JCA’s Nico Ronchetti takes fifth in Fargo

JOLIET – Although he finished fifth at 182 pounds in the 16U Greco-Roman championships in Fargo, South Dakota, recently, Joliet Catholic Academy’s Nico Ronchetti wasn’t satisfied.

It was the second straight year that Ronchetti finished in the top six and earned All-American status at the event, having finished sixth last year.

“I think I could have done better,” Ronchetti said. “It was great to be on the medal stand, but I felt like I could have been higher up on the medal stand.

“It did let me know what I have to work on and be better at, so I will work on those things during the season and try to improve.”

Ronchetti was competing in the Greco-Roman style of wrestling, which differs from the high school style in that wrestlers are only allowed to touch an opponents’ upper body.

“I prefer Greco-Roman,” Ronchetti said. “It’s more of a test of strength. You can’t shoot in for a single or double-leg takedown. It’s more arm drags, slide-bys and duck-unders. Balance and footwork are really important, too.

“It’s more like actual fighting, but you don’t get in trouble for doing it.”

Ronchetti also plays football for JCA, lining up at defensive end for the Hilltoppers. However, he feels his future is on the mat instead of the gridiron.

“I am looking to wrestle 100% in college,” he said. “I started wrestling in fifth grade, but with COVID and all that, I didn’t really get serious about it until eighth grade. I didn’t have a lot of experience when I started high school, but it is something I really like doing.

“My goals for this season are to win a team state championship, win an individual state championship and place high at the Ironman Tournament in Ohio.”

Ronchetti was one of eight wrestlers from JCA to take part in the national championships in Fargo. Also wrestling were Jason Hampton, Nolan Vogel, Luke Hamiti, Connor Cumbee, Isaac Clauson, Max Vila and Grace Laird. Two other members of the JCA wrestling program, state champions Gylon Sims and Dillan Johnson, qualified for nationals, but did not attend. Sims was working at a camp at The Citadel, where he will wrestle collegiately this year, and Johnson decided to spend the rest of his summer focusing on football, which he plans to play as well as wrestle at University of Wisconsin after he completes his senior year at JCA this year.

“I was very proud of all our kids that wrestled in Fargo,” Ryan Cumbee said. “Everyone won at least a couple of matches, and obviously Nico did a great job. I was also impressed with Jason Hampton. He’s only going to be a sophomore this year, but he did some things that solidified his spot as a leader for this team. He is going to wrestle at 120 this year, which was Gylon’s spot, so he has some big shoes to fill. But he showed me he has what it takes to fill them.

“We treat our team like a family. I will have three kids in the wrestling program this year myself – my son Connor, my step-daughter Grace Laird and my son Matthew, who is an incoming freshman. I also have a nephew, Max, who is an incoming freshman at JCA and will wrestle, too.”