell a point short.

The match started at 195 and Washington had a pin to start. But JCA tied it with a couple of 3-1 wins. Those were by senior Owen Gerdes at 220 and sophomore Dillan Johnson in overtime at heavyweight.

“I got called for stalling,” Johnson said of surrendering a third-period point the tied the score at 1-all. “But I did a post-snap, and it was the move I was looking for to take him down [7 seconds into] overtime.

“This is what we’ve been working for. This was our goal all year long.”

Freshman Noah Avina had a forfeit win at 106, junior Gylon Sims got a pin in 5:47 at 120, and sophomore Justis Snapp had a 7-5 victory at 120 pounds, as the Hilltoppers had a five-match win streak to go up 21-6.

Washington came back with four straight wins, including a 28-13 tech fall at 138, and then received a forfeit win because of intentional injury at 145. But instead of getting six points, the Panthers received five because their coach, Nick Miller, was given a point deduction for an unsportsmanlike comment.