Sunday, February 25, 2024

Naperville Central Celebrates Successful 2023-2024 Wrestling Season

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.

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Naperville Central Defeated in Quarterfinals

Central loses to Yorkville

2/23/2024

Yorkville defeated Naperville Central at the IHSA State Dual State Tournament by a score of 29-36.  The dual was competed at the Grossinger Motor Central in Bloomington Illinois.  The loss ended the season for the Redhawks in the state quarterfinals while Yorkville advanced to the state semifinals.  Yorkville went on to defeat Libertyville to qualify for the state championship dual and then finished second to Chicago Mt. Carmel.

Naperville Central’s Ellen Purl Competes at IHSA Girls State

2/23/2024

Naperville Central’s Ellen Purl wrestled three times at the IHSA Girls State Tournament in Bloomington, winning one match.  The competition took place at the Grossinger Motors Central prior to the IHSA Dual Tournament.  Purl wrestled in the 120-pound weight class.  In match one, Purl was defeated by fall against Dobin of Glenbrook North.  In match two, Purl won by fall against Brooklyn Zeller of Belleville West.  Purl got of to a good start scoring a takedown and three-point near-fall to start the match.  Zeller responded with a reversal, but Purl was able to reverse back to make the score 7-2 after the first period.  In the second period, Purl scored another two point near-fall before locking down a fall at the 3:03.  In match three, Purl was pinned by Alexis Seymour of Jacksonville in the first period ending her state run.

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Naperville Central Heading to State

Redhawks Defeat Downers Grove South at IHSA Dual Sectional

2/20/2024

NCHS 40 – Downers Grove South 21

Naperville Central defeated host Downers Grove South by a score of 40-21 to win the IHSA Dual Sectional and qualify for IHSA Dual State.  It will be only the third time in school history that Central’s wrestling team will be heading to the Elite Eight.  Naperville Central qualified for state as a team in 2009 and 2012.  NCHS will face Yorkville in Bloomington on Friday, February 23 at 7:00pm with competition happening a the Grossinger Motors Arena.