Tigers advance to state

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LaSALLE – Crystal Lake Central took care of business Tuesday at the LaSalle-Peru Dual Team Sectional, beating Rock Island, 42-30.

The win advances the Tigers for the third consecutive year to the dual team state finals Saturday in Bloomington. Central will face Mount Zion at 9 a.m. Saturday in the state quarterfinals. Mount Zion got four pins and a forfeit as it defeated Cahokia, 33-30, at the Chatham Glenwood Sectional on Tuesday.

Rock Island battled the Tigers and at one point led, 24-20, but Central won the next four matches either by technical fall or pin to put the match away. The Tigers relied on their six state place-winners, who accounted for 33 of their points.

Trevor Jauch defeated the Rocks’ Denzel Gay by technical fall, 20-3, at 140 pounds. Jauch had four near falls in the match but was unable to get the pin.

“I just couldn’t get the ref to call a pin,” Jauch said. “I thought [Gay] was pretty flat.”

Jauch said the Tigers were ready for Saturday and was impressed with the performances of Chris Maier at 119 pounds and Trace Parlberg (125), both of whom lost decisions to Rock Island. Maier lost, 4-1, to Ignace Hakizemana, who finished fourth at state.

Parlberg was defeated, 4-0, by Kyle Carstens who made it to the consolation semifinals.

“They went out there and battled against good kids,” Jauch said. “That’s what we’re going to need all day Saturday.”

The Tigers had four pins in the match, all in the first period. Gage Harrah (189 pounds) started the match for Central with a pin in 17 seconds. Austin Marsden took even less time at 215, getting the fall in 14 seconds. Also getting first-period pins were Jason Fugiel (145) and Joey Kielbasa (152).

Kyle Fugiel nearly had a first-period pin for Central against Tyler Dehaven at 103, but had to settle for three near falls and an 11-0 major decision.

“[Dehaven] was just trying to stall his way out,” Kyle Fugiel said. “I couldn’t do much.”

Frank Abitua beat Charlie Artega by technical fall, 17-1, and was impressed after pinning Artega at the Rochelle Sectional in 40 seconds.

“[Artega] knew I was going out there for the big bang,” Abitua said. “I give him credit. He learned not to get pinned.”

Tigers coach Justen Lehr said he was pleased with some of his team’s performance but they will need to wrestle smarter and better Saturday.

“We worked on some things in practice the kids were using,” Lehr said. “We definitely have some things to work on for Saturday.”

Rocks coach Joel Stockwell said his team was missing two wrestlers because of injuries and even when they were up knew that with Jauch, Jason Fugiel, Kielbasa and Abitua coming up, the match essentially was over.

“We knew that was the end of it,” Stockwell said. “You try to stay positive when you knew that you were overmatched.”