Jake Smetters State Qualifier
February 10 – February 11, 2023
Naperville Central advanced ten individuals to the IHSA Boys
Sectional and entered four more into the IHSA Girls Sectional Tournament this
weekend. Junior 195 pounder Jake
Smetters becomes the latest NCHS wrestler to qualify for state. The tournaments were held at Hinsdale Central
High School and Schaumburg High School respectively.
On the boys side, the Redhawks advanced four wrestlers to
the semifinals and five wrestlers to the consolation semifinals, or “blood
round” for a state qualifying birth.
Junior Jake Smetters became a sectional qualifier by taking third place at the regionals. Smetters opened the tournament winning by injury default to Favia of Marmion. After losing to King from Lyons Township, Smetters won three matches in a row in the consolations. His first match by fall over Miles of Downers Grove South. The Redhawk needed two periods to dispatch Alomari of Sandburg by fall to advance to the blood rounds. Smetters scored two takedowns in a 4-2 decision of Hargrove of Bolingbrook to punch his ticket to state. Smetters finished in fourth place after losing to Ibarra of Oswego in the place match. Smetters is now a thirty match winner this year, 30-17.
Central had four chances other chances for state birth. Junior Ty Martin (113) just missed advancing
after losing a 0-1 decision to Fidler of Marist. Martin advanced to the semifinals earlier in
the tournament by defeating Parker of Sandburg 2-1. Martin lost in the semis to Pigoni of Marmion
7-2. Martin’s record stands at 33-9 for
the season, the most wins on the team. Senior
captain Ethan Olson (126) won two in a row on Friday night to advance to the
semifinals, defeating Gutierrez of Sandburg 8-2 and Commings of Downers Grove
North 17-4. Olson lost to top ranked
Garcia of Marmion 3-14. In the blood
round, Olson lost 2-3 to Camacho of Bolingbrook. Hagan Taylor (145) came within a match of
state after winning the regional and defeating Perez of Hinsdale Central by
fall in the quarterfinals. He faced two
very challenging opponents, Serio of West Aurora in the semifinals, and Scolaro
of Marmion. Taylor lost 3-17 and 1-9 in
those matches. Taylor’s record is not
28-13 with a team leading 25 wins by fall.
Senior Gavin Bohan defeated Butler of Chicago Curie to advance to the
semifinals at 160 pounds. Bohan lost to
Swan of Downers Grove South 3-9. In the
blood round, Bohan took a 1-1 tie into the third period, but could not hold on,
losing by fall to Chumbley of Marmion late in the match.
Senior heavyweight Chase Enfield came within two matches of qualifying,
finishing 2-2 in the tournament. Enfield
opened the tournament with a 3-2 decision over Koschik of Hinsdale
Central. After losing in the quarterfinals,
Enfield won by fall over Lanigan of Marist to advance on the consolation side,
but he was defeated by Croswell of DGS. Enfield’s
record stands at 27-18. Junior Nyree
Dabney (182) finished 1-2 in the event, defeating Lopez of East Aurora in his
first match by fall. Sixteen of Dabney’s
eighteen wins have come by fall this season.
Niko Besteiro (220) also finished 1-2 defeating Clayton of Glenbard East
by fall in the first period of the first round of consolation. Besteiro is second on the team in both wins
and falls, 32-11, 20 falls. Junior Chris
Bern lost both of his matches in perhaps the most loaded bracket of the
tournament, 152. Bern stands at 25-16
and leads the team in takedowns with 106.
Brother Vince Bern, freshman 120 pounds competed in his first sectional.
Smetter’s first match at State will be Thursday night with
the round starting at 4:30pm. He will likely
be up close to 6:00pm, give or take.
The season is not concluded however at the Redhawks will
face Chicago Mt. Carmel in the IHSA Dual Sectional hosted by Marmion High School
on Tuesday, February 21.
To the girls who continue their journey in this, the inaugural year of the NCHS Girls Wrestling Team. The four girls combined for a 7-8 record against stiff competition at Schaumburg High School. Top finisher Ellen Purl just missed qualifying for the blood round in her efforts at 125 pounds. Purl finished with a record of 3-2 defeating Guzman of Lake Park and Pizano of Elgin to qualify for the quarterfinals. After losing there, Purl defeated Jones of Conant by major decision 14-6. Purl took a six-point lead into the second period of her last match but was defeated by fall against Hart of Hinsdale Central. Purl’s sophomore year finishes with an impressive record of 19-8. Bianca Arredondo, 120, put together an impressive showing, winning three matches. She opened with a 5-2 decision over Conrad of Maine West. After a loss, Arredondo won two matches in the consolation side, pinning Hodzovic of Maine South and defeating Nelson of Richmond Burton 4-2. Arredondo finished the year with a record of 10-16. Sophomore returner Annika Hull (105) won a match in the consolation round, a tough battle over DiSilvestro of Geneva 9-3. Hull wrestled 32 matches this season, winning 15. Ella Sabugal wrestled at 115 pounds at sectionals, losing both of her matches.