AURORA – Trevor Chumbley has seen more than his fair share of Montini wrestler Fidel Mayora.
At the Chicago Catholic League finals on Jan. 19, the 145-pound championship match marked Chumbley's seventh time wrestling Mayora over the past two seasons. Chumbley emerged victorious, claiming his second CCL title in a 3-1 bout.
"It's like a clash of [wrestling] styles," Chumbley said of their unique competitive history. "We're both pretty defensive. It's always low scoring, but a lot of action. Whoever gets that first score and takes it, that's usually the deciding factor in the match."
Safe to say, there are hardly competitive secrets between them.
Chumbley defeated Mayora 4-0 in the Class 3A 138-pound state finals for a 4-0 victory last season, en route to a sparkling 45-2 record. Chumbley says he wrestled Mayora five total times last season. Chumbley came into the CCL meet already with a victory notched against the Montini juggernaut in December.
Chumbley is ranked as the top individual ranked at Class 3A 145-pounds by the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association. Mayora is second.
"I want to keep it that way," Chumbley said. "I think it's just a sense of confidence in my training and leaving it all out there that I'll come out on top."
"That sense of knowing that everybody is gunning for me: I like it; I embrace it," he continued. "I think it's great to know that you're going to get everybody's best shot. It just gives you a little extra motivation to train for."
Marmion as a team turned in five champions, with Diego Sotelo (106 pounds) Michael Jaffe (120), Ryan Fleck (138), Brad Gross (160) and Chumbley.
Fleck gutted out a 7-6 victory over Providence's Josh Ramos on an escape with about five seconds remaining. Fleck entered the third period up 5-2, but Ramos scored a quick reversal to pull within one. Fleck earned an escape to inch to 6-4, but with 30 seconds remaining, Ramos reversed to ultimately tie it before the heart pounding finish.
Fleck, a senior, won his second career CCL title. His first came as a sophomore.
"It was an anticipated matchup for me, knowing he is one of top guys at the weight," Fleck said. "With the close team race, it was huge and really proved to myself that I’m right there with the best in the weight class."