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High school wrestling: 2020 Northwest Herald All-Area team

Meet the 2020 Northwest Herald All-Area wrestling team.

By Sean Hammond

March 14, 2020 at 3:50 pm CDT

• FIRST TEAM Christian Olsen, Crystal Lake South, jr., 113 – After offseason knee surgery, Olsen returned to the state podium for the third time in his career. He finished third at 113 in Class 2A. After winning a state title in 2019, Olsen (31-4) will use his one-point semifinal loss in 2020 as motivation.

• FIRST TEAM Christian Olsen, Crystal Lake South, jr., 113 – After offseason knee surgery, Olsen returned to the state podium for the third time in his career. He finished third at 113 in Class 2A. After winning a state title in 2019, Olsen (31-4) will use his one-point semifinal loss in 2020 as motivation.

Elon Rodriguez, Marian Central, jr., 120 – Rodriguez was oh so close to a state title. He lost the title match at 120 in Class 2A by a 4-2 decision against TF North’s Nasir Bailey. Rodriguez, 43-4, has been instrumental to Marian’s success the past few seasons and he is now a two-time state medalist.

Nik Jimenez, Harvard, so., 126 – A state qualifier in Class 2A as a freshman, Jimenez took it to the next level this year, finishing as Class 1A runner-up at 126. Though he was humbled by a loss via technical fall in the state-title match against Peoria Notre Dame’s Tristan Daugherty, it was a major breakthrough season for Jimenez (49-1). He also helped the Hornets to a Kishwaukee River Conference title and their first trip to dual team state in five years.

Sam Spencer, Huntley, sr., 126/132 – Spencer went 40-5 his senior season, taking home a fifth-place state medal at 126 in Class 3A. He surpassed his brother Zach Spencer as Huntley’s all-time leader in wins. He played a major role in Huntley’s two trips to dual team state in the past three years, the program’s first two trips ever. He is a four-time state qualifier and a two-time state medalist.

Daniel Valeria, Marian Central, sr., 132 – Valeria graduates Marian as the program’s all-time leader in wins, with a 146-26 career record. He won his second state medal, taking fourth at 132 in Class 2A at individual state. He went 45-3 his senior season, and did not lose a match until the state semifinal. He will wrestle at NCAA Division II St. Cloud State next year.

Jake Harrier, Jacobs, sr., 138 – Harrier finishes his career as a four-time state qualifier and a one-time state medalist. Unfortunately, Harrier tore his ACL in practice the week leading up to the state tournament, ending his last trip to Champaign before it began. He ends his career as the all-time leader in wins at Jacobs with 158. Harrier will wrestle at Old Dominion next year.

Jeremy Jakowitsch, Huntley, jr., 138 – Jakowitsch went 44-8 as a junior, winning a third-place medal at state at 138 in Class 3A. He recorded 22 of his 44 victories via pin. He is now a two-time state qualifier. Jakowitsch tore his ACL in the state third-place match, but still held on to win the match.

Bryce Shelton, Marian Central, jr., 138 – Shelton (42-4) remained unbeaten until mid-January, when he ran into Harrier at the Batavia Invite. He finished fourth at 138 in Class 2A at state, losing his semifinal match, 4-2. He will be among the favorites at whichever weight he wrestles at next season.

Peyton Timmons, Crystal Lake South, sr., 145 – In his third trip to state, Timmons finally brought home a coveted medal. Timmons (37-6) took fourth at 145 in Class 2A. Both his losses at state, in the semifinals and third-place match, came by one point each.

Caden Ernd, Crystal Lake Central, jr., 160 – Now a three-time state qualifier, Ernd brought home his first state medal, finishing third at 160 in Class 2A. Ernd (39-5) was one point shy of partaking in the grand march after a 3-2 loss in the state semifinals. He should be a top contender next season, too.

Dylan Connell, Marian Central, jr., 170 – Connell won his third state championship in as many seasons, going undefeated (46-0) for the first time. He is the 2020 Northwest Herald Wrestler of the Year, winning the award for a second time. In three seasons, he has amassed a record of 143-5. He needs 180 wins to crack the IHSA’s top 20 all-time list and 190 to make the top 10. The all-time record is 201, set by Montini’s Garrett Goebel (2004-08) and former Niles West and Montini wrestler Stephen Robertson (2008-11).

David Ferrante, Huntley, sr., 170 – A historic career comes to an end for the Red Raiders. Ferrante won the only two state championships in program history, completing his journey for back-to-back titles when he won the Class 3A 170 title last month. Ferrante (48-2) pinned his opponents 31 times and avenged one of his two losses with an 8-2 win over Barrington’s Luke Rasmussen in the state championship match. Ferrante will wrestle at Northwestern next year.

Justin Peake, Johnsburg, sr., 182 – A year after finishing third at 182 in Class 1A, Peake nearly reached the pinnacle in Champaign last month. He lost this year’s state championship match by the slimmest margin, 5-4, to Althoff Catholic’s Joe Braunagel. This was after he missed the first month of the season with a knee injury. Peake (26-3) became just the second Johnsburg wrestler to win two state medals in his career.

Ryan Golnick, Jacobs, jr., 220 – Golnick was an ultimate tiebreaker overtime loss away from the Class 3A 220 state semifinals and guaranteeing himself a medal. Montini’s Josh LaBarbera, who Golnick took to overtime in the quarterfinal, went on to win the state title. That Golnick (39-6) didn’t win a state medal shows just how brutal the Class 3A tournament can be. He spent part of the season ranked No. 1 in his class and helped Jacobs to a 7-2 FVC record. • SECOND TEAM Jake Jensen, Huntley, so., 113 Scott Burke, Marian Central, jr., 126 Charlie Gruen, Cary-Grove, sr., 132 Alex Epstein, Jacobs, sr., 145 Gabriel Scales, Dundee-Crown, sr., 145 Brody Hallin, McHenry, so., 152 Shane Moran, Crystal Lake South, so., 152 Niko Lopez, Marian Central, jr., 182 Dalton Wood, Richmond-Burton, sr., 182 Ryder Hunkins, Huntley, so., 195 Kyle Koelblinger, Prairie Ridge, sr., 195 Nathan Rosas, Harvard, so., 195 Julian Ryerson, Crystal Lake Central, jr., 195 Josh Crandall, Prairie Ridge, sr., 220 • HONORABLE MENTION Amador Castro, Crystal Lake South, so., 106 Nick Davidson, Marian Central, fr., 106 Ethan Struck, Marengo, fr., 106 James Wright, Jacobs, fr., 106 Max Hodory, Woodstock, so., 120 Anthony Marlett, Hampshire, fr., 120 Joe Resendez, Marengo, sr., 120 Zach Seymour, McHenry, jr., 120 Amaire Jones, Dundee-Crown, jr., 126 Colin Suyko, Cary-Grove, sr., 126 Jake Doyle, Marengo, sr., 132 Andrew Lira, Huntley, jr., 132 Isaiah Vela, Woodstock North, jr., 138 Dan Calhoun, Johnsburg, sr., 145 Cooper Adams, Woodstock, jr., 152 Nathan Larson, Hampshire, jr., 152 Rukkus Hunkins, Huntley, sr., 160 Kaden Randazzo, Marian Central, jr., 160 Brad Peters, Cary-Grove, sr., 160 Brenden Parks, Crystal Lake Central, sr., 170 Ethan Shedbalkar, Johnsburg, sr., 170 Tommy Evans, Prairie Ridge, jr., 182 Wyatt Griggel, Dundee-Crown, sr., 182 Isaac Rands, Cary-Grove, sr., 182 Brock Wood, Richmond-Burton, so., 195 Andrew Hudec, Crystal Lake Central, jr., 220 Joe Swanson, Cary-Grove, jr., 220 Matt Burba, Huntley, sr., 285

Cary Grove Preps Crystal Lake Central Preps Crystal Lake South Preps Dundee Crown Preps Hampshire Preps Harvard Preps Huntley Preps Jacobs Preps Johnsburg Preps Marengo Preps Marian Central Preps McHenry Preps Prairie Ridge Preps Richmond Burton Preps Woodstock Preps Woodstock North Preps

Sean Hammond

Sean is the Chicago Bears beat reporter for the Shaw Local News Network. He has covered the Bears since 2020. Prior to writing about the Bears, he covered high school sports for the Northwest Herald and contributed to Friday Night Drive. Sean joined Shaw Media in 2016.