Trojans go on run

Johnsburg's Brandon Wett looks up at the referee, Ryan Vendegna, as Cary-Grove's Pat O'Malley tries to pin him during their 170-pound match Friday in Johnsburg. O'Malley earned his team six points after he was able to pin Wett, and C-G won the meet, 58-9. (Jenny Kane – jkane@shawmedia.com)

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JOHNSBURG – Cary-Grove wrestled tough in the middle of its lineup and benefited from forfeits to defeat Johnsburg, 58-9, in a Fox Valley Conference crossover dual meet Friday.

Although the Trojans were up 24-6 heading into the 132-pound match, their points came from forfeits and they had lost the only two matches that they wrestled. Mike Underwood got the first of six consecutive wins for C-G, defeating Bobby McKay, 3-2, in an overtime tiebreaker.

Tied at 1 after three periods and overtime, McKay got an escape to go up after the first 30-second tiebreaker. Underwood came back in the second tiebreaker and reversed McKay to get the win.

Underwood said he was just focusing on getting the match even.

“I was going for an escape,” Underwood said. “I would have just backed out and got the escape but I saw it open up.”

Trojans coach Ryan Ludwig said Underwood’s hard work paid off in the extended match.

“He’s trying things and working hard,” Ludwig said. “In overtime [Underwood] had a bigger gas tank.”

Skyhawks coach Lenny Grodoski said McKay fought hard in a close match.

“I was really happy with Bobby McKay,” Grodoski said. “It could have gone either way. [McKay] battled with him.”

C-G’s Garrett Glueck was down, 3-2, heading into the third period of his 145-pound match against Josh Jewell. Starting in the down position, Glueck earned penalty and stalling points before getting an escape to win, 5-3.

Glueck said getting those two bonus points to put him up by one didn’t change his focus in the match.

“I’ve just got to keep my head on straight,” Glueck said. “It doesn’t change anything I’m going to do.”

After the escape, Glueck said he just tried to prevent Jewell from getting any offensive points.

“I changed it to more defensive,” Glueck said. “I tried to stay in a good position so he wouldn’t take me down.”

Also for the Trojans, Matt Fina won by pin at 138, Andy Sternard (160) won by major decision, and Pat O’Malley (170) and Greer Bozeman (182) won by pin.

Johnsburg has been hit by injuries and had six wrestlers out of the starting lineup. The Skyhawks forfeited five matches to give C-G 30 points.

“We’re trying to get healthy,” Grodoski said. “We’re competing tough.”

Winning for the Skyhawks were Nick Lewis (120), Christian Nugent (195) and Brandon Boyle (285), all by decision. Lewis and Nugent dominated their matches. Lewis had four takedowns and a reverse to defeat Matthew Hutchings, 10-4, and Nugent had a takedown and back points in the first period and went on to win, 7-2, against Max Kersten.

“Nugent really has been coming into his own,” Grodoski said. “Nick’s a real hard-working kid.”