2/25/2024
The Naperville Central wrestling team celebrated its
historic 2023-2024 wrestling season at NCHS with wrestling managers, coaches,
parents and family. There was much to celebrate. The varsity team, lead by captains Hagan
Taylor, Mitch Kaszuba, Henry Rydwelski, and Will Erbeck, finished 20-7 in duals
and 5-0 in the DuPage Valley Conference.
They won the DVC tournament with five individual conference champions, tying
a school record. Winners were Ty Martin,
Mitchell Kaszuba, Chris Bern, Niko Besteiro and Will Erbeck also become DVC
All-Conference by winning the tournament (or qualifying for IHSA State). The varsity team took second at the Prospect
Tournament, 15th in the DeKalb Dual Tournament, first at Regionals,
and IHSA Dual Sectional winners. They
qualified for dual state for only the third time in school history, previously
in 2009 and 2012. The entire boys’
varsity team qualified for Sectionals and had four state qualifiers, the second
most in school history.
Meanwhile the NCHS fielded seven girls for a girls’ team
winning 111 matches against 93 losses.
The Lady Redhawks took 13th of 32 teams at the Pontiac
Tournament and 5th at the 37 team Ottawa Tournament. Ellen Purl became the school’s first ever
girl to qualify for Girls State.
The JV1, JV2 and Freshman teams combined to go 38-1 in
duals. Both the JV1 and JV2 teams won
the DVC conference tournaments making it only the second time in school history
that NCHS won the conference tournament at all three levels in the same
year. The JV1 team won the Streamwood
Dual Tournament, took 1st at the Libertyville Tournament, and finished
19-0 in duals. The JV2 and
Freshman-Sophomore team took 1st at the Plainfield South F/S
Tournament, 2nd at the F/S Maine
South Tournament, 1st at the NCHS JV2 Tournament, and ended 7-1 in duals. The Freshman team took 1st at the
Lyons Tournament, 2nd at Hinsdale South Tournament, and ended 12-0
in duals.
The following wrestlers were recognized as members of the All-Academic
Conference Team: Annika Hull, Ellen Purl, Sophia Liu, Arianna Rico, Niko
Besteiro, Mitchell Kaszuba, Hagan Taylor, Austin Aguinaldo, and Jacob Cochran.
The following wrestlers were recognized as Iron Man Winners
for attending all practices and meets throughout the wrestling season: Bradley
Anderson, Luci Antonietti, Bianca Arredondo, Vince Bern, CJ Bierman, Jacob
Cochran, Jayden Davis, Will Erbeck, Tyler Gonzalez, Sophia Liu, Tyler Martin,
Dalton Meluch, Aaron Nussbaum, Quinn O’Donnell, Ellen Purl, Nate Radtke, Eli
Rodriguez, Henry Rydwelski, Jack Schwartz, Yusuf Sikander, Jack Sjordal, Hagan
Taylor, Sahvin Yogandran and Henry Erives.
Wrestling managers were also recognized. They were Rhea Thankachen, Chanelle Philips, Ella
Smith, Saidi Liu, and Arianna Thigpen.
Most Valuable Awards were given to Will Erbeck and Dezi
Azar. Hardest Worker Awards was given to
Hagan Taylor. Nico Besteiro and Ellen Purl
were recognized with the Most Inspirational Awards. Most Improved was awarded to Jacob Cochran. Stavros Gerousis was awarded JV Wrestler of
the Year and Justin Skryd was awarded Freshman Wrestler of the Year.