Sunday, February 3, 2019

Naperville Central Finishes 2nd Place at IHSA Regionals

Eight Redhawks Advance to Sectionals

2/2/2019

Naperville Central finished in second place at the IHSA Regional Tournament held at Aurora Marmion Academy.  The host team won the event and thereby qualified for the State Dual Tournament.  The top three at each weight class qualify for the IHSA Individual Sectional Tournament.  The Redhawks qualified eight wrestlers.

1. Marmion Academy 225
2. Naperville Central 169.5
3. Batavia 135
4. Naperville North 89
5. Waubonsie Valley 81
6. Wheaton Warrenville South 75
7. Metea Valley 73
8. West Aurora 68
9. Aurora East 21.5

Top seeded Tyler Driessens (113) advanced to the semifinals with a bye where he won by fall.  Driessens defeated Jaffe (Marmion) by a score of 10-2 to win the tournament.  Driessens is now a two-time sectional qualifier.  Jackson Punzel (170) finished with a record of 3-0 to run his overall record to 36-3 on the season.  Punzel defeated ranked Daum (Marmion) by a score of 6-3 in the finals to qualify for sectionals second time.  In perhaps the easiest road to the top of the podium, Ben Cianchetti (195) won the event by receiving a bye in the first round and a medical forfeit in the finals.  Cianchetti pinned Carmody (WV) in his only match.  Incredibly, 25 of Cianchetti’s 30 wins this year are by fall and he has over 100 varsity wins over his career and will make his second trip to sectionals.

Three Redhawks reached the finals and took second place.  Freshman Tommy Porter (106) was the only Hawk to better his seed at the event.  After receiving the third seed, Porter avenged a loss from earlier this season by defeating Woo (WWS) in the semifinals.  Porter lost to state #1 ranked Sotelo (MA) in the finals.  Porter reached the 30 win plateau with his semifinal win.  Colin Baumgartner (120) posted two wins to make the finals including a 7-5 victory over Waszek (WWS) in the semifinals.  Baumgartner earned his 30th win of the season and extended his team leading takedown total to 125.  He will advance to the sectionals for the second time.  Cameron Palmer (182) battled for two wins including an 8-3 decision over Gonzalez (WWS) in the semifinals.  Palmer’s two wins were his 30th and 31st wins of the season and he is now a two-time sectional qualifier.

Two Central wrestlers won their matches for third to qualify.  Senior Kyle Guttosch (138) won by technical fall over Janiec (WWS) to advance to the sectionals for the third time in his stellar career.  Guttosch also joins the 30-win club this year with his record now at 31-7.  Guttosch leads the team with 47 sets of near-fall.  Leo Keating (126) defeated Champion (NN) by fall in the third place match.  Keating is now 23-10 on the season with 15 of those wins coming by fall.

Two Hawks finished in fourth place and are alternates for the sectional tournament.  Ryan Silva finished 2-2 in the toughest weight class in the event, 145 pounds.  Angelo Eklou (220) also finished 2-2 on the day.  Eklou’s record is at 33-6.

Special thanks to Jenneh Fatorma and Brook Irwin for keeping the records at this event (and all year) and to Carson Enfield for helping with the video.

Next up the sectional eight will compete at Bolinbrook High School for the sectional tournament that will begin Friday, February 8, (afternoon time TBA) and continue Saturday.  The top four from each weight class will qualify for IHSA Individual State to be held on the campus of the University of Illinois the following weekend.


GO REDHAWKS!