Thursday, December 25, 2014

Naperville Central finishes in 11 place at 24 team Rex Whitlatch Invitational

Ben Williamson brings home gold

December 19-20, 2014

Naperville Central finishes in 11 place at the competitive Rex Whitlatch Invitational held at Hinsdale Central High School.  Central had five place winners and won all five final place matches.  Every Redhawk wrestler came away with at least one victory.

Ben Williamson advanced to the 138 pound championship match after posting three wins by decisions: 12-2, 8-0, and 5-3.  In the finals, Williamson opened with the first takedown against Johnson of Downers Grove South.  Johnson countered with an escape and a takedown to take a 3-2 lead, but Williamson escaped to tie the score as the first period expired.  Williamson was unable to escape after picking down in the second period.  Johnson picked down to start the third period and nearly escaped a couple of times before Williamson caught him with a deep wrist-and-half and scored the deciding three point nearfall.  Williamson ended the day 4-0 and the team’s I’m Somebody” winner.

Jake Keating, 106, won his opening match 10-3 before being defeated by the number one seed.  Keating then ran off three consecutive wins in the wrestlebacks advancing to the consolation semifinals before losing to the number two seed.  Keating locked down a 4-0 decision in his last match against Kohlberg of Rolling Meadows to take fifth place.

The Redhawk wrestlers made the podium with 7th place finishes.  At 145 pounds, Cam Hayes defeated Thompson of Homewood-Flosmoor by a score of 6-0.  Hayes finished the day with a record of 3-2 and had a pin and technical fall in previous matches.  At 152 pounds, Rick Marciniak turned in a quality performance finishing 4-2.  Marciniak defeated Maher of Downers Grove South by a score of 4-1.  Marciniak had two pins and a decision in his previous matches.  Sophomore Christian Nussbaum also had a 3-2 day with his 7th place finish at 220 pounds.  Nussbaum locked down a 5-3 decision in his place match against Johnson of DeKalb.  Nussbaum won his previous matches both by decision.

Seven Redhawk wrestlers fell one match short of placing in the tournament.  Nick Nunziato entered the Redhawk line-up and posted three wins in the tournament at 132 pounds.  Luc Jandt scored two wins at 126 pounds including one of them by fall.  Shuji Mizoguchi, Derek Wilke, Riley Guttosch, Robby Martins, Kyle Hildebrand, and Hayden Saldivar all came away with a victory.

The NCHS JV1 team won two of three duals at Bolingbrook.  They defeated Bolingbrook and Joliet Central, and just missed defeating Oak Lawn.

The NCHS Freshman wrestled at Hinsdale South in a quad.  Four wrestlers came away with three wins.

The Redhawks send a Sophomore team to Maine South for a Freshman-Sophomore Invitational.  Brad Catalono won the tournament with Jacob Viehmann and Quinn Farrell, Michael Norwood and Darian Bornor taking second.  The team took 4th place out of eight teams.


Next up the Redhawks will host a quad with Geneseo, Joliet West and Oak Lawn at home on Tuesday, December 30th starting at 10:00.