Wrestling: Crystal Lake South’s Josh Glover remains perfect, 3 Gators win sectional titles

DEERFIELD – Josh Glover has had his eyes set on one thing all season: the State Farm Center in Champaign.

The Crystal Lake South 113-pound wrestler has focused on returning to the IHSA Individual State Tournament all season and hasn’t bothered thinking about all his tournament wins or his perfect record.

Glover fulfilled his goal of getting back to the state meet when he won the 113 title at the Class 2A Deerfield Individual Sectional on Saturday.

“It’s just another tournament,” Glover said of winning his sectional. “State tournament is the only one I care about.”

Glover was one of three sectional champions for the Gators. Shane Moran won the 182 title while Andy Burburijia won at 285.

The top-four finishers advanced to the three-day state tournament in Champaign starting Thursday.

Glover ran out to a 5-0 lead after one period and increased it to 7-0 after two. He increased his hold of the match to 9-0 before he won the title with a fall. The senior is 26-0 on the season after his title and semifinal pins, building off his No. 1 ranking in Class 2A at 113 by the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association (IWCOA).

Burburijia defeated Fenwick’s Jimmy Liston, 7-4, in that championship match.

Moran has had the same mindset as Glover. The No. 2-ranked wrestler at 182 in Class 2A by the IWCOA, Moran won his title match, 13-0, after winning his semifinal match by a 3-1 decision.

While sectional titles are nice, the senior is focused on winning a state title.

“It means a lot,” Moran said. “I won a sectional title before, but I still have unfinished business at the state series. I still have work left to do.”

Grayslake Central earned four state wrestlers led by Anthony Alanis, who won the 106 title by a fall. He won all three matches in the sectional thanks to falls.

Aaron Cramer won the 170 title thanks to a 7-5 decision. Cramer, ranked No. 3, won a 4-0 decision in the semifinal and by a fall in the quarterfinals.

“It means a lot,” Cramer said. “I won a sectional title before, but I still have unfinished business at the state series. I still have work left to do.”

The Rams’ Matty Jens (1821) finished third, while Tyler Weidman (113) was fourth.

Alanis is excited to head to the state tournament and prove his talents against the state’s best.

“It means a lot to me,” Alanis said. “Last year I didn’t win it and all year I’ve been looking forward to the state series. Now I’ll have the opportunity to prove to everybody that I’m the best.”

Prairie Ridge’s Mikey Meade won the 126 title when he defeated Wheeling’s Patrick Tinsley on a 3-2 decision. The freshman won his quarterfinal match by fall and his semifinal match, 1-0.

Tyler Evans lost his title match at 120 when Antioch’s Edgar Albino came back in the last seconds to win. Eddie Ferree finished second for the Wolves at 160.

Meade knows how important it is to qualify for state as a freshman and he’s ready for the state rush.

“It means a lot,” Meade said of winning a sectional title. “I’m ready for state.”

Cary-Grove’s Wade Abrams continued his return to wrestling this season by winning the 195 title. The senior improved to 23-1 with a pin for the championship. He won the semifinal, 8-0, and pinned his quarterfinal opponent.

Rannin Gruen finished fourth at 126 and will join Abrams at the state meet.

Abrams missed last season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so to get back to the state meet made all the waiting worth it for the Trojans senior.

“It feels great, moving on to state,” Abrams said. “That was the goal and now moving on to whatever I can do there.”

Crystal Lake Central’s Connor Lezama (152) and Jon Barrick (195) each had runner-up finishes to qualify. The Tigers will also send Dillon Carlson (160) and Ben Butler (170), who took thirds, and Payton Ramsey (106), who was fourth.

Tigers coach Justen Lehr was proud of his team’s effort in a tough sectional.

“It was a good day,” Lehr said. “This was a really tough sectional.”

Woodstock had a strong performance with three state qualifiers: Caleb Sciame (120) and Gavin Loiselle (220), who were both third, and Sean Ryan (195), who was fourth.

Sciame has not only worked all season for this moment, but the past four years as he’s developed as a wrestler.

“It’s awesome,” Sciame said. “I’ve been waiting four years for this, ever since I came out of middle school it’s been my dream. It’s awesome.”

Jayden Colon led the way for Montini when he won his 145 title on a 8-1 decision. The No. 2-ranked wrestler won his quarterfinal and semifinal by pins.

Montini’s David Mayora won at 152 pounds, right after Colon, with a 14-6 decision. Mayora, ranked No. 4, had pins in his two matches leading up to the finals.

Colon was proud of his win and is excited to see what he can do in the state meet.

“It feels really good,” Colon said. “It makes me feel better about my state, like me being better at state. I just need to improve some things.”

Fenwick’s Jimmy Liston finished second to lead the Friars. The senior lost his title match after earning a 12-5 semifinal win and a fall in the quarterfinal.

The Friars’ Martin Paris (160) and Conor Paris (182) each took fourths to qualify.

While Martin Paris would’ve liked to have won a sectional title, he’s excited for the chance as a state qualifier.

“It’s great,” Martin Paris. “My football team just won a state championship. My goal was to be a state placer, but state qualifier, we’ll see what I do next weekend.”

Antioch will have six state wrestlers after a strong performance on Saturday. Edgar Albino won the 120 title with a come-from behind win in the final seconds.

Gavin Hanrahan (106) and Caleb Nobiling (138) both finished second and Ben Vazquez (145) and Anthony Streib (132) both took thirds.

Vazquez was proud to qualify for the state, the first in his family, but knows he still has more work to do.

“I just have to go out there and do my thing,” Vazquez said.

Wauconda will have two state qualifiers after Lucas Galdine placed third at 106 and Matthew Merevick finished fourth at 220.

“It’s great,” Galdine said. “I’ve been putting a lot of work into this, it’s only my fourth year so it’s been tough but I’ve put in a lot of work and I think it’s paid off.”

Garry Gurevich led the way for Vernon Hills when he finished third at 138. The Cougars’ Jake Psaras finished third at 195. Gurevich was thrilled at making it through the wrestleback semifinals to secure a spot.

“I lost in the blood rounds my sophomore and junior years, so I don’t want to make it three years in a row where I lose in the blood rounds,” Gurevich said.

Class 2A Deerfield Individual Sectional Title Matches

(Top-4 advance to state meet)

106

First-place match

Grayslake Central Anthony Alanis def. Antioch Gavin Hanrahan by fall

Third-place match

Wauconda Lucas Galdine def. Crystal Lake Central Payton Ramsey by fall

113

First-place match

Crystal Lake South Josh Glover def. St. Patrick Olin Walker by fall

Third-place match

Deerfield Luke Reffy def. Grayslake Central Tyler Weidman by 7-3 decision

120

First-place match

Antioch Edgar Albino def. Prairie Ridge Tyler Evans by 8-5 decision

Third-place match

Woodstock Caleb Sciame def. Wheeling Jatuthep Rattanahattakul by 7-0 decision

126

First-place match

Prairie Ridge Mikey Meade def. Wheeling Ptrick Tinsley by 3-2 decision

Third-place match

St. Patrick Niko Karamaniolas def. Cary-Grove Rannin Gruen by 4-2 decision

132

First-place match

St. Patrick Sean Conway def. Deerfield’s Renzo Morgan by 9-2 decision

Third-place match

Antioch Anthony Streib def. Lake Forest Seth Digby by 7-2 decision

138

First-place match

Deerfield Kai Neumark def. Antioch Caleb Nobiling by 6-2 decision

Third-place match

Vernon Hills Gary Gurevich def. Carmel Ethan Onan by technical fall

145

First-place match

Montini Jayden Colon def. Deerfield Lucio Morgan by 8-1 decision

Third-place match

Antioch Ben Vazquez def. Grayslake North Connor Kozanecki by fall

152

First-place match

Montini David Mayora def. Crystal Lake Central Connor Lezama by 14-6 decision

Third-place match

Deerfield Stamos Tsakiris def. Antioch Ethan Vazquez by injury

160

First-place match

Deerfield Benjamin Shvartsman def Prairie Ridge Eddie Ferree by 13-2 decision

Third-place match

Crystal Lake Central Dillon Carlson def. Fenwick Martin Paris by fall

170

First-place match

Grayslake Central Aaron Cramer def. Deerfield Aiden Cohen by 7-5 decision

Third-place match

Crystal Lake Central Ben Butler def. St. Patrick Gio Hernandez by fall

182

First-place match

Crystal Lake South Shane Moran def. Lake Forest Charlie Heydorn by 13-0 decision

Third-place match

Grayslake Central Matty Jens def. Fenwick Conor Paris by 12-10 decision

195

First-place match

Cary-Grove Wade Abrams def. Crystal Lake Central Jon Barrick by fall

Third-place match

Vernon Hills Jake Psaras def. Woodstock Sean Ryan by fall

220

First-place match

St. Patrick Alex Goworowski def. Notre Dame Aidan O’Sullivan by 1-0 decision

Third-place match

Woodstock Gavin Loiselle def. Wauconda Matthew Merevick by forfeit

285

First-place match

Crystal Lake South Andy Burburijia def. Fenwick Jimmy Liston by 7-4 decision

Third-place match

Notre Dame Karl Schmalz def. Lake J.P. Sullivan by 7-2 decision