It’s Central’s time
By ROB SMITH – rsmith@nwherald.com
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| Crystal Lake Central's Gage Harrah (top) wrestles Prairie Ridge's David Vinton in the 215-pound championship match Saturday at the IHSA Class 2A Woodstock Regional. Harrah pinned Vinton in 46 seconds. (Lauren M. Anderson - landerson@nwherald.com) |
WOODSTOCK – Crystal Lake Central wrestlers won eight of nine place matches at the IHSA Class 2A Woodstock Regional on Saturday to secure its second consecutive regional championship.
The Tigers qualified nine wrestlers for sectionals and won seven individual titles – Trevor Jauch (125 pounds), Jason Fugiel (130), Christian Malouf (135), Taylor Servant (140), Joey Kielbasa (145), Austin Marsden (189) and Gage Harrah (215).
Crystal Lake Central led Richmond-Burton by only 10.5 points heading into the place matches but pulled away from the pack with the strong showing in the finals to finish with 200.5 points. Prairie Ridge was second with 161.5 and the Rockets had 152 to take third.
Malouf beat R-B’s Richard Kaht by major decison, 16-2, in the championship match and said the head-to-head matchups with R-B were important to win. Winning also gives Malouf a first-round bye at the Sterling Sectional on Friday and Saturday.
“I was trying to get the fall for the team,” Malouf said. “I wanted to win to get the bye at sectional.”
Brian Cullen (103), Zach Synon (112) and Mike Smith (119) all won titles for Prairie Ridge. The Wolves qualified seven for sectionals.
Woodstock’s Shawn Hovlid (152) and Andrew Stolldorf (285), Johnsburg’s Justin Peete (160) and Marian Central’s Jared Koch (171) also won individual championships.
Peete had the regional’s closest championship match, defeating Richmond-Burton’s Jack Dechow, 1-0. It was the fourth time this season the two have met, with Peete now holding a 3-1 advantage.
Peete got an escape in the second period for the match’s only point and was able to ride out Dechow in the third starting on top. Peete said he prefers to attack on offense and was surprised he had to wrestle defensively to get the win
“Usually I’m not a rider,” Peete said. “I wasn’t expecting it at all.”
Koch decisioned Richmond-Burton’s Joe Dedick, 3-2, in the title match. Koch said he was not happy with the way he wrestled but praised Dedick, a freshman, as a future star.
“I didn’t wrestle near what I should have,” Koch said. “I wasn’t dictating. I was letting him do what he wanted to do.”
Harrah got a little payback against Prairie Ridge’s David Vinton with a 46-second pin in the championship match. Vinton had defeated Harrah in overtime earlier in the season.
“I don’t take losses well,” Harrah said. “I had to get revenge.”
The Wolves were surrounded in controversy this week after allegations and rumors of hazing surfaced when the school suspended four wrestlers at the Fox Valley Conference Tournament, Jan. 30. Those four wrestlers competed at Woodstock and Prairie Ridge coach Trey Breeden said it was nice to get back to wrestling.
“Everybody is glad to be back on the mat,” Breeden said. “These kids just want to wrestle.”
