ST. CHARLES – Ben Davino’s meteoric rise continues to skyrocket.
Davino, a St. Charles East junior, already is arguably among the most decorated competitors in the Saints’ wrestling program’s history. Armed with two individual state titles, Davino has only lost once in his high school career, the defeat coming at the Walsh Ironman in the finals in November 2021.
To date, Davino is 70-1. And he just added another achievement to his budding resume, winning the 126-pound Fargo National championship in July.
Davino is the first wrestler in Saints’ program history to achieve a Fargo title and he did it by outscoring his opponents an amazing 59-0.
“I was having fun,” Davino said. “I was enjoying every moment I wrestled. Right when I stepped on to the mat, I was ready to go. I was excited.”
Davino defeated Landon Robideau of St. Michael-Albertville High School (Minnesota) 3-0 in the finals. Robideau was the runner-up in the 126-pound division at Fargo last year and a two-time Minnesota state finals runner-up.
“I knew he was bigger. I knew he was going to be stronger,” Davino said of Robideau. “He was coming down from 132 pounds from World Team Trials.
“I was kind of patient. I just played the game a little bit. I was up 1-0 at the first break. … In the second period, he got in on my leg. I scrambled out of it and got a takedown.”
Davino went 7-0 over the three-day tournament.
Davino plans to enter the Super 32 tournament, an elite opportunity for high school wrestlers. The tournament takes place in Greensboro, North Carolina, in October. In previous Super 32 tournaments, Davino has lost both times in wrestlebacks, so he hasn’t placed yet.
“That’s a tournament I’ve never had much success at,” Davino said. “I’m super excited to go back there, hopefully get a belt and then [get ready] for the high school season.
“It’s a really good tournament. There’s tons of Fargo champs that go there, tons of state champs, Ironman champs. Last year, I had 15 ranked kids in my bracket.”
St. Charles East teammates Anthony Gutierrez and Jayden Colon joined Davino at Fargo, but competed in the Greco division. Gutierrez took fifth in the 160-pound bracket and earned all-American status.
Colon, who transferred to St. Charles East this summer from Montini after winning the Class 2A 145-pound state championship in February, took second in the 145-pound division. Colon lost to Brennan Van Hoecke of Florida.
“What I took away from the experience was just to have fun and not to worry about wrestling on the big stage, worry about the crowd and the lights,” Colon said. “Just to go out there, have fun and trust the process with your training and everything.”
Coming off a storied individual season, Colon has more to prove. Colon also is planning on attending the Super 32 tournament, but is still deciding between staying at 145 pounds or dropping down to 138.
“I just wanted to prove that I’m up there with those top guys,” Colon said. “Since COVID kind of took a year off from [my] freshman year, I didn’t really get to wrestle. So coming in, after I won state, I wanted just to prove that I’m still up there with those high school guys.”