Area sending 28 to state meet
News-Sun staff report February 9, 2013 9:34PM
Brandon Boyle of Johnsburg with his win at 285 at Antioch High School on Saturday. | Joe Shuman~For Sun-Times Media
AREA STATE WRESTLING QUALIFIERS
C LASS 3A (BIG SCHOOLS)
Deerfield (5)
106 — Andrew Mehrholtz (1st in sectional)
152 — Ari Sapinsley (4th)
195 — Jim Kirby (4th)
Grant
106 — Nick Koch (4th)
182 — Tony Cashmore (3rd)
Zion-Benton (2)
113 — Noey Carrillo (4th)
170 Nicholas Whitehead (4th)
Libertyville (6)
120 — Steve Polakowski (1st)
145 — Austin Pettinato (4th)
160 — Kayne MacCallum (2nd)
170 Austin Koziol (2nd)
195 — Kevin Barbian (2nd)
Hwt — Chris McDerman (4th)
Stevenson (2)
145 — Justin Weber (2nd)
182 — Ned Valtchev (4th)
Lake Zurich (1)
152 — Sean Lynch (1st)
Mundelein (1)
152 — Jake Long (2nd)
Warren (1)
170 — Danny Hicks (1st)
CLASS 2A Antioch (2)
132 — Mike Gussarson (2nd)
Carmel (4)
106 — Brodie Palml (4th)
120 — Jake Morgan (4th)
160 — Jimmy Dandino (4th)
Hwt — Jake Cochrane (1st)
Wauconda (2)
132 — Devin Tortorice (1st)
220 — Nate Magiera (2nd)
Grayslake Central (1)
138 — Jonathan MaKey (2nd)
Vernon Hills (1)
145 — David Pierce (3rd)
Article Extras
Updated: March 12, 2013 6:23AM
All season long, this has felt like a “down” year for wrestling in this corner of the state.
On Saturday, that feeling turned into fact when sectional tournaments were completed and qualifiers were set for next week’s state tournament in Champaign.
This year, 28 wrestlers will be competing in the big saucer on the campus of the University of Illinois — 11 in the smaller-school division (2A) and 17 in the big-school (3A) class.
However, that 28 compares unfavorably to the 35 who qualified for last year’s state tournament.
And in 2011, a total of 50 area wrestlers finished in the top four at a sectional, which is nearly twice as many as did so on Saturday.
The 2A sectional was held at Antioch, and the area champs were Vernon Hills junior Jordan Reich at 106 pounds, Wauconda’s Devin Tortorice at 132, and Carmel heavyweight Jake Cochrane.
Cochrane is this area’s best hope of winning a state title.
The 3A sectional was held at Barrington, and the area champs were Deerfield freshman Andrew Mehrholtz at 106, Libertyville’s Steve Polakowski at 120, Lake Zurich’s Sean Lynch at 152, and Warren’s Danny Hicks at 170).
At Antioch, Wauconda’s 220-pound Nate Magiera had has 33-match winning streak snapped when he lost 4-3 to Montini’s Edgar Ruano in the finals.
Cochrane is 40-1 with his only loss to a powerhouse wrestlers from 3A Marmion. He has the best record of any area grappler heading to the state tournament.
