February 16th – February 18th, 2017
Jake Keating, 145: 5th Place
Christian Nussbaum, 220: 6th Place
Naperville Central crowned two state place winners at the IHSA
Individual State Wrestling Tournament held at the State Farm Center (formally
Assembly Hall) on the campus of the University of Illinois. Central has its first place winner since 2011
and the first time since 1989 (28 years) that Central placed more than one
competitor in the same tournament.
Jake Keating, wrestling at 145 pounds, made his third trip to state
this year. Keating, entering the
tournament after taking 2nd place at the Sectional, defeated Rafael
Roman, a senior out of Edwardsville, by a score of 4-2 in the first round. The victory was the first for Keating in the
tournament. On the following day, Keating
put himself in the state semifinals after defeating Abe Assad (Glenbard
North). Keating had defeated Assad
earlier in the season when NCHS wrestled at GN in a DuPage County Conference
dual. Keating’s 5-0 victory assured him
of a spot on the podium at title of All-State Wrestler.
The semifinal match was not as kind to Keating as he was defeated by (Illinois
Matman 2nd ranked) Markus Hartman of Barrington by a score of
0-10. Keating was defeated in the
consolation semifinals by Baylor Fernendes of Lockport by a score of 2-10. That loss put Keating in the 5th
place match against DVC foe Duncan Nelson of Wheaton North, another opponent
that Keating defeated earlier in the year.
Keating jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first period with a throw, but
was reversed and gave up 2 near-fall toward the end of the first period. After Duncan picked down, Keating rode and eventually
tilted Duncan for a three point near-fall to end the second period. Leading 8-4, Keating picked down to start the
third period and scored an escape to extend his lead to 9-4. Duncan scored the final takedown in the
match, but it wasn’t enough and Keating came away with the 9-6 decision and 5th
place finish.
Christian Nussbaum entered the event ranked 11th by Illinois
Matman and took 4th place in the sectional tournament. Nussbaum was defeated by Blake Zalapi of
Rockton Hononegah (ranked 3rd, 1st at his sectional) by a
score of 1-6. Nussbuam then had to hope
for a victory from Zalapi to pull him back into the tournament, and Zalapi didn’t
disappoint. Given new life, Nussbaum
wrestled Tyree Williams of Quincy.
Nussbaum made the most of the opportunity scoring a fall at the 1:44
mark of the first period. That win put
Nussbaum in the “blood round,” a win-or-go-home showdown against Alex Andrews
of Rock Island. Nussbaum gave up the
first takedown in the first period, but was able to escape before the clock ran
out. Given a 1-2 deficit, Nussbaum
scored an escape and takedown to take a 4-2 lead. The lead was extended to 6-2 after another
takedown in the second period. Andrews
tied the match in the third period with an escape and takedown for a 6-6 tie,
but an escape and takedown by Nussbaum put the match away. The final score was 9-7 and a medal earned by
the senior from Naperville. Nussbaum was
defeated by fall against Jake Dudeck of Lincoln-Way West and by Nick Sondag of
Waubonsie Vallley, but the goal had been earned; 6th place finish
for Nussbaum.
Next up Naperville Central will be celebrating their season with the
NCHS wrestling awards banquet on Tuesday, February 21 at 6:30pm.
GO REDHAWKS!