Marmion has four wrestlers take third place at IHSA boys wrestling individual state meet

CHAMPAIGN — As senior Mateusz Nycz walked off the wrestling mat after securing third place in the Class 3A 285-pound weight class, a cluster of Marmion coaches, all donning Hawaiian shirts, all started exclaiming a similar sentiment.

“12 and 2! We were 12 and 2 this morning!”

It was a fact that had the Cadets practically jumping for joy from their ringside seats. And for good reason, after having four wrestlers take third place in the medal matches along with a fifth place finisher during the Class 3A medal matches in the IHSA boys individual state meet.

“It’s just crazy having all this success here,” Nycz said. “Now we can start building off of this to get ready for dual sectionals on Tuesday.”

Nycz, who went 0-2 in his first state run last season, went 3-0 during the final day of the tournament, with a 11-3 major decision over Maine South’s Tyler Fortis the bronze medal.

“The biggest thing for me was just changing my mindset,” Nycz said. “I knew I had to get more points, and that allowed me to get much better and get third place here.”

Along with Nycz, sophomore Preston Morrison (106), junior Demetrios Carrera (132) and junior Ashton Hobson (150) also took home bronze medals.

Morrison, who was competing in his first state meet, ended up setting the tone early for the Cadets, getting a major victory in his first match before winning his third-place bout against Addison Trail’s Nikolas Duarte by fall in 3:28.

“My goal from the start was just to place, but from the first match out I knew I was going to be good,” Morrison said. “It’s amazing being out here and seeing my team wrestle. I just love it.”

Carrera also managed a bronze medal in his first appearance at the state meet. The junior ended up winning his third-place match over Hersey’s Elijah Garza in a 10-1 major decision.

“I trained really hard to try and get on top of the podium, but sometimes obstacles come in your way,” Carrera said. “I just had to come back and get the next-best thing. So instead of being negative all weekend, I stayed positive and fought back to get third.”

Hobson improved on his sixth-place finish in the 144 weight class a season ago with his third place, which he won with a 1-0 decision over Yorkville’s Van Rosauer.

“I had a goal in mind, but that wasn’t it,” Hobson said. “But I just went out there wanting to compete hard for my team, so that was a good feeling.”

The Cadets also had freshman Aidan McClure (113) come away with a fifth-place finish after defeating Huntley’s Colin Abordo with an 8-0 major decision in his final match.

Also securing a third-place finish at state was St. Francis' Jaylen Torres. After suffering a disqualification in his opening match of the Class 1A 285-pound tournament, the junior went 5-0 through the consolation bracket, with a fall victory over Seneca’s Jeremy Gagnon in the third-place match being the finishing touch.

“I just knew with all the work I put in, I could fight my way back and get third,” Torres said. “I just told myself that I couldn’t get too down about the disqualification, and I knew that if I put in the work I could make it back.”

St. Charles East’s Anthony Gutierrez (165) walked away with his second-straight 4th-place finish. The Indiana commit won his opening match with a 15-0 tech fall over Warren’s Royce Lopez, but fell short in the third-place match on a 6-5 decision.

“It’s definitely not what I wanted and not my goal,” Gutierrez said. “I’m not proud of my performance, but I’m proud to say that I’m a three-time All-Stater.”

Batavia senior Asher Sheldon earned All-State honors in the 195-pound weight class. The senior walked away with a sixth-place finish after falling in his final two matches.

“Of course the goal wasn’t sixth, but it feels good to walk away with a medal and get my name up on the board and put my name in the books,” Sheldon said.

Batavia’s Kai Enos (113), St. Charles East’s Liam Aye (126) and Marmion’s Joseph Favia (215) all fell in earlier consolation rounds on Saturday.