Wrestling: Yorkville boys, Joliet Township girls win Southwest Prairie Conference titles

JOLIET – Wyatt Schmitt, the standout 285-pound wrestler for Joliet West, missed some action at the start of the season after the Tigers made the football playoffs.

Schmitt has returned and is rounding into top form, as evidenced by his championship at the Southwest Prairie Conference Tournament. The 18-3 technical fall victory over Romeoville’s Jamir Thomas in the title bout boosted Schmitt’s season record to 21-0 and helped the Tigers finish fifth as a team. Teammates Cohen Weber (126) and Carson Weber also won titles.

“The coaches have been pushing me to score as many points as I can,” Schmitt said. “I got a late start because of football, so I have had to catch up on my mat time. I have been forcing myself to go into second periods so I’m ready for the postseason.

“It was great for us to get three titles. I have been friends with Carson and Cohen since middle school, so it was nice to see them win, too.”

Cohen Weber beat West Aurora’s Aidan Massaro 1-0 in the title match, while Carson Weber won his by injury default over Yorkville’s Dominick Coronado.

Carson Weber was happy with his win, even though he would have preferred to wrestle Coronado. He was also more than happy that his little brother got a title.

“It’s not how I would have liked to have won it,” he said. “I have never wrestled him [Coronado] before and he is going to be a sectional opponent, so wrestling him would have been good. But, the goal was to win the title and I did that.

“It was really cool to see my brother get a win. I was so excited for him. He’s only a freshman, so this was his first chance at a conference tournament. I try to give him a little pep talk before his matches.”

Yorkville won the team title with a score of 519, followed by Minooka (427), Plainfield North (369), Oswego (365), Joliet West (343.5), West Aurora (341.5), Joliet Central (314), Plainfield East (263.5), Romeoville (255.5), Plainfield Central (230.5), Plainfield South (218.5), and Oswego East (200).

Minooka’s Mason Vogt (106) and Cael Stonitsch (132) each won a title. Vogt beat Joliet Central’s Yadiel Colon by a 19-2 technical fall, while Stonitsch beat Yorkville’s Dominick Recchia 7-3 after trailing 3-2 late in the match. In the final 30 seconds, Stonitsch got a takedown and then scored three near-fall points to secure the victory.

“That’s why we prepare to wrestle a whole match,” Stonitsch said. “The goal coming into the tournament was to win, and I felt like I had a pretty good chance.

“I used a toss for the takedown at the end. It’s one of my go-tos. It’s nice to have a big move like that when I need it.”

Plainfield North got titles from Maddox Garbis at 113 and Leo Tovar at 190, while Romeoville’s Brian Farley won at 120. Yorkville got championships from Donovan Rosauser, Jack Ferguson (150), Ryder Janeczko (157), Luke Zook (175), and Ben Alvarez (215), who beat Plainfield South’s Matthew Janiak 2-1 in overtime in the title match.

In the girls’ tournament, Joliet Township won the team title with a score of 197.5, followed by Minooka (163), West Aurora (117), Plinfield Central (102), Oswegpo (91), Plainfield South (85), Romeoville (62), Yorkville (56), Oswego East (44), Plainfield North (29) and Plainfield East (14).

Winning titles for JT were Emma Schlissman (105), Eliana Paramo (110) and Izabel Berrera (135). Plainfield Central had three champs as well – Courtni Chuway (115), Shania Davison (125) and Alicia Tucker (170). Minooka champions were Addison Cailteaux (130), Bella Cyrkiel (145) and Peyton Kueltzo (235). Plainfield South’s Teagan Aurich (155), Plainfield North’s Vikrotia Rodnikova (140) and Romeoville’s Daniela Santander (100) also won a title.

“This was a nice performance for us,” Joliet Township coach Liz Short said. “The girls have been working very hard in the practice room, and it’s all starting to come together. We had a lot of girls that went and did spring wrestling and that has really paid off.”