Wrestling: Yorkville in eighth place after Day 1 at Dvorak, send Ben Alvarez to semifinals

MACHESNEY PARK – Hunter Janeczko’s motivation for his offseason plan wasn’t difficult to conjure up.

Janeczko, a Yorkville senior, fell in the blood round of last year’s IHSA state tournament by one point, 5-4.

“It definitely was a motivation,” Janeczko said during the first day of the 34th annual Dvorak Tournament at Harlem High School on Saturday. “It was [also] my first year of [participating in] offseason wrestling. I wrestled for Izzy Style in the spring. First year in freestyle, too, I went to [the Fargo national tournament].”

In Janeczko’s 195-pound championship bracket quarterfinal at the Dvorak, Mount Carmel’s Rylan Breen bested Janeczko in sudden victory. Janeczko had a first round bye, and later won by pin over Wheaton North’s Toby Martin in just 21 seconds in the second round.

“It’s my first tournament at 195,” Janeczko said. “I cut from 210, so it was a pretty big cut.”

The decision to cut back a bit was to feel stronger. Janeczko believes he wrestles more effectively at that weight instead of the 220-pound class.

“My practice partner is Ben Alvarez and he’s a great practice partner,” Janeczko said. “He just pushes the pace every day.”

Entering Sunday, Yorkville sits eighth as a team.

The Foxes had seven wrestlers competing in the quarterfinal round: Liam Fenoglio (106), Jack Ferguson (132), Ryder Janeczko (145), Luke Zook (170), Brody Williams (182), Janeczko and Alvarez in the heavyweight match

The Foxes endured a bit of a challenging round, however. Marist’s George Marinopoulos defeated Liam Fenoglio by technical fall. St. Rita’s Sean Larkin defeated Ferguson in a 7-4 decision. St. Charles East’s Jayden Colon defeated Ryder Janeczko by technical fall.

Libertyville’s Matt Kubas won by a 10-9 decision over Zook. Lockport’s Brayden Thompson prevailed over Williams by pin. Alvarez was the lone competitor to win his quarterfinal over Loyola Academy’s Kai Calcutt in a 9-8 decision.

“We didn’t lose anybody [to graduation] last year,” Hunter Janeczko said of the overall strength of the Foxes’ lineup. “...So, it’s almost the same team, besides one person moved. But, it should be a strong team this year.”

Williams, who lost in the blood round at last year’s sectional, is back after a busy offseason trying to gain weight for this season. The Foxes senior, last competed at Dvorak as a freshman and has improved from his 0-2 showing that year.

“Really, just trying to better myself,” Williams said. “Try to prove myself...I [practice] really with Hunter [Janeczko]. He’s a good wrestler, so he’s also made me better. Makes me more kind of aggressive, so he’s helped me and benefitted me a lot.

Janeczko makes Williams more aggressive because of Janeczko’s strength.

“I had to hold my own ground and try not to let him throw me around,” Williams said. “It’s definitely built my hips. I feel a lot stronger on the mat, so kind of in that sense.”