Marian Central runs away with Marengo Regional championship

MARENGO – Marian Central junior Austin Hagevold doesn’t lack confidence.

The Hurricanes' unflappable 113-pounder entered Saturday’s Class 1A Marengo Regional as a No. 2 seed, but Hagevold has never been big on rankings.

“I knew I was going to win it,” Hagevold said of his perfect regional run, which included a pin in 3 minutes, 31 seconds against Johnsburg freshman/No. 1 seed Chase Vogel in the championship.

“Everybody is 0-0 in the postseason, so I wasn’t nervous about the seedings or anything. Rankings don’t matter to me.”

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 14

Marian Central’s Nic Astacio battles with Wheaton Academy’s Tyler Jones in the 165-pound championship match of the IHSA 1A Marengo Wrestling Regional on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at Marengo High School. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver )

Hagevold was one of six regional champions for the Hurricanes, who easily took the team title with 239½ points, well ahead of runner-up Richmond Burton with 186½. Johnsburg (126) placed fourth, Marengo (59½) was sixth, and Alden-Hebron (33) was eighth out of 11 teams.

“It feels good to win, but we want more,” said Hagevold, a state qualifier a year ago as a sophomore. “We want a championship. This is just one thing.”

Brayden Teunissen (120 pounds), Andrew Alvarado (138), Vance Williams (150), Jimmy Mastny (190) and Dan French (215) also won regional titles for the Hurricanes. Camden Spiniolas (106), Nick Marchese (126) and Nic Astacio (165) took runner-up, and Connor Cassels (157) and Josh Gawronski (175) placed third to move on.

Marian earned the Class 1A dual team state title last year, the first in program history.

Mastny, last year’s 157-pound state champion as a freshman, defeated R-B’s Breckin Campbell by fall to capture the 190-pound title.

“I felt dominant, I felt like I got to my attacks pretty well,” Mastny said. “Just pushing the pace early. He got tired, and everything else worked. He was strong and tall, but it was a good match to get, especially for (myself as a) small 190-pounder. They’re definitely stronger (at 190), but they’re a little bit slower than the 157-pounders.”

Andrew Alvarado, a three-time state qualifier, defeated Johnsburg’s Landon Johnson by decision for the 138-pound title. Alvarado has now won a regional championship all four years of high school.

“Just go out there and win,” Alvarado said of his mindset before every postseason match. “When I’m feeling good and I’m ready to go, nobody can really keep up with me.”

Richmond-Burton had three regional champs: freshman Lelan Nelson at 106, senior Emmett Nelson at 144 and sophomore Blake Livdahl at 175. Adam Glauser (120), Max Martin (157), Breckin Campbell (190) and Shane Falasca (215) placed runner-up, and Clayton Madula (126), Dalton Youngs (150) and Colin Kraus (285) finished third to advance.

Lelan Nelson beat Marian’s Spiniolas by decision. The freshmen know each other well from their time together on the Richmond Wrestling Club.

“We really wanted to come here and win as a team, but this is the next best thing,” Lelan Nelson said. “I feel like my top game has gotten a lot better throughout the year. I could have had more offense, I’m kind of mad about that, but I ended up getting the win.

“I knew (Spiniolas) was really hard to score on, so I really had to be patient and get to what I was good at. Just not going for stuff that wasn’t there.”

Youngs, a senior, topped Johnsburg’s Kainoa Ancog by pin in 4:38 to take third and move on at 150. He, too, was very familiar with his opponent.

“I don’t want to sound braggy or anything, because I love him, he’s one of my good friends,” Youngs said. “I’ve beaten him before and knew I could do it again. I just had to wrestle my heart out. I’ve been practicing for this moment since I was 4. This is my last year, I’ve got to make something out of it.”

Johnsburg had six sectional qualifiers. Vogel (113), Johnson (138) and Duke Mays (175) placed second, while Kai Surdick (106), Micah Klos (132) and Jackson Hjorth (165) were third.

Klos, who runs cross country, played the long game to defeat Marian’s Zane Mochocki by pin in 5:40.

“It was crazy, because he was going all out,” Klos said. “I do cross country, so I have the lungs. I just had to make it three periods and things would open up at the end.”

Marengo and Alden-Hebron both qualified one to sectionals.

Marengo’s Hayden Beebe finished second at 132, falling to Wheaton Academy’s Lincoln Hoger by technical fall.

“It’s a big thrill,” Beebe said of moving on. “Last year I didn’t make the cut, and a lot of the same guys (were here) this year. At least I know I’m improving, and hopefully can make it to state this year.”

Alden-Hebron’s Logan Crowell (190) beat Marengo’s Frankie Solis by pin to earn his spot.

“Just never giving up, that was basically it,” Crowell said. “I’m pretty sure everyone thought I was done for, but you’ve just got to solve one problem at a time and work through it.”