February 03, 2025
Sports

High school wrestling: Seven from Wheaton North make way to state tournament

By TAMMY SWANSON
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Wheaton North's Jaime Suarez (left) competes in the 126-pound championship match against Anthony Madrigal of Oak Park-River Forest Feb. 11 at the Class 3A sectional at Conant. Suarez placed second but continued on to the state tournament. (Sandy Bressner)

HOFFMAN ESTATES – When it comes to wrestling state tournament berths, Wheaton North likely was the envy of many teams.

The Falcons had one champion, three second-place wrestlers and three third-place finishers at the Class 3A sectional at Conant on Feb. 11 to ensure they will be well-represented at state.

“I think we wrestled pretty well. We won some situations that we struggled with [at the regional],” Wheaton North coach Travis Cherry said. “We made improvements. It’s looking good for [state].”

One of the most exciting wrestlers for the Falcons at the sectional was Devin Donovan (43-2) at 160 pounds. His closest match of the day was a 3-1 win against Josh Barzowski of Notre Dame in a semifinal. Donovan won the title with a first-period pin against Oak Park-River Forest’s Brian Holloway.

“It was a good day for me,” Donovan said. “I should have probably scored a little more [against Barzowski], but it was a good win to start off the day.”

Heading to state with a sectional title and solid results against tough competition was a big boost for Donovan.

“It was tough. I wrestled well against a lot of really good kids,” he said. “That’s really important going into state, to be able to handle kids like that and just beat the kids.

“I went in my finals match a little slow to start the match, but I got the takedown around halfway through the first period and then ended up locking a cradle pin on him.”

Wheaton North’s Jaime Suarez defeated Tyler Futris of Conant 5-0 in a semifinal to advance to the final at 126 pounds. Suarez came in second after a 16-6 loss against OPRF’s Anthony Madrigal, but he still advanced to state.

At 132 pounds, Frankie Indelli won his first three sectional matches, including a 10-4 quarterfinal win against Maine East’s Julio Cabrales, to advance to the semifinals. A 5-4 win over Kolbe O’Brien of St. Charles North put Indelli in the final, where OPRF’s Jason Renteria won by technical fall.

Riley Lomenick also made a championship match and finished second at 138 pounds.

Duncan Nelson gained some momentum ahead of the state tourney as he pinned York’s Austin Hoffman at the 3:18 mark of the 145-pound third-place match.

Bo Neidballa (195) and Nick Yanan (285) also finished the sectional on the right foot. Neidballa won 5-3 against Michael Milito of Maine South in the third-place match, and Yanan was a 9-7 winner against Prospect’s Jose Ramos for third.

Behard Khamiss (113), Anthony Indelli (120), Quinlan Nelson (152), Jett Dowell (170), Natan Jara (182) and Bob Wall (220) also competed at the sectional for the Falcons, but did not make it to state.

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If you go

What: Individual wrestling state tournament

When: 1 p.m. Feb. 16 to 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18

Where: State Farm Center, 1800 S. 1st St., Champaign

More info: ihsa.org/SportsActivities/BoysWrestling.aspx