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In Bloom: White & Epshtein each
score a 4th-place finish at State
Trinity White (170) and Sarah Epshtein (235) become 2x state
placers · 02/25/2023
Trinity White
(left) and Sarah Epshtein (right) battle in Bloomington
en route to 4th-place medals. (via HWF on FB)
Coming into the IHSA Girls Wrestling State Final,
Trinity White and Sarah Epshtein both had statewide experience under
their belts. A year ago, Trinity finished on the medal stand with a
5th-place finish. Sarah completed her journey in 5th place, as well.
In 2021-2022, Trinity competed at 170 pounds while Sarah competed at
235 pounds. On Saturday, these two again toed the line in
Bloomington at their same weight classes...and they again took home
identical medals: this time a notch higher in 4th place.
While their end results were the same, their routes
were different. Trinity won her first two bouts and entered the
semifinal round. There, she fought hard but couldn't hustle past
August Rottman of Highland. Rottman ended up taking 1st place in the
170-pound bracket. Trinity bounced back with a decision victory in
the consolation semis but couldn't end the tournament with a
victory. Still, a 4th-place finish is quite an achievement!
Congratulations, Trinity! Sarah began her tourney journey with a pin
victory but stumbled in the quarterfinals. In the consolation
bracket, Sarah gutted out a narrow 1-0 win before making a statement
with another fall victory to make the medal stand. After yet another
pin win, Sarah also settled for 4th place but held her head high.
Congratulations, Sarah!
Another White -- Tiffany -- is the only other state
placer in OPRF's IHSA Girls Wrestling history. Tiffany, a senior in
2021-2022, grappled to a 4th-place result at 190 pounds a year ago.
This season was only the second year of the IHSA Girls Wrestling
State Series.
Just like with the boys' program, the end of the
Girls State Final marks the end of the IHSA season for the Huskies.
What a success it has been! The offseason brings new opportunities
for growth, excitement, and perhaps a little bit of fun!
Huskies in the hunt: Day 2 begins
with state medals in sight
Trinity White (170) is in the semifinals while
Sarah Epshtein (235) battles in consolation · 02/25/2023
In Bloomington, a pair of the Orange & Blue
Wrestling Crew are nearing a state medal finish to the season. The
IHSA Girls Individual State Final is taking place inside Grossinger
Motors Arena, and Huskies Trinity White and Sarah Epshtein are
participating and performing.
Trinity (170) is in the semifinal round and is
guaranteed a top-6 finish. Sarah (235) has secured a top-8 finish
but must win her next bout to earn a medal. If she wins, then she
will finish anywhere from 3rd to 6th.
Follow the action live via TrackWrestling at
Girls Individual State or via video (paid subscription) at
IHSA.TV.
Many of you may be following it all in person. Let's go, Trinity &
Sarah!!
Girls
Individual State
Bout Results
|
106-285
Wrestler
r16
r8
r4
r2
Trinity White
W
W
Sarah Epshtein
W
L
W*
* - Wrestleback match
Koransky & Knackstedt complete
tourney, lead Boys into offseason
Neither finish on the medal stand, but the lower classmen
point to a bright future · 02/18/2023
Zev Koransky
(left) and Joseph Knackstedt (right) compete in
Champaign at the State Farm Center. (via HWF on FB)
The OPRF Huskies are a young squad. More than half
(8 to be exact) of the regional representatives are non-seniors. In
addition to the returning regional wrestlers, a slew of other
youngsters are poised to contribute heavily on both Varsity and
Junior Varsity in the upcoming seasons. Both of the grapplers who
competed at the IHSA Boys Wrestling Individual State Final are
eligible to return: Zev Koransky (113) and Joseph Knackstedt (132).
The duo qualified for a trip to Champaign by way of placing at their
respective weights in the Conant Individual Sectional a week prior.
Zev, a freshman, lost his first two bouts in the
tourney and did not advance further. Joseph, a sophomore, earned a
major decision victory over Max Brown (Glenbrook South) before
meeting the same fate as Zev. Despite the exits, Zev and Joseph
wrestled a stellar season and can hold their heads high.
Congratulations, Zev and Joseph!
With the culmination of the Boys Individual State
Final, the Oak Park & River Forest Boys wrestling campaign also
concludes. The dual team qualifiers will begin their quest for a
title beginning on Tuesday, and unfortunately the Huskies did not
qualify for a spot in the final 16 Class 3A teams.
Before pivoting completely into rest, recovery,
reemergence, and return, all Huskies can now support the last two
Orange & Blue contestants: Trinity White and Sarah Epshtein. These
two will test their mettle at the IHSA Girls Individual State Final
this coming weekend. Trinity, a 170-pounder, and Sarah, who wrestles
at 230 pounds, both will have the opportunity to seek a top-6 medal
at the ultimate girls tournament of the IHSA season. The Girls
brackets are identical in size and style with the Boys brackets from
Champaign. Each weight class features 16 grapplers. Only the top 6
finishers will earn a medal.
The Girls Wrestling Individual State Final is set
for this coming week (Friday-Saturday). The Grossinger Motors Arena
will host the action. The direct link of that tournament can be
viewed here:
Girls Individual State.
For those not attending,
IHSA.TV
(NFHS) has a paid subscription option. You can watch the Boys
Individual State Final videos along with the Boys Dual Team Final as
well.
What's next (Girls)
|
OPRF sends Trinity White and Sarah Epshtein to the Girls
Individual State Final on Fri-Sat, February 24-25. |
Girls Individual State
Grossinger Motors Arena H.S. address
|
IHSA Girls Individual State (Feb 24-25) |
101 S. Madison St., Bloomington, IL 61701 |
Map
What's next (Boys)
|
The Boys IHSA season has concluded.
2 and 2 make more: Girls and Boys
each send a pair to State Final
Trinity White (170), Sarah Epshtein (235), Zev Koransky
(113), and Joseph Knackstedt (126) move on· 02/11/2023
Final four:
Huskies send a quartet to the Individual State Final. (via HWF on FB)
On Friday, the Girls wrestling squad had a date with
its first postseason test. On that day and the next, grapplers from
55 high schools took their shot to medal and advance to the Girls
Wrestling Individual Final. OPRF fielded a unit of 8 athletes:
Andrea Munoz (105), Pearl Lacey (125), Lyra Schaafsma (135), Lucy
Waggemen (140), Lucy Pohl (145), Megan Barajas (155), Trinity White
(170), and Sarah Epshtein (235). Both Trinity and Sarah came into
the tournament as returning state qualifiers, and they continued
that tradition (the IHSA Girls Wrestling Individual State Final
began only one season ago) with a duo of top-4 finishes. Trinity
secured second place at 170 pounds, and Sarah notched third place at
235 pounds. Andrea, Pearl, Lyra, Lucy W., Lucy P., and Megan all
fought hard but were unable to medal. Megan was one win away, but
the sophomore has more opportunities to find her way to Bloomington.
Of the bunch, Andrea is the lone senior. Congratulations on a great
career, and best wishes moving forward!
In the team tally, OPRF finished 11th of 55 teams
with 66.0 points. The top three team finishers were Oak Forest
(151.0), Homewood-Flossmoor (138.0), and Grant (99.0).
The Girls postseason takes a pause for this next
weekend. It will return for a Friday-Saturday finish in Bloomington
on February 24-25. The direct link of that tournament (held at
Grossinger Motors Arena) can be viewed here:
Girls Individual State. We are looking forward to an exciting
state tournament for Trinity and Sarah!
As for the Boys, 11 competed for their chance at
punching their ticket to Champaign. None of the 11 had made it to
the state final previously. Those jostling for final position were
Tej Menon (106 pounds), Zev Koransky (113), David Ogunsanya (126),
Joseph Knackstedt (132), Cooper Lacey (138), Will Kelly (145), Isaac
Davies (152), Vance Domenz (182), CJ Robinson (195), Kole Sneed
(220), and Eric Harris (285). While all scrapped and clawed, Zev and
Joseph outlasted their opponents to claim a spot on the medal stand
and a trip to Champaign.
An early loss sent Zev to the consolation bracket,
but a savvy one-point win two matches later kept his hopes alive.
His consolation semifinal bout was no challenge, and Zev finished in
4th place after a close 3rd-place match. Joseph took a different
approach and qualified by way of the championship bout. Although he
lost to York opponent in the finals, the sophomore gained a ticket
to wrestle in the State Farm Center.
The other members of the OPRF Boys Sectional
assemblage each had shining points but did not qualify for the
ultimate showdown. Tej pinned one opponent in the tourney. David
advanced to the semifinal round but ultimately was knocked out by a
York wrestler whom had had previously beaten. Like Tej, Cooper and
Will scored a fall. Isaac did not tally a victory, but he wrestled
very well to get this far. Vance's tournament mirrored David's and
ended by the slimmest of margins. CJ won two bouts on the weekend.
Kole was very impressive (3 victories) but could not hurdle his
final challenge. Eric enjoyed sweet vindication by downing his York
opponent before his run ended. All in all, it was a great job by
this collection.
There were no team scores for this event.
The Boys Wrestling Individual State Final is set for
this coming week (Thursday-Saturday). The State Farm Center will
host the action. The direct link of that tournament can be viewed
here:
Boys Individual State.
What's next (Boys)
|
OPRF sends Zev Koransky and Joseph Knackstedt to the Boys
Individual State Final on
Thu-Sat, February 16-18. |
Boys Individual State
State Farm Center
|
IHSA Boys Individual State (Feb 16-18) |
1800 S. First St., Champaign, IL 61820 |
Map
What's next (Girls)
|
OPRF sends Trinity White and Sarah Epshtein to the Girls
Individual State Final on Fri-Sat, February 24-25. |
Girls Individual State
Grossinger Motors Arena H.S. address
|
IHSA Girls Individual State (Feb 24-25) |
101 S. Madison St., Bloomington, IL 61701 |
Map
Huskie Proud: OPRF places 11 at
home regional with 2 champions
Zev Koransky (113) and David Ogunsanya (126) both win
brackets; Huskies finish second to York · 02/04/2023
Huskie joy: OPRF
pauses for a picture at its home IHSA regional. (via HWF on FB)
|
Go large
One step in, and 11 Huskies through...to next
weekend's Boys Wrestling Individual Sectional.
201 N. Scoville hosted the small but talented field
of teams aspiring to conclude the day atop the team standings. The
formidable foes included entrants from six total squads: Addison
Trail, Lane, Leyden, Proviso East, York, and OPRF. Team Orange &
Blue came to give it their all, and give it their all they did. A
full lineup of 14 wrestlers put forth extreme Huskie hustle and in
the end placed second as a team (behind York) while advancing 11 of
those 14 onto the next round. The Freshman duo of Zev Koransky (113)
and David Ogunsanya (126) led the way with golden performances.
Runner-ups included Tej Menon (106), Joe Knackstedt (132), Cooper
Lacey (138), Isaac Davies (152), Vance Domenz (182), and Eric Harris
(285). A trio of consolation champions consisted of Will Kelly
(145), CJ Robinson (195), and Kole Sneed (220). Three more took home
fourth place: AJ Noyes (120), Emmett Baker (160), and Hugh Vanek
(170). Unfortunately, only 1st-3rd places advance at the Regionals
stage. None of these three are seniors, luckily, and so we will see
what the future holds.
In the team score, York finished ahead of the pack
with 230.5 points. OPRF followed with 185.0 points, and Lane rounded
out the top three with 164.0 points. York stamped its spot in the
Dual Team State Tournament, and so that means that the other five
teams are focused solely on the remainder of the Individual State
Tournament. Girls Wrestling's postseason will begin next weekend, as
well, and high schools across Illinois plan to be prepared for that
as well.
The next chapter in this year's Boys Wrestling Huskie postseason is a Friday-Saturday date with other
individual sectional qualifiers. This upcoming tournament takes
place this coming weekend, February 10-11, at Conant High School in
Hoffman Estates. At Conant, all
wrestlers will compete in 12-wrestler brackets (regional champions
will have a first round bye). The top four placers
will advance to Champaign for the individual state championship
round just a week later. The Conant Individual Sectional brackets
have been created or will be created soon. When available, you can
view them here:
Conant Individual Sectional (Boys) brackets on TrackWrestling. A reminder, if you cannot come out to
Conant High School, you can follow the action at this link.
Here now is a quick glance at the Huskie wrestlers and their day,
along with their tournament's win-loss record:
OPRF Results &
Notes (Oak Park & River Forest Regional)
|
All Wrestlers
106
|Tej Menon (2nd,
1-1) |
Tej pushed his opponent to the limit
in the championship bout.
113
|Zev Koransky (1st,
1-0)
|
Zev continues to impress in his freshman season.
120
|AJ Noyes (4th,
0-2) |
The freshman battled and gained
valuable experience for the future.
126
|David Ogunsanya
(1st, 2-0)
|
David wrestled off the charts and won the title in overtime.
132
|Joseph Knackstedt
(2nd, 1-1) |
A huge comeback in the semifinals sent
Joe to sectionals.
138
|Cooper Lacey
(2nd, 1-1) |
Next week, the senior will look to
qualify for his first trip to state.
145
|Will Kelly (3rd,
2-1)
|
Will showed his will as he pulled out two straight
must-wins.
152
|Isaac Davies
(2nd, 2-1) |
Isaac has showed growth and controlled
his first two bouts to qualify.
160
|Emmett Baker
(4th, 1-2) |
Emmett, a junior, was perfect except
against York (twice).
170
|Hugh Vanek
(4th, 1-2) |
Similar to above, Hugh outmuscled Lane
but couldn't overcome Leyden.
182
|Vance Domenz (2nd,
1-1)
| A
first period pin guaranteed the senior a spot at Conant.
195
|CJ Robinson
(3rd, 2-1) |
CJ pinned his opponents in his two
needed bouts to earn 3rd.
220
|Kole Sneed
(3rd, 2-1) |
The senior put the pedal to the metal
when it mattered most.
285
|Eric Harris
(2nd, 1-1) |
The sophomore lost to a highly ranked
opponent by one point in the finals.
Final team scores
|
The top three finishers were York (230.5 points),
Oak Park & River Forest (185.0), and Lane (164.0).
February Frenzy:
IHSA Wrestling State Series to begin
Boys regionals begin on Saturday; Girls Wrestling
returns to the postseason
· 02/03/2023
February 2023 | IHSA Wrestling State
Series Calendar (BW -
Boys Wrestling) (GW - Girls Wrestling)
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1:
2:
3:
4: BW
5:
6:
7:
8:
9:
10: BW GW
11: BW GW
12:
13:
14:
15:
16: BW
17: BW
18: BW
19:
20:
21: BW
22:
23:
24: BW GW
25: BW GW
26:
27:
28:
As a reminder, there is lots of news and media about the OPRFHS
Wrestling Team on their
Facebook page. We invite you to look back before looking
forward:
For the first time in two seasons, the Illinois High
School Association will hold an official State Series for its
Wrestling athletes. This year is also the first year that Girls
Wrestling will hold an official Finals tournament.
While the other levels have closed the book on their IHSA season,
the Varsity squads all across Illinois ready for the postseason.
Some say that the regular season is just preparation for the trials
and tribulations that arise during the IHSA State Series.
Due to its enrollment, the Huskies' boys wrestlers compete in Class 3A. There are
also Classes 2A and 1A. OPRF's girl wrestlers compete in one unified
class. One way to think about this difference is that for Boys
Wrestling, there will be three state champions at each weight (one
for each class). For Girls Wrestling, there will only be one state
champion at each weight.
Each sport (Girls and Boys) will have their own postseason
schedule and locations. Boys Wrestling begins on Saturday, February
4. Girls Wrestling will kick off on Friday and Saturday, February
10-11.
All information below may change and was taken from online IHSA
documents for the current season. Jump directly to
Boys |
GIrls.
Boys Wrestling
|
As mentioned, Boys Wrestling's State Series will begin this week
(February 4). On February 4, Oak Park & River Forest
will host five other teams in
the Oak Park & River Forest Individual Regional. The IHSA assigned
six teams to this regional tournament. Below is our quick primer on
what you need to know to be ready for all of the February action.
Brackets |
All IHSA Boys Wrestling State Series events will be hosted on
TrackWrestling, and they will be archived. Please see the below
links for direct event links.
Team advancement
|
On Saturday, OPRF will welcome five other local high schools
into the friendly confines: Addison Trail, Lane, Leyden, Proviso
East, and York. On Saturday, only the winning team
who outpoints the others will win the regional and advance to the
Dual Team State Series. Should OPRF win its regional, it will head
to Dekalb for the Dual Team Sectional round. The date of that event
is
Tuesday, February 21.
Team scoring
|
Team points are gained by wrestlers' place finish and manner of
advancement. Certainly, higher place-winners earn more points, and
winning matches by fall/forfeit/default/disqualification (+2 bonus),
technical fall (+1.5 bonus), or major (+1 bonus) results will
further help your school. Winning a match earns 2 points in the
championship bracket (except in 1st place matches), whereas a successful win earns 1 point in the
consolation bracket (except in 3rd place matches). Final placement of wrestlers correspond to
these team point values: 14 points (first place), 10 points (second
place), 7 points (third place), and 4 points (fourth place). As
mentioned in the above paragraph, only the team with the highest
cumulative point total at its respective regional advances to the
Dual Team State Series. There are 16 regionals in Class 3A.
Wrestler participation and
advancement (OPRF Regional)
|
Schools have the right to enter up to 14 wrestlers -- one for
each weight class. These wrestlers can be regular starters, lower
level wrestlers, or first year wrestlers. The wrestlers must qualify, however,
for their intended weight class. Regional tournament seeding
meetings are generally held in the week leading up to the regional
tournament. At these meetings,
teams submit their starting lineups for the upcoming regional. Since
there are six participating schools at OPRF's regional, at maximum
there can be eight wrestlers at one particular weight class. The top
three (3) wrestlers in each weight class qualify for the Individual
Sectional Tournament to be held Friday-Saturday, February 10-11 at
Conant High School (Hoffman Estates). The IHSA assigned
OPRF to Conant's individual sectional since its home regional is one of
its four attached (feeder) regionals.
Wrestler participation and
advancement (Conant Individual Sectional)
|
Four regional tournaments merge to form an individual sectional.
This year, OPRF's individual regional is composed of 12 regional
place-winners per weight (regional fourth place is excluded and does not advance to the
individual sectional) from its four regional tournaments: Geneva,
Niles West, Streamwood, and OPRF. The
four (4) regional individual champions will receive a first round bye, while
the other eight wrestlers will wrestle in their preliminary round
matches. Of the 12 wresters in each weight bracket, the top third
(the four place-winners at the end of Saturday's competition) will
punch their ticket to Champaign as participants in the Individual State Final. Getting into the
individual sectional place matches is vital. Although the results of
the 1st and 3rd place bouts do not factor into qualification for the
individual state tournament, results at the individual sectional will affect the placement
position in the individual final tournament on February 16-18. Team scores are not
kept at individual sectional tournaments and are considered
irrelevant.
Wrestler participation and
medals (University of Illinois Individual State Finals)
|
Four is the magic number yet again, as four individual sectional
tournaments join to create the State Finals bracket. The four
individual sectional champions will be seeded and placed in
corresponding locations on the bracket sheet. The other 12 wrestlers
(2nd/3rd/4th place individual sectional finishers) will be scattered
mathematically in the pairings. No byes are provided for any of the
16 wrestlers. All wrestlers
losing their first round match shall compete in the wrestle back. In
recent years, the IHSA approved full wrestlebacks for
all wrestlers, in effect removing the "follow the leader"
requirement from previous years. The top 6 finishers in Champaign will earn
medals. This three-day tournament includes full wrestlebacks with no
walkovers (in other words, previous decisions from the championship
bracket are ignored if two wrestlers meet again in the consolation
bracket).
Prices
|
Regional costs $8.00 for an all-day
pass (possible added fee if payment is processed through GoFan). Individual Sectional costs $7.00
cash (or $8.00 as an electronic payment) per session (3). Individual
State Final costs $10.00 or $12.00 per session (5) / $50.00 or $60.00
per all-session pass / parking is unclear (it was $12.00 all day in
2021-2022). For Dual Team State, Team Sectional costs
$7.00 cash (or $8.00 as an electronic payment) for the event. Dual Team State Final costs $9.00 per session
(2).
Times (OPRF events)
|
Regional and Individual Sectional Sessions were not listed on
the IHSA website, as I could see. Individual State Final Sessions:
12:00 PM for Class 1A / 4:30 PM approximate for Class 3A (Thursday), 8:30 AM &
7:00
PM (Friday), 9:00 AM & 5:30 PM (Saturday).
| Dual Team Sectional Session: 6:00
PM (Tuesday). Dual Team State Session: 5:00 PM (Friday),
9:00 AM & 6:00
PM (Saturday).
Girls
Wrestling
|
This is the second State Series for
Girls Wrestling sanctioned and organized by the IHSA. There are
several differences between the Boys Wrestling State Series, and
many will be mentioned below.
Brackets |
All IHSA Girls Wrestling State Series events will be hosted on
TrackWrestling, and they will be archived. Please see the below
links for direct event links.
The first change from Boys Wrestling is that there is no Girls
regional round. The Girls Wrestling State
Series begins with an Individual Sectional before concluding at
Individual State. There is no Dual Team Tournament for Girls
Wrestling at present, and there is no team advancement opportunity
at the sectional. Oak Park & River Forest has been assigned to the
Evanston Township High
School Sectional that will take place on Friday-Saturday,
February 10-11. A whopping 55 teams will compete in this sectional.
For
advancing wrestlers, the Girls Individual State Finals will take
place on Friday and Saturday, February 24-25. These State Finals
coincide with the Boys Dual Team Finals and will also take place in
Bloomington at the Grossinger Motors Arena. The Girls Individual
State Sessions: 9:00 AM (Friday) & 9:00 AM (Saturday).
Like with Boys Wrestling, there are 14 weight classes in Girls
Wrestling. While Boys Wrestling assigns (in pounds) 106, 113, 120,
126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 160, 170, 182, 195, 220, and 285; Girls
Wrestling offers 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145,
155, 170, 190, and 235. Any wrestler on the team who qualifies for
the weight class may be inserted into the sectional. Just like with
Boys Wrestling, Evanston's top four placers at each weight will
advance to the Girls Individual State Finals. Also mirroring the
other tournament, there will be 16 wrestlers in Bloomington's final
brackets (of each weight class) on February 24-25 and the top 6
placers will receive a medal.
Prices
|
Sectional costs $7.00 (or $8.00 as an electric payment) per session (likely
to be 3). Individual
State Final costs $9.00 per session (2).
Times (OPRF events)
|
Sectional Sessions were not listed on
the IHSA website. Individual State Final Sessions: 9:00 AM
(Friday) and 9:00 AM (Saturday).
Tournament videos and play-by-play
|
Individual State Finals and Dual Team State are broadcast live
and archived on
www.IHSA.tv
(via subscription). Trackwrestling hosts all IHSA Wrestling
postseason events. See the specific links a further down in this
post.
Follow the
Orange &
Blue
Wrecking Crew in this February storm of action! Go Huskies!
Two weeks in: Huskies holding their
own
OPRF Varsity goes 6-4 in the first
10 duals · 12/5/2022
Many Huskies
held hands high in Batavia.
|
Photo by Jamil Shhmart
How refreshing it is to have an exciting slate of Huskie wrestling
in store! Let's take a picturesque look back at the first two weeks
of action in Huskieville. Well, to be more correct, all but one dual
was contested away from Scoville Avenue. Below are photos from each
Varsity event (place and day), though not all photos are from
Varsity matches. We. Are. A. Family.
To view all photo albums from
the events so far, jump to
Huskie Wrestling Family on Facebook. Photos are by Jamil Shhmart.
Wednesday, November 23
| OPRF Varsity traveled to Batavia
for a quad. The boys' top level hustled past the host Bulldogs 47-31
before falling to West Aurora 45-25. In the finale, the Huskies
bested Yorkville Christian by a tight 39-35 score.
Record on the day: 2-1. Record on the
season: 2-1.
Saturday,
November 26 | Another quad
was on the agenda. This time, the Orange & Blue hopped south to
Andrew. OPRF left Tinley Park unscathed with a trio of victories:
the Huskies edged Andrew 38-32, leapt past Oak Lawn 60-21, and
scampered past Maine South 49-24. Record on
the day: 3-0. Record on the season: 5-1.
Friday,
December 2 | The home opener
pitted the Huskies versus intra-conference rival Downers Grove
North. In what turned out to be one crazy close contest, the Trojans
finished the night with a two-point victory in a 34-32 victory.
Although OPRF didn't prevail, it is undoubtedly stronger after the
final whistle. Record on the day: 0-1.
Record on the season: 5-2 (0-1 in conference).
Saturday,
December 3 | Wheels hit the
road on this day, with the Huskies traveling to Washington (Ill.)
for a day of Super Duals action. It turned out like a quad, with
OPRF grappling three opponents. The host Panthers of Washington
outmaneuvered the Huskies to the tune of a 51-24 score. The Orange &
Blue rebounded in the next dual, downing Oakwood-Salt Fork 35-33. To
close the day of action, Unity (Tolono) scraped past the Huskies
38-34. Record on the day: 1-2. Record on
the season: 6-4 (0-1 in conference).
[Upcoming] Saturday,
December 10 | The Huskies
host their second event this season, this time welcoming other
squads for home duals. If you can, come out to support the Crew!
Schedule at-a-glance: Preview
Varsity dates and opponents
The Orange & Blue return to Granite City and The Clash ·
11/18/2022
We are inching (or is it, leaping?) towards the kickoff event for
the Oak Park & River Forest Huskies.
Here is an overview of the
Boys Varsity events with commentary
and team/event websites. If anything needs correction, please
contact us.
Please note that this event list may change throughout the season.
For the most up-to-date schedule on the web, visit OPRF Wrestling's
page on
il8to18.com.
Is your calendar (paper or electronic) already marked up with the
below dates and events? There's no need to delay...do it today!
Direct Duals
Quads / Super Duals
Tournaments
vs. Downers Grove North* 12/02
@ Batavia 11/23
@ Hinsdale Central 12/16-12/17
@ Hinsdale Central* 12/15
@ Andrew 11/26
@ Granite City
12/29-12/30
vs. Proviso West*
01/05
@ Washington 12/03
@ The Clash (WI)
01/06-01/07
@ Lyons Township*
01/13
vs. Home Quad 12/10
vs. Huskie
Invitational 01/21
vs. Fenwick 01/14
@ TBD (IHSA State Series)
02/04-02/25
vs. Glenbard West*
01/20
vs. York* 01/26
* - conference opponent
(Written commentary by Brian
Tideman, webmaster) | Any updates or fixes with team
emails,
contact us.
@ Batavia / Quad (Wed, Nov 23)
Expect the Huskies to
battle three squads on opening night:
Batavia, West Aurora, and Yorkville
Christian. Let's go!
I last remember The Clash
national duals event being held in
Minnesota, but it has since moved to
Wisconsin. 32 squads from all over the
country will compete in this ultimate team
event.
@ IHSA State Series: Regional,
Sectional, Individual, and Dual Team (Sat, Feb 04-25)
It is often said that the
regular season is simply preparation for the
second season, and the Orange & Blue will be
ready to push itself (collectively and
individually) into high gear for the final
month of the official IHSA slate. The assignments are yet to be posted,
but the Huskies will have their eyes fixed
upon success in Champaign and in Bloomington.
Reflections: Preview this season's Varsity
lineup
Read about many of the Varsity contributors, as written by
the coaches · 11/17/2018
Let's turn our attention to the wrestlers, shall we?
Paul Collins begins his 9th season as OPRF Wrestling
Head Coach, and he has graciously passed along a Varsity
roster preview of many who will be donning the Orange &
Blue from November through February. The Huskie Coaching Staff put together a rundown
of the Varsity lineup with predicted weights. If you are
anything like me, you will be thrilled to read about
these student athletes who will aid the squad in this
year (and some in future years). The wheels are
turning on getting everyone -- and everything -- ready for
the season opener now only next week!
You can begin to
see these grand grapplers in competition at the
competition kickoff on November 23 at Batavia. Here now
is a summary of many names that you will become more and
more familiar with during the season:
(Written commentary by Huskie
Coaching Staff)
Tej Menon: Tej is a senior in
our program, and has put in a tremendous offseason as he
prepares for his final year at OPRF. Tej spent some time in
the varsity lineup last year, but this will be his first
full season as a varsity starter. He has done everything in
his power to make the most of his opportunity. Tej is a
stellar student with an extremely bright future; his
leadership and guidance that he provides for the younger
wrestlers around him will stamp his legacy for years to
come.
Zev Koransky: Zev is a freshman at OPRF, and he is
coming in after a successful IKWF career. Zev had a
tremendous spring/summer winning the 14U Greco and Freestyle
State Championships. He also competed on the Team Illinois
National Duals: he finished 8-4 between Freestyle and Greco
matches. Zev’s experience and high-pace of wrestling will
help him get acclimated to the high school level.
Ruben Acevedo: Ruben is one of four returning IHSA
Sectional qualifiers this season. Ruben continued his
training during the spring and summer before entering his
Cross-Country season. Ruben put his best effort into his CC
training which has helped him become better prepared for
wrestling. He is primed and ready for a successful junior
season.
Taylor Francis: Taylor is a freshman with some
experience as he enters high school. Taylor made phenomenal
leaps over the past year and set himself up for a successful
freshman season. Taylor is a part of a large contingent of
freshman who participated in Little Huskies WC before
starting at OPRF.
David Ogunsanya: David is a freshman this year, but
is no stranger to our program. His brothers PJ ‘17 and
Joshua ‘20 both competed for the Huskies during their time
at OPRF. David comes in after finishing 5th in the IKWF
State tournament last year. He also wrestled at the USAW
Cadet National Tournament this past summer in both Freestyle
and Greco. David looks to carry on the Ogunsanya legacy at
OPRF while forging his own path to success.
Will Kelly: Will is a senior in our program and a
returning IHSA Sectional Qualifier. Will is a four-year
wrestler who has made the most out of his first three years
in our program. As his senior season begins, Will looks to
lead the team with his effort in the practice room and on
the competition mat.
Joe Knackstedt: Joe is a sophomore and one of two
returning All-Conference wrestlers. As a freshman, Joe
compiled a perfect 5-0 record in conference. Joe also
competed in the Frosh/Soph State Championships, battling
hard until he fell short in the blood round. He got right to
work on Freestyle/Greco training which resulted in a 16U
Greco State Championship. After a summer of competing for
Team Illinios on both the dual team and at the USAW National
Tourunament, Joe is prepared and focused for the upcoming
varsity season.
Pablo Palmisano: Pablo is a junior and second year
wrestler in our program. After transferring from a school in
Georgia, Pablo joined the team and immediately made an
impact in the room. Pablo’s relentless effort pushes and
challenges those around him on a daily basis; he also always
carries himself with a positivity that is infectious. We
expect Pablo to continue improving throughout this season
all while pushing his teammates.
Cooper Lacey: Cooper is a senior and
another one of our returning IHSA Sectional Qualifiers. The
previous year, Cooper qualified for the IWCOA State
Tournament; he is focused and looking to achieve highly set
goals for his senior year. Cooper has dedicated himself this
offseason to lifting and honing his wrestling craft. With
young wrestlers around him, Cooper is primed to lead the
next generation of OPRF wrestlers.
Jeremiah Hernandez: Jeremiah is a freshman who had a
promising final season with the Little Huskies. Jeremiah
qualified for the IKWF State Tournament last season and
never stopped his progress. He fully committed to the
spring, summer, and fall in order to prepare himself for the
upcoming season. Jeremiah is a tireless worker who will
continue progressing because of his daily efforts.
Isaac Davies: Isaac is a junior coming off a year of
commitment to both wrestling and soccer. As a two-sport
athlete, Isaac held himself accountable to both programs and
the progress has been tremendous. Isaac’s offseason regiment
has him the best shape possible for a successful year on the
mat.
Roman Pantazapoulos: Roman is a senior and a first
year varsity starter. The past few years have been tough on
everyone, and Roman is no exception. As he struggled with
medical issues his sophomore year, Roman continued to push
himself while remaining with the program as best he could.
As a junior, he began to find his stride while building
himself into a formidable wrestler. Roman is one of the true
leaders of our program and is the epitome of what we look
for in student-athletes. This senior year will test Roman,
but we know he is up for the task.
Ben Sanchez: Ben is a junior and entering his third
year in the sport. Joining as a freshman two years ago, Ben
knew he had potential to do well in the sport. After a
sophomore season riddled with injuries and shutdowns, Ben
focused his efforts on Freestyle/Greco training which earned
him a 3rd place finish at the 16U Greco State Championships.
Ben has put a lot of time and effort into building his
strength while developing a winning formula on the wrestling
mat. Ben is expecting a breakout season and we are excited
for what is to come.
Vance Domenz: Vance is a senior who returns after a
junior year where he qualified for IHSA Sectionals and
earned All-Conference honors. Vance has a unique style built
on a foundation of solid fundamentals that makes it
difficult for opponents to feel comfortable. He has put in a
purposeful offseason which has solidified his wrestling
foundation. Vance is looking forward to his senior year with
the focus we expect out of our leaders.
Patrick Kurrle: Patrick is a junior and a second year
wrestler in our program. Patrick has been all in since he
started a year ago. He committed to the offseason training
building his strength, technique, and strategy along the
way. Patrick’s constant pressure and endless motor allows
him the opportunity to compete in all of his matches.
CJ Robinson: CJ is a sophomore with a commitment to
improving his skills. CJ is constantly working to build
technique and gain experience in order to make himself the
best athlete possible. CJ is looking forward to beginning
his varsity career and is excited about what the season will
bring.
Eric
Harris: Eric is a sophomore with a contagious positive
energy that those around him cannot help but be supported
by. Eric has a relentless spirit which helped him have a
very successful freshman season; he won three straight
ultimate tie-breaker matches to qualify for the IWCOA Frosh/Soph
State Tournament. Eric is building the foundation to be the
next in a long line of OPRF Big Dogs.
Kole
Sneed: Kole is a senior in our program and is coming off
a busy football season where he started on both offense and
defense for the Huskies. Kole has committed to St. Thomas to
continue his football career; his “ironman” spirit will
provide toughness at the back-end of the lineup. Kole is a
leader who will provide the proper guidance for the younger
wrestlers around him. Kole leads by example and is excited
to build off of his success from last season.
Getting back to what mat-ters: IHSA
Wrestling has begun!
IHSA practice began on Nov. 7; the
first competition will be held on Nov. 23
· 11/7/2022
Ready, set,
THROW! IHSA Wrestling is back.
...And we're back! In what promises to be an exciting and more
uniform season, grapplers and coaches have begun in-person training
in anticipation of the Illinois High School Association's regular
season action. All across the state, wrestlers are back and will
compete both in Boys and Girls Wrestling sports.
Monday, November
7, was the official start date for practice. Teams are allowed to
begin their competition slate in the third week (the week of
Thanksgiving). The Huskies will commence their interscholastic
schedule with an all-levels visit to Batavia on Wednesday, November
23.
This site is in the process of being updated, and you can follow
along as we complete setting the stage for the upcoming season. To
view the (unofficial) schedule, go to the
Schedule or use the menu at the left of the webpage. Remember
that some opponents and dates are being finalized, and we will make
corrections as we learn about them. For wrestlers and their
families, the coaches themselves are the best resources for complete
and accurate information. As a quick reminder, please know that I
update this site remotely. To send me news or site corrections,
please emailme.
Today is a very good day! Wrestling is BACK! Stay tuned for news,
results, insight, and more! Huskie Pride!
||
Please look below for a Varsity lineup preview:||
Huskie history: Trinity White, Tiffany White, Sarah Epshtein all
place
The three heaviest weights all feature an OPRF medalist; Six Huskies
compete at the Girls State Final
· 02/26/2022
Trinity,
Tiffany, and Sarah (left to right) take their places on
the podium. (via HWF on FB)
It's in the record books now! At the Illinois High School
Association's first sanctioned Girls Wrestling Individual State
Final, fourteen grapplers gained bracket boards in standing atop of
the entire state. While Oak Park & River Forest did not feature in
the pinnacle position, the Huskies had a very strong tournament.
Half of the half-dozen qualifiers placed in the final six. Tiffany
White (190 pounds) tallied the highest final spot in 4th place.
Trinity White (170) and Sarah Epshtein (235) each won the final bout
en route to a 5th place result. Congratulations, you three!
It
should be noted that Girls Wrestling has been going on for years,
and while tournaments have been held to match mettle versus mettle,
this year is the first official IHSA individual final. Achievements
previous to this year are still amazing accomplishments. Many
Huskies have been a part of the blitz that caused the IHSA to adopt
Girls Wrestling as an official sport! With that being said, let's
take a deeper look at this Bloomington-located event.
Each of this trio stumbled in the championship quarterfinal
round. Trinity lost a brutally close 4-2 match to Larkin's Maria
Ferrer. Tiffany was unlucky and caught a fall at the hands of West
Chicago's Jayden Huesca Rodriguez, who finished first. Kiara Ganey,
Belleville East Lancer and another tournament champion, also scored
a pin over Sarah. Despite the losses, these girls mixed grit and
talent to push themselves onto the medal stand.
Considering that there is only one class of girls wrestlers for
the IHSA round, a ticket to the big dance is quite remarkable.
Bentley Hills, Bella Tyma, and Keydy Peralta all made it that far
and should be congratulated for that achievement! It needs to be
noted that Bentley did win one match at these championships.
Of these six, Keydy, Trinity, and Sarah all have high school
eligibility remaining. Bentley, Bella, and Tiffany are seniors, and
we wish you all the very best in your next steps.
As the curtain closed in Bloomington this Saturday night, the
IHSA Wrestling season(s) come to an end. What a remarkable season.
Among other things, OPRF wrestling is about determination, grit,
pride, family, and support. Personally, I have no doubt that it was
a very successful season.
But wait...there's more! Wrestling is a sport that provides
opportunities beyond the official IHSA season. You may see more
action in the coming weeks and months. In fact, I think I hear
echoes of an IWCOA Freshman-Sophomore state championship.
Let's go, Huskies!
Girls
Individual
State Results
|
100-235
Wrestler
Year
Weight
Place
Bentley Hills
Senior
100
DNP
Bella Tyma
Senior
135
DNP
Keydy Peralta
Junior
145
DNP
Trinity White
Sophomore
170
5th
Tiffany White
Senior
190
4th
Sarah Epshstein
Sophomore
235
5th
Girls
Individual State
Bout Results
|
106-285
Wrestler
r16
r8
r4
r2
Bentley Hills
W
L
L*
Bella Tyma
L
L*
Keydy Peralta
L
L*
Trinity White
W
L
W*
W*
L*
W*
Tiffany White
W
L*
W*
W*
W*
L*
Sarah Epshtein
W
L
W*
W*
L*
W*
* - Wrestleback match
Event
news and multimedia (by Jamil Shhmart
and HWF) |
On Facebook
A grappling girls gala: IHSA to
crown more titles this weekend
The inaugural IHSA Girls Individual State Final runs Fri-Sat
in Bloomington; OPRF sends six · 02/22/2022
Here stands
Grossinger Motors Arena in its earlier days.
The weekend (and first ever Illinois High School
Association Girls Wrestling State Finals) is nearly upon us!
Beginning this Friday in downstate Bloomington, qualified wrestlers
from all over the state will compete in a two-day tournament to
decide the bracket winner and five other medal winners in each of 14
weights. Oak Park and River Forest ships a half dozen competitors to
this historic event: Bentley Hills (100 pounds), Bella Tyme (135),
Keydy
Peralta (145), Trinity White (170), Tiffany White (190), and Sarah Epshtein
(235). Good luck! Orange & Blue...we cheer for you!
Here are some fast facts about this tournament:
-First ever IHSA Girls Individual State Final
-Girls are not separated into size classes like Boys are
-14 weight classes (14 total champions): 100, 105, 110, 115, 120,
125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 155, 170, 190, 235
-Top 6 at each weight earn medals (16 wrestlers begin in each
bracket)
-Full wrestlebacks (in other words, full consolation rounds)
This event will be run in tandem with the Boys
Wrestling Dual Team State Final. Both events will be held this
Friday and Saturday. Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington, IL,
will host the action.
If you are unable to attend in person, live
and archived video is available on
www.IHSA.tv
(via subscription). Trackwrestling hosts all IHSA Wrestling
postseason events and usually posts live results as they happen (for
free). See the link below.
Huskie Proud: Jalen Dunson wrestles hard, does not place at State
The senior finishes the tournament with a 1-2 record but completes a
sensational season
· 02/19/2022
(via HWF on FB)
For Oak Park & River Forest, the Boys Wrestling season completed
this weekend. As we have mentioned, the Girls Wrestling Individual
State is slated for next weekend. I definitely will be one to follow
those brackets, but for now we take a look at the Boys grappling
squad. Jalen Dunson represented the Orange & Blue downstate in the
pinnacle individual Boys tournament. The 120-pounder made his return
to the State Farm Center mats on Thursday. In the first round, Jalen
was outpointed 13-7 in a close affair versus Sean Berger of nearby
York. On Friday, Jalen rebounded and controlled Hersey's Esteban
Delgado to the tune of a 16-4 major decision. Later in that day,
unfortunately Jalen was eliminated by Caelan Riley of Libertyville
by way of fall.
While falling short of the medal stand was not the
hope of the Huskie community, this team leader can keep his head
high as the lone state qualifier. His 20-5 record demonstrates how
tough he has been for the competition. Congratulations on a fine
season, Jalen, and we wish you all the best in the future!
In fact, to all of our seniors, we send our very best to you as
well!
Boys
Individual State
Bout Results
|
106-285
Wrestler
r16
r8
r4
r2
Jalen Dunson
L
W*
L*
* - Wrestleback match
Remember: don't go anywhere! The first -- very first! -- IHSA Girls
Individual State Final takes place this coming weekend! Let's go,
Huskies!
A sip of Champaign: Jalen Dunson enters State Farm Center
Jalen begins the final 120-pound bracket on Thursday;
medal round set for Saturday
· 02/11/2022
State Farm
Center (archived photo)
The final Illinois High School Association weekends are upon us!
While the Girls Wrestling Individual State finalists wait in the
wing (February 25-26), Boys Wrestling takes center stage as the
individual championships begin and run Thursday through Saturday.
Jalen Dunson, a state qualifier at 113 pounds at the last IHSA
Individual State Final in 2020, returns to the mats in Champaign.
This year, Jalen is entered as a 120 pounder. He will begin
wrestling on Thursday. In this tournament, remember that the top six
places in each class (1A-2A-3A) will receive medals in each of the
14 weights. Also remember that there are full wrestlebacks
(consolation rounds) for the grapplers.
Let's go, Jalen! If you
won't make it to Champaign-Urbana, wear your orange and blue in
support!
I am bumping up some information from below:
Prices
|
Individual State Final costs $10.00 or $12.00 per session (5) /
$50.00 or $60.00 per all-session pass / parking is $12.00 all day.
Times (OPRF events)
|
Individual State Final Sessions (Boys):
12:00 PM for Class 1A / 4:30 PM approximate for Class 3A (Thursday), 8:30 AM &
7:00
PM (Friday), 9:00 AM & 5:30 PM (Saturday).
Jalen attacks an opponent at
the Hinsdale C. sectional.
Stating the facts: 7 wrestlers (6 Girls, 1 Boy) advance to Final
Keydy Peralta and Trinity White win bracket;
Jalen Dunson is the lone grappler to Champaign
· 02/11/2022
Jalen Dunson is
among the place-winners. (via HWF on FB)
|
Go large
In the inaugural Girls State Series here in Illinois, the Oak Park &
River Forest Girls took full advantage. All 13 entrants in the
Andrew Individual Sectional made Huskie History, and six of these
etched their names in OPRFHS annals further by advancing to
Bloomington's Girls Individual State Final on February 25-26. Team
Orange & Blue sent one of the larger contingencies of wrestlers to
Andrew, and a duo of challengers topped their weight brackets: Keydy
Peralta and Trinity White (145 and 170 pounds, respectively).
Runners-up included Bella Tyme (135) and Sarah Epshtein (235).
Rounding out the advancers are Bentley Hills (3rd at 100) and
Tiffany White (4th at 190). Way to go, Girls!
Seven Girls
grapplers wrestled their hearts out but did not make it atop the
medal stand. Those seven are Ana Banuelos (105), Camila Neuman
(110), Andrea Munoz (115), Maria Diaz (120), Pearl Lacey (125),
Mayan Awaeli (140), and Louise Calkins (155). Although it is not the
end these may have been hoping for, their efforts and success do not
go unnoticed. Amazing job, Girls!
For those who are curious about team scores, OPRF placed second
(140.5 points) to nearby neighbor Morton (163.0). As far as I can
tell, these team scores are unofficial and have no bearing on the
State Series.
After taking the next weekend off, the Girls return to the mat the
following weekend. They will compete alongside the Boys Dual Team
State Final in Bloomington, IL, at the Grossinger Motors Arena. What
an exciting time! Good luck!
Turning to the Boys, Saturday also completed the competitor
ticket list for this next weekend in Champaign. Hinsdale Central is
always a difficult Individual Sectional, and Jalen Dunson navigated
the course to advance to his second Individual State Final (also
qualified in 2020). The 120-pounder fell to the eventual champion
but otherwise bested all adversaries. Jalen earned third place in a
6-4 overtime win. Congratulations, Jalen!
A handful of other Huskies toed the line with great pride but did
not reach a top-four finish. These are Ruben Acevedo (106 pounds), Cooper Lacey (126), Will Kelly
(132), Vance Domenz (170), and Allyn Johnson (285). Despite the end
of their individual seasons, you can bet that they -- along with all
Huskies -- will do what they can to support Jalen and prepare him to
do his very best in Champaign. Kudos on a fine year, gentlemen!
Jalen will begin his downstate journey this Thursday, February
17. IHSA Boys Wrestling will anoint six placers at Individual State,
and I suspect that the Girls tournament will do the same a week
later.
It is an exciting time in high school wrestling, and we have two
more IHSA tournaments to follow with a vested interest. Let's go,
Huskies!
Event pics (by Jamil Shhmart
and HWF) |
On Facebook
Individual Sectional updates:
Girls with 7 in semis, Boys with 1
All wrestlers are still alive in their respective brackets;
Top 4 will make State
Final
· 02/11/2022
A pack of
Huskies sit ready for action this weekend. (via HWF on FB)
|
Go large
On Friday, the Illinois High School Association ran parallel
tournaments across the state that will lead to individual state
qualifiers in both Girls and Boys Wrestling. For Oak Park & River
Forest, it had Girls competing at Andrew High School (Tinley Park)
and Boys challenging opponents at Hinsdale Central High School.
The OPRF Girls have had a stellar season, and 13 wrestlers entered
the Andrew Individual Sectional. This sectional was one of four
across the entire state, encompassing all three classes (3A, 2A, and
1A). In other words, in this season there are only four individual
sectionals for Girls when there are 12 (four in each of three
classes) for Boys.
The Huskies sent out these baker's dozen: Bentley Hills (100
pounds), Ana Banuelos (105), Camila Neuman (110), Andrea Munoz
(115), Maria Diaiz (120), Pearl Lacey (125), Bella Tyma (135), Mayan
Awaeli (140), Keydy Peralta (145), Louise Calkins (155), Trinity
White (170), Tiffany White (190), and Sarah Epshtein (235). Of
these, seven advanced to the semifinal stage: Bentley, Maria, Bella,
Keydy, Trinity, Tiffany, and Sarah. A win in either of these
wrestler's next two bouts would cement a place in the Individual
State Final in two weeks. The other six wrestlers are still in play
for Bloomington but must fight their way through the consolation
bracket for a top-four qualifying finish. The action will complete
on Saturday. Good luck, Girls!
On the Boys' side, six grapplers advanced to Hinsdale Central
after a top-three finish at Downers Grove South. Each had at least
one match on Friday in Hinsdale. These half dozen are: Ruben Acevedo
(106 pounds), Jalen Dunson (120), Cooper Lacey (126), Will Kelly
(132), Vance Domenz (170), and Allyn Johnson (285). At Friday
evening's final whistle, Jalen had advanced to the semifinal round.
Like the Girls, he needs to win one of his next two bouts to qualify
for a return trip to Individual State. The other five wrestlers are
alive in the consolation bracket as no competitor in the Individual
Sectional round has been eliminated via a defeat. Unlike the Girls,
the Boys will conclude their individual season next weekend in
Champaign. Good luck, Boys!
As a reminder, team scores have no impact whatsoever at
Individual Sectionals; the focus is on each individual wrestler.
Let's, then, focus our attention on cheering on our Huskies! We wish
the very best for each squad in their Saturday sessions! Huskie
Pride!
Step by step: OPRF advances 6 at
Downers Grove South Regional
Jalen Dunson dominates as 120 pound champion; Huskies place
fourth as a team out of eight · 02/07/2022
Team Orange &
Blue poses after a hard fought day in Downers Grove. (via
HWF on FB) |
Go large
The first of three steps in the Boys Wrestling post
season is complete. The top three wrestlers at each weight advanced
to next weekend's Andrew Individual Sectional, and the Huskies
scrapped to a half dozen entries into that tournament. In all, OPRF
submitted 10 wrestlers for Saturday's competition at Downers Grove
South. Jalen Dunson, a state qualifier two seasons ago as a
sophomore, emphatically stamped his ticket to Hinsdale Central with
two technical fall victories en route to the lone title on Saturday.
Five other wrestlers joined the senior as advancing place-winners:
Ruben Acevedo (2nd at 106 pounds), Cooper Lacey (2nd at 126), Will
Kelly (3rd at 132), Vance Domenz (3rd at 170), and Allyn Johnson
(2nd at 285). Reid Butterly finished 4th at 138 pounds, but
unfortunately only the top three advance in the state series. Three
other wrestlers battled but did not place: Tommy Sullivan (145),
Amari Blanchard (152), and Kole Sneed (220).
In the team standings, the host Mustangs rose to the
top of the table. Lyons Township, Downers Grove North, and Oak Park
& River Forest followed in sequential order. The Huskies outpaced
Hinsdale Central by only 5.5 points to stay at the top half of the
finishers. Only the Regional winners advance in the team State
Series, and so OPRF focuses only on the Boys Individual State
Series. As posted in the next article below, the Girls Wrestling
State Series begins next week. Their State Series will be explosive!
Stay tuned!
The next chapter in this year's Boys Wrestling Huskie postseason is a Friday-Saturday date with other
individual sectional qualifiers. This upcoming tournament takes
place this weekend, February 11-12, at Hinsdale Central High School in
Hinsdale. In this weekend's competition, all
wrestlers will compete in 12-wrestler brackets. The top four placers
will advance to Champaign for the individual state championship
round just a week later. The Hinsdale Central Individual Sectional brackets have
already been created. There have been reports of errors online, so
consider the brackets unofficial at this time.
View the upcoming
Hinsdale Central Individual Sectional brackets on TrackWrestling. A reminder, if you cannot come out to
Hinsdale Central High School, you can follow the action at this link.
Here now is a quick glance at the Huskie wrestlers and their day,
along with their tournament's win-loss record:
OPRF Results &
Notes (Downers Grove South Regional)
|
All Wrestlers
106
|Ruben Acevedo (2nd,
2-1) |
Ruben gutted out a close semifinal
match to guarantee advancement.
120
|Jalen Dunson (1st,
2-0)
|
Jalen won both bouts by a combined 35-4 score.
126
|Cooper Lacey (2nd,
1-1) |
Cooper is making the most out of his
first postseason opportunity.
132
|Will Kelly
(3rd, 3-1)
|
Will coolly controlled his fate-deciding match in
major-decision fashion.
138
|Reid Butterly
(4th, 2-2) |
Reid hustled and scrapped to the medal
bout.
145
|Tommy Sullivan
(DNP, 0-2) |
Tommy can be proud of laying it out
there on the mat.
152
|Amari Blanchard (DNP,
0-2)
|
Amari wrestled full matches and kept fighting for 12
minutes.
170
|Vance Domenz
(3rd, 3-1) |
Vance's wins included two falls and a
technical fall in that order.
220
|Kole Sneed
(DNP, 1-2) |
Kole lost a tight bout in the
consolation semifinals but came to wrestle.
285
|Allyn Johnson
(2nd, 2-1) |
Allyn grinded out two strong wins to
cement a spot for next weekend.
Final team scores
|
The top four finishes were Downers Grove South (212.0 points),
Lyons Township (155.0), Downers Grove North (154.0), and Oak Park &
River Forest (105.5).
Post pattern:
IHSA Wrestling State Series returns
Regionals begin on Saturday; Girls Wrestling holds inaugural
tournament
· 02/04/2022
The chase for
medals and trophy has returned.
As a reminder, there is lots of news and media about the OPRFHS
Wrestling Team on their
Facebook page. We invite you to look back before looking
forward:
For the first time in two seasons, the Illinois High
School Association will hold an official State Series for its
Wrestling athletes. This year is also the first year that Girls
Wrestling will hold an official Finals tournament.
While the other levels have closed the book on their IHSA season,
the Varsity squads all across Illinois ready for the postseason.
Some say that the regular season is just preparation for the trials
and tribulations that arise during the IHSA State Series.
Due to its enrollment, the Huskies compete in Class 3A. There are
also Classes 2A and 1A.
Girls Wrestling: This is the very first State Series for
Girls Wrestling sanctioned and organized by the IHSA, so I am not
familiar with exactly what will unfold. The Girls Wrestling State
Series begins with an Individual Sectional before concluding at
Individual State. There is no Dual Team Tournament for Girls
Wrestling at present.
Oak Park & River Forest has been assigned to the Andrew High
School (Tinley Park) Sectional that will take place on Friday,
February 11. It may also take place on Saturday, February 12. For
advancing wrestlers, the Girls Individual State Finals will take
place on Friday and Saturday, February 25-26. These State Finals
coincide with the Boys Dual Team Finals and will also take place in
Bloomington at the Grossinger Motors Arena. The Girls Individual
State Sessions: 8:30 AM (Friday) & 9:00 AM (Saturday).
Boys Wrestling: On February 5, Oak Park & River Forest
visits Downers Grove south High School to begin its postseason quest.
The IHSA assigned eight teams to this regional tournament.
Below is our quick primer on what you need to know to be ready for
all of the February action.
I was unable to find a Downers Grove South Regional start time or
spectator information, so please confirm details before choosing to
attend. For those interested, there are ways to follow action at the
tournament online, via Trackwrestling or IHSA.TV (paid
subscription).
Team advancement
|
On Saturday, OPRF will compete alongside seven other squads at
the Mustangs' home of Downers Grove South High School (Downers Grove).
These teams are: Morton, Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South,
Proviso West, Proviso East, Hinsdale Central, Lyons Township, and
Oak Park & River Forest. On Saturday, only the winning team
who outpoints the others will win the regional and advance to the
Dual Team State Series.
Team scoring
|
Team points are gained by wrestlers' place finish and manner of
advancement. Certainly, higher place-winners earn more points, and
winning matches by fall/forfeit/default/disqualification (+2 bonus),
technical fall (+1.5 bonus), or major (+1 bonus) results will
further help your school. Winning a match earns 2 points in the
championship bracket (except in 1st place matches), whereas a successful win earns 1 point in the
consolation bracket (except in 3rd place matches). Final placement of wrestlers correspond to
these team point values: 14 points (first place), 10 points (second
place), 7 points (third place), and 4 points (fourth place). As
mentioned in the above paragraph, only the team with the highest
cumulative point total at its respective regional advances to the
Dual Team State Series. There are 16 regionals in Class 3A.
Wrestler participation and
advancement (Downers Grove South Regional)
|
Schools have the right to enter up to 14 wrestlers -- one for
each weight class. These wrestlers can be regular starters, lower
level wrestlers, or freshmen. The wrestlers must qualify, however,
for their intended weight class. Regional tournament seeding
meetings are generally held in the week leading up to the regional
tournament. At these meetings,
teams submit their starting lineups for the upcoming regional. Since
there are eight participating schools at OPRF's regional, at maximum
there can be eight wrestlers at one particular weight class. The top
three (3) wrestlers in each weight class qualify for the Individual
Sectional Tournament to be held Friday-Saturday, February 11-12 at
Hinsdale Central High School (Hinsdale Central). The IHSA assigned
OPRF to HC's individual sectional since the DGS regional is one of
its four attached regionals.
Wrestler participation and
advancement (Hinsdale Central Individual Sectional)
|
Four regional tournaments merge to form an individual sectional.
This year, OPRF's individual sectional is composed of 12 regional
place-winners per weight (regional fourth place is excluded and does not advance to the
individual sectional) from its four regional tournaments: Marist,
Mt. Carmel, Naperville Central, and Downers Grove South. The
four (4) regional individual champions will receive a first round bye, while
the other eight wrestlers will wrestle in their preliminary round
matches. Of the 12 wresters in each weight bracket, the top third
(the four place-winners at the end of Saturday's competition) will
punch their ticket to Champaign as participants in the Individual State Final. Getting into the
individual sectional place matches is vital. Although the results of
the 1st and 3rd place bouts do not factor into qualification for the
individual state tournament, results at the individual sectional will affect the placement
position in the individual final tournament. Team scores are not
kept at individual sectional tournaments and are considered
irrelevant.
Wrestler participation and
medals (University of Illinois Individual State Finals)
|
Four is the magic number yet again, as four individual sectional
tournaments join to create the State Finals bracket. The four
individual sectional champions will be seeded and placed in
corresponding locations on the bracket sheet. The other 12 wrestlers
(2nd/3rd/4th place individual sectional finishers) will be scattered
mathematically in the pairings. No byes are provided for any of the
16 wrestlers. All wrestlers
losing their first round match shall compete in the wrestle back. In
recent years, the IHSA approved full wrestlebacks for
all wrestlers, in effect removing the "follow the leader"
requirement from previous years. The top 6 finishers in Champaign will earn
medals. This three-day tournament includes full wrestlebacks with no
walkovers (in other words, previous decisions from the championship
bracket are ignored if two wrestlers meet again in the consolation
bracket).
Prices
|
Regional costs $8.00 for an all-day
pass (possible added fee if payment is processed through GoFan). Individual Sectional costs $7.00 per session (3)
and are listed as digital tickets on the IHSA website. Individual
State Final costs $10.00 or $12.00 per session (5) / $50.00 or $60.00
per all-session pass / parking is $12.00 all day. For Dual Team State, Team Sectional costs
$7.00 for the event, ad is listed as a digital ticket. Dual Team State Final costs $9.00 per session
(2).
Times (OPRF events)
|
Regional and Individual Sectional Sessions were not listed on
the IHSA website, as the document link was not active. Individual State Final Sessions:
12:00 PM for Class 1A / 4:30 PM approximate for Class 3A (Thursday), 8:30 AM &
7:00
PM (Friday), 9:00 AM & 5:30 PM (Saturday).
| Dual Team Sectional Session: 6:00
PM (Tuesday). Dual Team State Session: 5:00 PM (Friday),
9:00 AM & 7:00
PM (Saturday).
Tournament videos and play-by-play
|
Individual State Finals and Dual Team State are broadcast live
and archived on
www.IHSA.tv
(via subscription). Trackwrestling hosts all IHSA Wrestling
postseason events. See the specific links a further down in this
post.
Dual team tournament
|
More information on the Dual Team State Series will come in a
few weeks. Should OPRF win its regional, the location has not yet
been set for the Dual Team Sectional round. The date of that event would be
Tuesday, February 22.
In the meantime, follow the Orange &
Blue
Wrecking Crew in this February frenzy! Go Huskies!
Weekend warriors: Girls team
dominates at Addison T. & at Conant
OPRF Girls down all three opponents on Friday, decorate the
medal stand on Saturday · 12/11/2021
"Sweep!" was the word heard
by some inside the gym at Addison Trail this past Friday
night. The Orange & Blue Wrecking Crew dominated its Girls
duals en route to three exciting and well-contested duals.
The Girls squad earned victories over the host Blazers
(54-45), the Batavia Bulldogs (18-12), and the West Chicago
Wildcats (24-12). These results demonstrate the talent that
the Girls troupe possesses.
Click here or on the image to the right to view the
album photos of Friday's event (photos by Jamil Shhmart).
After outdueling Friday night foes,
the Girls lineup underwent a Saturday saunter to Hoffman Estates (Conant
H.S.) where it continued to bring the thunder. In the day's
individual tournament, Huskie Girls earned ten places. In all, there
were four champions (Cam Neuman, Trinity White, Tiffany White, and
Kennedi Dickens), a pair of championship runners-up (Bentley Hills
and Tamera Erving), one third-place finisher (Maria Diaz), and one
each of 5th-6th-7th rank (Megan Barajas, Pearl Lacey, and Andrea
Munoz respectively). What a tournament! What a weekend! Way to go,
Girls!
OPRF Girls gather for
a Huskie Huddle at Conant. (Via
HWF on FB) |
Click on each photo to enlarge.
OPRFHS announces athletics
cancellation,
resumption
After pausing all activities, OPRFHS resumes
them days later · 12/04/2021 & 12/06/2021
12/6: Oak Park and River Forest High School
announces that all athletics and activities will resume as normal
starting 12/07. To view the original posting on the OPRFHS website,
click here.
12/4: Oak Park and River Forest High School
announces online that athletics and activities are canceled through
winter break. Subsequently, it was reported that these plans are
subject to change based on a variety of factors. To view the
original news posting on the OPRFHS website,
click here.
OPRF, Varsity schedule updates for
weekend of 12/3-12/4
Dual with Proviso West postponed (12/3), Varsity not at
Washington (12/4) · 12/04/2021
12/3: The OPRF-Proviso West dual has been postponed
and is slated to be rescheduled to later this season.
12/4: Oak Park & River Forest Varsity will not
attend the Washington Super Duals. While the Super Duals are in
action, OPRF will not participate.
There may be other schedule changes for different
levels, but these two are what this website has learned recently.
Have a great weekend!
One week in:
Huskies experience victory,
loss, and growth
Varsity falls to Batavia, tops Andrew;
next OPRF to face Proviso W., to travel to Washington · 11/27/2021
Huskies to
journey to Panther den on Saturday, 12/04.
The 2021-2022 IHSA Wrestling season is off and
running! Tuesday, November 23, held the season opener of the Huskies
at intra-conference rivals Downers Grove North. While those results
are not immediately known to this site, the Varisty squad had a test
at home on Wednesday versus Class 3A #21 Batavia. (If not noted
differently, rankings on this site come from Rob Sherrill at
iwcoa.net.) The Bulldogs
had a strong showing in the OPRF Field House as they won 11 of 14
bouts for a 63-15 victory. On Saturday, the Orange & Blue rebounded
in Tinley Park as they upended the host Thunderbolts 43-30.
This upcoming week, Varsity once again welcomes an
opponent to the Field House: Proviso West visits on Friday, 12/03,
at 6:00 PM. On Saturday, Huskies trek south to Washington High
School in downstate Illinois. The Washington Super Duals are slated
to start at 10:00 AM.
Upcoming: On
Friday, 12/03, Proviso West @
OPRF (6:00 PM):
Like the DGN Trojans, the Proviso West Panthers are
members of the West Suburban (Silver) Conference. Come out to watch
the Orange & Blue take on the Red & Black!
Upcoming: On
Saturday, 12/04, OPRF @
Washington Super Duals (10:00 AM):
Another Panthers squad, Washington, hosts its Super
Duals event. An OPRF-Washington match-up is not necessarily
guaranteed, however, as there will be several teams at the event.
Washington traditionally has been a very talented squad, and the
Huskies and Panthers have had some very exciting head-to-head duals
in the last several years.
IHSA competition day one: Let's
have some fun!
OPRF Huskies open versus Batavia;
Action is slated to begin at 6:00 Pm · 11/23/2021
vs. Batavia (Wed)
Let's gooooooooo! The 2021-2022 IHSA Wrestling
season's official competition slate is upon the Orange & Blue
Wrecking Crew. You may have been following the recent posts of some
Huskie Happenings on Facebook (stay updated at the
Huskie Wrestling Family page). Well, after the Wrestle-Offs and
the Community Cleanup, it's time to shine up those wrestling shoes!
Wait a minute...can wrestling shoes really be shined? I don't know;
that's for another day and discussion. At any rate, this week is when the action
commences.
On Wednesday, 11/24, Batavia
@ OPRF: |
OPRF
Wrestling Schedule
Huskie Wrestling returns to OPRF High School! Batavia High School
will visit.
It's also Alumni Night!!!! You know what they
say, "Once a Huskie, always a Huskie!"
A terrific start of wrestling. Will we see you
cheering us on?
Huskie Pride! In relentless pursuit!!
A nod to
normalcy: IHSA Wrestling has begun!
The season commences as of Nov. 10; First competition on
Nov. 23 · 11/10/2021
This year's crop
intends to carve out its own identity.
...And we're off! As the leaves turn, so now does
the fall sports advance to winter. The Illinois High School
Association has granted the start of the high school wrestling
season on Monday, November 8. For those curious, you can view the
IHSA 5-Year Wrestling Season Calendar. As wrestlers, coaches,
staff members, parents, guardians, relatives, fans, and even
referees all prepare for the first whistle that impacts regular
season scoring, we begin to preview what this season will look like.
By all accounts, a regular schedule (similar to the 2019-2020
campaign) will be employed across the state. Here is a summary of
what events will return for the new year:
Returning:
- Conference and non-conference events
- Multi-team events
- Individual State Series
- Team State Series
As the days progress, so will this site reshape for
the now current IHSA Wrestling season. Please be patient as I
acquire and apply news and data for the website. As of November 10,
I have updated the competition schedule for all levels.
Thank you for visiting and returning. As I have been
doing so for years, I will do my best to report on OPRF Wrestling
this IHSA season. I am not immune to mistakes, and I am not with the
team day-to-day. Overwhelmingly, I rely on others to gain
information to post on this site. I welcome news, corrections,
questions, and suggestions. I ask for understanding. Let's partner
for an amazing season! My email address is
oprfwrestlingwebmaster@gmail.com,
should you wish to contact me.
It is an honor
to be a part of this team, this community, and this family. Huskie Pride!
-BT
It's here: The IHSA season kickoff
is tonight
OPRF hosts York; Zoom link available for spectators · 04/28/2021
Huskies play
host tonight, 4/28, versus York.
The "winter" season of IHSA Wrestling begins
tonight, April 28, at Oak Park & River Forest High School. A dual
versus the York Dukes is on tap in official event #1. While this is
a different season, it will be great to see our beloved Huskies go
toe-to-toe with this near-west rival.
The action will begin with lower levels at 5:30 PM.
Varsity is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM.
My sources indicate that spectators are allowed (in
some capacity) but should not arrive more than 15 minutes before
competition begins. Please be flexible during this event and
throughout this season as directives evolve and as we become
familiar with requirements. For many, a virtual view is preferred,
and this Zoom link is available for tonight and should be working
for (at least) the home events this season.
We wish all in the program and in the state the very
best of luck this season. Good luck, Huskies. Let's come out of the
gate strong!
Once again, lower levels are scheduled for 5:30 PM
and Varsity is scheduled for 7:00 PM. Huskie Pride!
A season unlike any other: The
2020-2021 season is almost here
The season kickoff is April 28 versus York; IHSA will not
host a State Series this year · 04/21/2021
It's very nearly
time for another IHSA season.
It will be nearly 14 months since the Orange & Blue
Wrecking Crew will again take the mat -- from IHSA season to IHSA
season -- but come April 28, Oak Park & River Forest will be toeing
the line once more.
This season may have sneaked up on you (as it has
me), but it's here. Certainly, a very lot has happened since the
2019-2020 season concluded. My first wishes are for you and yours
during this recent and present unprecedented time. For many,
wrestling is therapeutic. For many, wrestling is life. I hope that
this upcoming season brings joy and so much more to you and to us
all.
This season will be different. For starters, the Huskies will only
hold events versus conference opponents. This competition slate will
be duals as opposed to individual tournaments. At the schedule's
creation, OPRF will combat 13 high schools this season. There will
be multiple levels of competition at certain events. In terms of
individual or team championship series, the IHSA will not schedule
and hold these events during the year. There may be post-season (as
opposed to postseason) events sanctioned by alternate organizations,
so stay tuned to how it all shakes out.
The competition begins one week from today, on April 28, at home
versus York. Understandably, spectator details will be quite
different this year. I will share more information about how to
watch OPRF wrestling as I obtain it. The ultimate quarrel on the
calendar is on Wednesday, June 9, also at home opposite Hinsdale
Central. At present, I do not know what honors or distinctions will
be awarded this season (and by whom). For a complete view of the
planned schedule, please look at the table below.
As webmaster, I will do my best to inform you and to celebrate these
young athletes and this amazing staff. This season, as you can
agree, will be one unlike any we have seen before. Still, there is a
season! I wish all Huskies the very best of luck! Let's have a great
IHSA season, everywhere!
For more information on modified IHSA athletics, view this
WIFR article (from Jan. 27).
2020-2021 IHSA
Wrestling Schedule |
OPRF
Date
Opponent
Location
Levels
April
28 (Wed.)
York
OPRF
3
April
30 (Fri.)
Proviso West
Proviso
West
3
May 5 (Wed.)
Downers Grove North
Downers Grove North
3
May
7 (Fri.)
Proviso East
Proviso
East
3
May 12 (Wed.)
Leyden
OPRF
2
May
14 (Fri.)
Morton
Morton
3+
May 19 (Wed.)
Glenbard West
Glenbard West
3
May
21 (Fri.)
Hinsdale South
OPRF
1-2
May 26 (Wed.)
Lyons Township
OPRF
3
May
28 (Fri.)
Addison Township
OPRF
2-3
June 2 (Wed.)
Willowbrook
OPRF
2-3
June
4 (Fri.)
Downers Grove South
Downers
Grove South
3
June 9 (Wed.)
Hinsdale Central
OPRF
3
Number of levels is
anticipated, note that OPRF Girls is scheduled on 5/14.
Looking back (and forward): Huskies complete
2019-2020 season
The OPRF Wrestling Wall of Fame grows taller
and fuller each passing season · 03/01/2020
Joshua Ogunsanya
earned the Huskies' 19th individual title since
2008-2009. (photo by Shhmart Family)
Many have said, "Numbers don't lie." I subscribe to a similar
declaration, "Numbers don't disappoint." Statistics are a subset of
numbers, and they are also an integral part of a wrestling season.
The Varsity statistics have been tabulated and finalized, and they are
available for viewing on this site. You can jump there now, or
simply wait until the conclusion of this article. To help you find
it in a flash, we have provided a direct link below.
Here now are some news and notes on the closed IHSA Wrestling
season. It was a thrilling year, and each year brings its own unique
blend of trials, successes, growths, and disappointments. It is (and
was) a pleasure to be a part of your life for these past months and
more, and we look forward to continuing to share residence at the
magical place knows as "Huskieville."
On to news and notes:
For the record
|
Oak Park & River Forest concluded its dual meet record at a
13-12
(.520) clip, which included a 5-1 mark in conference. As the season
progressed, the Huskies became stronger. The Orange & Blue Wrecking
Crew earned top place at the Rex Whitlach Invitational, the Huskie
Invitational, and the IHSA Regional. Despite not advancing to Dual
Team State, OPRF gave the top teams in Illinois cause for concern. For more on the Varsity dual and tournament finishes,
visit this year's
Results page.
Nine still counts
|
This season, the Huskies have gained their ninth consecutive
West Suburban (Silver) Conference Title. Although they finished at
5-1 in the WSC-Silver, they tied with two other high schools with
the same mark.
Common cents
|
The senior class featured five wrestlers who joined the list of Huskie wrestlers with 100 or
more Varsity victories. Nico Bolivar (135-34) earned his membership
card into the Century Club a season ago. Four others cemented their
place in 2019-2020: Josh Ogunsanya (140-21), Jake Rundell (132-8),
Joe Chapman (124-30), and Daemyen Middlebrooks (114-29).In all, there are now 28
members of this illustrious group. To view the grapplers with at
least 100 Varsity victories, visit the
Wall of Fame page.
Up top downstate
|
145-pounder Joshua Ogunsanya earned Class 3A top honors as
an individual state champion this season. He completed the season
with a 43-4 record. Other medalists at the State Farm Center were
Jake Rundell (3rd place at 126 pounds), Joe Chapman (3rd place at
152 pounds), and Daemyen Middlebrooks (3rd place at 195 pounds).
Double take
|
Jake Rundell garnered the most takedowns and total falls. Jake
notched 239 takedowns and he aforementioned Jake Rundell led the charge in bout
takedowns. He tallied 160 on the season. In total falls, Jake
gathered 28 falls alongside 8 technical falls for a total of 36. Jake is
both this season's Takedown and Pin King.
Jake Rundell stands on the
mat in Champaign.
Numbers game
|
Enough of the commentary; below are the
2019-2020 statistics leaders. Enjoy!
Statistics Leaders |
Maneuvers
Statistic
Number
Wrestler
Year
Wins
43
Josh Ogunsanya
Sr.
43
Jake
Rundell
Sr.
Losses
0
Rigoberto Guzman
Jr.
Takedowns
239
Jake Rundell
Sr.
Nearfalls-3
41
Joe Chapman
Sr.
Nearfalls-2
38
Joe
Chapman
Sr.
Total Nearfalls
79
Joe Chapman
Sr.
Reversals
12
Joe Chapman
Sr.
Escapes
40
Jalen Dunson
So.
Statistics Leaders |
Victory Types
Wins
Number
Wrestler
Year
Falls
29
Daemyen
Middlebrooks
Sr.
Tech Falls
11
Joe
Chapman
Sr.
Total Falls
38
Jake Rundell
Sr.
Majors
7
Nico
Bolivar
Sr.
7
Connor Nagela
Jr.
7
Joshua
Ogunsanya
Sr.
Decisions
12
Nico
Bolivar
Sr.
Forfeits
2
Stephon
Carr
Jr.
2
Connor Nagela
Jr.
2
John
Valaika
Sr.
Defaults
2
Nico Bolivar
Sr.
Disqual's
0
[None]
Under the dome: Huskies pose
at Individual State. (photo by Shhmart Family)
|
Go Large
Off the mark in Orland Park:
Eagles flap past Huskies 37-27
Sandburg eliminates OPRF, snap Huskies' consecutive team
state appearances at eight ·
02/25/2020
OPRF and
Sandburg tangled for a spot at Dual Team State. (photos
by Shhmart Family)
|
For the past several years, Oak Park & River Forest has made
Bloomington their February (or March) home. Seeking yet another
ticket to the Dual Team State tournament, OPRF had to overtake the
Sandburg Eagles. The Huskies had the task of wrestling with no
regret and then seeing where the team stood at the end of the night.
In this challenge, OPRF succeeded. In the team score contest,
however, the Sandburg Eagles notched more dual team points and
advanced. What is also true is that at the final whistle, digits
chiseled into the scoreboard did not impede the Huskie pride, Huskie
power, Huskie spirit, and Huskie family; all of these prevailed.
Setting the stage slightly, fans anticipated that the dual would
be an exciting one. Adding to the intrigue was that Sandburg was
wrestling at their home, due to being a Dual Team Sectional host as
pre-designated by the IHSA. The action began a tad after 6:00 PM,
and 195-pound state medalist Daemyen Middlebrooks started the dual
with a bang. His second period fall earned a valuable six points for
the Huskies. At 220 pounds, Malcolm Gray fought hard and prevented a
big Eagle win. Sandburg did earn four team points, however. In a
repeat affair from the Individual Sectional, Fabian Gonzalez put up
a strong challenge to the 285-pound state champion Mike Bosco. After
a 3-1 bout result, Sandburg led 7-6.
The Eagles triumphed in the next three tussles. Zavien Stewart
wrestled with Huskie heart but was overwhelmed by state finalist
Sammie Hayes. At 113, Sandburg's Dom Iannantone avenged a loss at
Hinsdale Central and swooped past Jalen Dunson. In perhaps the
closest battle of the night, Connor Nagela and Eagle Matt Parker
scrapped at 120 pounds. A late takedown for Sandburg added this bout
into its win column. In short order at 126 pounds, Jake Rundell
muscled his opponent to his back. This pinfall victory edged the
Huskies closer, now trailing 19-12. Malakye Rodriguez, tonight's
132-pounder, started off strong but was outlasted in his six-minute
effort.
From 138 to 152, OPRF went on a run. Nico Bolivar grappled his
way to a 9-6 victory. Following Nico were Joshua Ogunsanya and Joe
Chapman. Both of these Huskies culminated their time on the mat with
fall victories. With three bouts to go, Oak Park & River Forest held
a 27-23 advantage. Unfortunately, the Eagles held advantages of
their own in the final trio of contests. At 160 pounds, Stephon Carr
attempted to keep the Huskie boat moving in the right direction.
Unfortunately his Huskie will wasn't enough to do so, but Stephon
minimized bonus points. The scoreboard read 27-all. Adrian Palmares
was next to toe the line. The junior was caught by Sandburg's
Patrick Houston. Up by six with a single bout remaining sealed the
dual, since the Eagles had just clinched the majority of bout
victories and thus the tie-breaker. Still, junior Zion Long brought
a spirited effort in his 182-pound contest. An Eagle win in the
finale finalized the team outputs: Sandburg 37, OPRF 27.
The loss officially concluded the Huskies' IHSA season, although
more wrestling is always around the corner. Congratulations to the
Huskie Wrestling Family on a fine season!
More to come in time. In the meantime, Huskie Power!
Huskie supported. (photos
by Shhmart Family) | Go large:
1 |
2
Tuesday night lights:
Huskies begin second second season
OPRF and Sandburg to tangle, winner advances to Dual Team State's elite eight ·
02/25/2020
Sandburg
stands in the way of another trip to Bloomington.
One of the great joys and layers of high school wrestling happens to
be the fact that it is both an individual and team sport. The last
three weeks were focused on the individual grappler. In this week,
the qualified teams per class pivot their attention to the team
unit. Sixteen Class 3A high school squads have won their respective
Regional on February 8, and each unit has the chance to advance to
battle among the final eight this coming Saturday at Grossinger
Motors Arena in Bloomington.
Before Saturday comes Tuesday. On Tuesday, February 25, the
Huskies will travel to Sandburg High School to square off against the
Sandburg Eagles. The winner of the 14-bout dual will be
finished for the night, as only one round of Tuesday duals is slated
across the state. Also scheduled to wrestle at Sandburg is Mt.
Carmel versus Naperville Central. The admission at Sandburg is $6, and the action
is scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM.
This is the final week of the 2019-2020 IHSA Wrestling Season, so
there's no holding back! Come out if you can! If you're curious
about video, I do not see any video options online. You can follow
the live results on
TrackWrestling, if you cannot come in person.
Prices
| For Dual Team State, Team Sectional costs $6.00 for the
event.
Times
|
Dual Team Sectional Session: 6:00
PM (Tuesday).
Sandburg H.S. address
|
IHSA Dual Team Sectional (Feb 25) |
13300 S. LaGrange Rd., Orland Park, IL 60462 |
Map
Medal magic:
Ogunsanya tops at 145, another trio win bronze
Josh Ogunsanya topples all; Jake Rundell, Joe Chapman, Daemyen Middlebrooks
also medal · 02/22/2019
Joshua Ogunsanya
flexed his muscles to gold. (via OPRF W on Instagram)
|
Go Large
If you haven't seen Joshua Ogunsanya in person, you may have read a
recent article highlighting his personal drive to be at the top of
Class 3A mountaintop come this past Saturday night. Spoiler alert:
Josh succeeded in just that. After adding technical fall and
traditional fall tallies to his resume, his run included triumphs
over familiar Fidel Mayora (Montini) and Connor Gaynor (Mt. Carmel).
Josh had lost to Mayora previously this year by the slimmest of
margins. One week ago, Josh planted Gaynor on his back for a pinfall
victory. Josh reversed the fortune against Mayora in the semis
before controlling the scoring against Gaynor in the finals. Josh
Ogunsanya's tournament line: one pin, one technical fall, two
decisions, and no offensive points given up. Congratulations, Josh,
on your first state title in your senior season!
Three others,
Jake Rundell (126), Joe Chapman (152), and Daemyen Middlebrooks
(195) narrowly succumbed in the winners' bracket. However, each won
all bouts the rest of the way to earn a very difficult consolation
championship. Nationally-ranked Jake toed the line with additionally
national-ranked Dylan Ragusin (Montini) in the semifinals but fell
short 3-2. Joe Chapman also fell in the semis, by a 6-4 tally versus
James Pierandozzi (Plainfield South). Daemyen Middlebrooks met
undefeated and eventual champion Nick Stemmet (Yorkville) in the
quarterfinals, managing a gritty 5-3 final score in an exciting
bout. These three did not let their talent get lost in the
circumstance, and they continued to win all the way through the
medal round. Congratulations, gentlemen!
Three more were in action for the Huskies. Sophomore Jalen Dunson,
a 113-pound dynamo who demonstrated a combination of toughness and
skill to get to the Individual State Final, lost his two bouts but
will return next year. Nico Bolivar, an immensely talented
132-pounder finished 1-2 at State Farm Center. He was downed in his
first consolation bout. We need Nico to be rearing to go this week,
and I am sure that he will be determined to do all he can for the
Orange & Blue. Fabian Gonzalez, a senior heavyweight, excelled in
his lone season as the 285-pound starter. He finished 2-2, and only
one overtime loss prevented a medal from being placed around his
neck. A highlight for Fabian was a fall victory over Josh Mathiasen
(York), to whom Fabian returned the favor after the OPRF-York dual
from earlier this season. 182-pound starter, Danny Lingen, was not
able to participate in the Individual State Series. He likely would
have laid waste to a number of opponents in February, including
during a potential trip downstate. Let's all hope that everyone is
ready to do whatever it takes to advance past Sandburg this upcoming
Tuesday night, February 25.
With one week to go (don't go anywhere, folks), the curtain fell on
the 2019-2020 IHSA Individual State Finals. For the vast many and
many, Saturday's closing marked their exit from the IHSA season.
Only the few regional team champions (from Saturday, February 8)
will have the opportunity to wrestle this upcoming week for team
glory.
As we may say a little too infrequently, we would like to
recognize and share appreciation for the Huskie Wrestling Family in
all it does. Many members came out to support these student athletes
as well as this one very special high school program. We
love having you, and we look forward to teaming with you to finish
the 2019-2020 season on a Huskie high note.
Individual
State Results
|
106-145
Wrestler
Year
Weight
Place
No Wrestler
--
106
--
Jalen Dunson
Sophomore
113
DNP
No Wrestler
--
120
--
Jake Rundell
Senior
126
3rd
Nico Bolivar
Senior
132
DNP
No Wrestler
--
138
--
Joshua Ogunsanya
Senior
145
1st
Individual
State Results
|
152-285
Wrestler
Year
Weight
Place
Joe Chapman
Senior
152
3rd
No Wrestler
--
160
--
No Wrestler
--
170
--
No Wrestler
--
182
--
Daemyen Middlebr.
Senior
195
3rd
No Wrestler
--
220
--
Fabian Gonzalez
Senior
285
DNP
While the book is closed on the individual state tournament, the dual
team state tournament enters stage left. We hope you can come out to
watch OPRF on Tuesday night at Sandburg High School.
In the meantime, catch your breath, get some rest, and be
ready to follow the highly competitive team tournament this week.
Sixteen Class 3A teams remain: the final four will leave
Bloomington's Grossinger Motors Arena with a team state trophy.
Remember, team scores were not kept at the Individual State Final
(similarly, they were omitted at the Hinsdale Central Individual Sectional).
As we mentioned, OPRF duels Sandburg at Sandburg High School on
Tuesday night beginning at 6 pm. Also attending in combat are Mt.
Carmel and Naperville Central. The night will conclude with
the two dual winners
advancing to Saturday's quarterfinal round, the OPRF-Sandburg
winner and the Mt. Carmel-Naperville Central winner. Be advised that these two
winners are positioned on opposite halves of this coming Saturday's
Dual Team State Tournament. If you are able, come out to
Orland Park (Sandburg) and support
the Huskies!!! -->
IHSA Class 3A Dual Team Bracket
Huskie
Pride, and Huskie POWER!
Final team scores
|
Team scores are unofficial and were not kept.
Going Farm-ing: Seven Huskies earn
trips to Individual State
OPRF earns 3 titles at the Hinsdale Central Individual
Sectional; State begins
Thu. · 02/15/2020
Huskies competed
on a familiar floor on Friday and Saturday. (photos by
BT)
On Saturday, February 15, Hinsdale Central High School was one of
four locations where the final crop of Class 3A wrestlers punched
their tickets to the State Farm Center in Champaign-Urbana. Oak Park
& River Forest earned seven of those competitor seats via their
top-four finishes in Hinsdale. The Individual State Final will take
place on Thursday-Saturday of this week. 16
wrestlers will join each weight bracket (there three distinct
classes in IHSA Wrestling), and they aim to leave as one of the 6
medalists within that contest.
Representing the
Orange & Blue downstate is a strong group of athletes who will be
ready to scrap, hustle, and will their ways to victory. They will be
wrestling Huskie Style (and delivering Huskie Power). Seven of the
nine OPRF sectional qualifiers successfully navigated their
respective bracket to make it downstate. Let's look at the crop of Hungry Huskies who have punched their
ticket to Champaign: Jalen Dunson (113 - 4th), Jake Rundell (126 - 1st), Nico
Bolivar (132 -
3rd), Josh Ogunsanya (145 - 1st), Joe Chapman (152 - 1st), Daemyen Middlebrooks
(195 - 3rd), and Fabian Gonzalez (285 - 3rd). Unfortunately, two of the Wrecking Crew
finished short of advancing: Zavien Stewart (106) and Malakye
Rodriguez (138). Of these, Malakye is a graduating senior.
As I've said, these (and all Huskie) wrestlers are potentially
in the mix to participate in Tuesday's Team Sectional dual (Tuesday,
February 25). If OPRF advances further, they will culminate the
entire season on February 29. Congratulations on your
accomplishments, Zavien and Malakye!
Taking a closer look at the Individual Sectional results, the
Huskies snatched a trio of sectional titles. Jake Rundell (126)
cruised in his championship match with a technical fall victory.
Josh Ogunsanya (145) came up Huskie big and turned the tides in an
exciting fall victory. Joe Chapman (152) controlled his adversaries
and prevented his final opponent to even score a point. Although
three more lost their close semifinal bouts, they had no trouble in
the consolation title tilt: Nico Bolivar (132), Daemyen Middlebrooks
(195), and Fabian Gonzalez (285). It should be noted that Nico
triumphed via injury default. Jalen Dunson (113) lost a close match
to start, but then he won when it counted -- including in an
overtime bout -- to earn the right to wrestle in his first
Individual State Final.
There are a few things to note about the State Farm Center this
week. First, be aware of the Individual State Final
(posted in the 02/05 article below). Second, observe that there will be
TRUE WRESTLEBACKS again this year. In other words, the previously held
"follow the leader" format has ceased beginning this season. All
wrestlers are guaranteed a chance to rise in the consolation bracket regardless of the
circumstances around their first defeat. Third, support the Huskies!
Wear your Huskie gear under the State Farm dome, at your office, or
simply walking around town. Haha! Let's go Huskies! Orange & Blue
Wrecking Crew!
For a review of the Huskies' results in the Individual State
Final from last year, go to the
2018-2019 Postseason page.
Final team scores
|
Team scores are unofficial and were not kept.
Power move: OPRF tops field at
Lyons Regional with 9 advancing
6 champions propel Huskies; OPRF will wrestle Sandburg at
Sandburg in
the Dual Team Sectional · 02/08/2020
Huskies reigned
supreme at a conference rival's home den. (photos by BT)
The Lyons Regional was a challenge for the Huskies and for all
participating high schools. It has been noted as one of the toughest
(of the 16) Class 3A regionals in Illinois this season. Oak Park &
River Forest has a habit for pocketing the regional team
championship, however, and it was not different on this day.
After the last whistle, the Orange & Blue Wrecking Crew outlasted
the team runner-up by exactly 40 points. OPRF tallied 191.5 team
points, while Lyons Township (151.5) and Hinsdale Central (139.5)
trailed behind. Along with the IHSA plaque, the Huskies are now
invited to take part in the IHSA Dual Team State Series that will
begin in earnest on February 25. There is a lot that will happen
before then, most certainly. On Saturday, six Huskies returned to
the Oak Park & River Forest community with bracket boards. A trio of
others earned third-place honors and entry into the Hinsdale Central
Individual Sectional.
In weight order, the half dozen individual champions were Jake
Rundell (126), Nico Bolivar (132), Josh Ogunsanya (145), Joe Chapman
(152), Daemyen Middlebrooks (195), and Fabian Gonzalez (285). Three
out of four consolation championship contenders advanced: Zavien
Stewart (106), Jalen Dunson (113), and Malakye Rodriguez (138).
Connor Nagela (120) placed 4th after a tough loss in the determining
bout. Non-placing Huskies were Stephon Carr (160), Adrian Palmares
(170), Zion Long (182), and Malcolm Gray (220). Zion stepped in for
Danny Lingen, the normal starter at 182 pounds. Danny had been out
with an injury, and it is wildly unfortunate that the senior could
not compete in the individual state series. The good news is that the
Huskies have advanced in the team competition, and Danny (and all Huskie wrestlers) are eligible to participate against Sandburg in
the Dual Team Sectional matchup a few weeks down the road. Let's
hope that all wrestlers are available and ready for the showdown
against the Eagles.
The next chapter in this year's Huskie postseason is a Friday-Saturday date with other
individual sectional qualifiers. This upcoming tournament takes
place this weekend, February 14-15, at Hinsdale Central High School in
Hinsdale. In this weekend's competition, all
wrestlers will compete in 12-wrestler brackets. The top four placers
will advance to Champaign for the individual state championship
round just a week later. The Hinsdale Central Individual Sectional brackets have
already been created. There have been reports of errors online, so
consider the brackets unofficial at this time.
View the upcoming
Hinsdale Central Individual Sectional brackets on TrackWrestling. A reminder, if you cannot come out to
Hinsdale Central High School, you can follow the action at this link.
As we mentioned above, the team's regional victory enters the Huskies
into the now 16-team
Dual Team State Series (for 3A class schools). This tournament will
begin for the Huskies on Tuesday, February 25, at Sandburg High School. This location was predetermined
prior to the IHSA postseason. All wrestlers on a team, regardless of
regional participation or advancement, are eligible to compete in
the team duals at the end of February.
Here now is a quick glance at the 14 Huskie wrestlers and their day,
along with their tournament's win-loss record:
February frenzy:
Huskies open postseason on Saturday at Lyons
Varsity competes against seven
local squads for tourney crown; top 3 individuals advance
· 02/05/2020
Competition
dates are highlighted.
While the other levels have closed the book on their IHSA season,
the Varsity squads all across Illinois ready for the postseason.
Some say that the regular season is just preparation for the trials
and tribulations that arise during the IHSA State Series.
Due to its enrollment, the Huskies compete in Class 3A. There are
also Classes 2A and 1A. On February 2, Oak Park & River Forest
visits Lyons Township High School to begin its postseason quest.
Eight teams will attend this regional tournament.
Below is our quick primer on what you need to know to be ready for
all of the February action.
Team advancement
|
On Saturday, OPRF will compete alongside seven other squads at
the Lions' home of LaGrange High School (LaGrange campus).
Including unofficial state rankings, these teams are: Bolingbrook
(#21), Downers Grove North (HM), Downers Grove South (HM), Hinsdale
Central (#23), Lyons Township (#20), OPRF (#10), Proviso East, and
Proviso West. As noted, Downers Grove North and Downers Grove South
are Honorable Mention teams (per
IWCOA Rankings). On Saturday, only the winning team
who outpoints the others will win the regional and advance to the
Dual Team State Series.
Team scoring
|
Team points are gained by wrestlers' place finish and manner of
advancement. Certainly, higher place-winners earn more points, and
winning matches by fall/forfeit/default/disqualification (+2 bonus),
technical fall (+1.5 bonus), or major (+1 bonus) results will
further help your school. Winning a match earns 2 points in the
championship bracket (except in 1st place matches), whereas a successful win earns 1 point in the
consolation bracket (except in 3rd place matches). Final placement of wrestlers correspond to
these team point values: 14 points (first place), 10 points (second
place), 7 points (third place), and 4 points (fourth place). As
mentioned in the above paragraph, only the team with the highest
cumulative point total at its respective regional advances to the
Dual Team State Series. There are 16 regionals in Class 3A.
Wrestler participation and
advancement (Lyons Township Regional)
|
Schools have the right to enter up to 14 wrestlers -- one for
each weight class. These wrestlers can be regular starters, lower
level wrestlers, or freshmen. The wrestlers must qualify, however,
for their intended weight class. Regional tournament seeding
meetings will be held on Thursday, February 6. At these meetings,
teams submit their starting lineups for the upcoming regional. Since
there are nine participating schools at OPRF's regional, at maximum
there can be 9 wrestlers at one particular weight class. The top
three (3) wrestlers in each weight class qualify for the Individual
Sectional Tournament to be held Friday-Saturday, February 14-15, at
Hinsdale Central High School (Hinsdale Central).
Wrestler participation and
advancement (Hinsdale Central Individual Sectional)
|
Four regional tournaments merge to form an individual sectional.
This year, OPRF's individual sectional is composed of 12 regional
place-winners per weight (regional fourth place is excluded and does not advance to the
individual sectional) from Reavis, Stagg, Marmion, and Lyons. The
four (4) individual champions will receive a first round bye, while
the other eight wrestlers will wrestle in their preliminary round
matches. Of the 12 wresters in each weight bracket, the top third
(the four place-winners at the end of Saturday's competition) will
punch their ticket to Champaign as participants in the Individual State Final. Getting into the
individual sectional place matches is vital. Although the results of
the 1st and 3rd place bouts do not factor into qualification for the
individual state tournament, results at the individual sectional will affect the placement
position in the individual final tournament. Team scores are not
kept at individual sectional tournaments and are considered
irrelevant.
Wrestler participation and
medals (U of I Individual State Finals)
|
Four is the magic number yet again, as four individual sectional
tournaments join to create the State Finals bracket. The four
individual sectional champions will be seeded and placed in
corresponding locations on the bracket sheet. The other 12 wrestlers
(2nd/3rd/4th place individual sectional finishers) will be scattered
mathematically in the pairings. No byes are provided for any of the
16 wrestlers. Only wrestlers who lose to an eventual semifinalist
will qualify for the consolation bracket; four wrestlers per weight
class will be one-and-done.New for 2019: all wrestlers
losing their first round match shall compete in the wrestle back.
In years past, the loser of the preliminary round bout needed his or
her victor to win in the quarterfinals. If not, this wrestler's
tournament ends. This year, the IHSA approved full wrestlebacks for
all wrestlers, in effect removing the "follow the leader"
requirement. The top 6 finishers in Champaign will earn
medals. This three-day tournament includes full wrestlebacks with no
walkovers (in other words, previous decisions from the championship
bracket are ignored if two wrestlers meet again in the consolation
bracket).
Prices
|
Regional costs $8.00 for an all-day
pass (it appears that session-only tickets are not available this
year). Individual Sectional costs $6.00 per session (3). Individual
State Final costs $10.00 or $12.00 per session (5) / $50.00 or $60.00
per all-session pass / parking is $12.00 all day. For Dual Team State, Team Sectional costs
$6.00 for the event. Dual Team State Final costs $8.00 per session
(2).
Times (OPRF events)
|
Regional Sessions: 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM (Saturday).
| Individual Sectional Sessions:
4:30 PM (Friday), 9:00 AM &
2:00 PM (Saturday).
| Individual State Final Sessions:
12:00 PM / 4:30 PM approximate for 3A (Thursday), 8:30 AM &
7:00
PM (Friday), 9:00 AM & 5:30 PM (Saturday).
| Dual Team Sectional Session: 6:00
PM (Tuesday). Dual Team State Session: 9:00 AM & 5:30
PM (Saturday).
Tournament videos
|
Individual State Finals and Dual Team State are broadcast live
and archived on
www.IHSA.tv
(via subscription). Event finals may
be
rebroadcast on CSN Chicago (also read the
press release from 2014 September).
Lyons Township H.S. address
|
IHSA Regional (Feb 8) |
100 S. Brainard Ave., LaGrange, IL 60525 |
Map
Hinsdale Central H.S. address
|
IHSA Individual Sectional (Feb 14-15) |
5500 S. Grant St., Hinsdale, IL 60521 |
Map
State Farm Center address
|
IHSA Individual Final (Feb 20-22) |
1800 S. 1st St., Champaign, IL 61820 |
Map
Sandburg H.S. address
|
IHSA Dual Team Sectional (Feb 25) |
13300 S. LaGrange Rd., Orland Park, IL 60462 |
Map
Grossinger Motors Arena address
|
IHSA Dual Team Final (Feb 29) |
101 S. Madison St., Bloomington, IL 61701 |
Map
Brackets |
All IHSA Wrestling regionals (yep, all 48 regionals in 3
classes) will be hosted on
TrackWrestling. All brackets, live results, and archived event
results will be posted on TrackWrestling.
Visit the 2020 Lyons Township Regional tournament on TW.
Look below for all potential OPRF State Series events on
TrackWrestling.
Dual team tournament
|
More information on the Dual Team State Series will come in a
few weeks. Should OPRF win its regional, it will visit Sandburg in
its Dual Team Sectional round. The date of that event would be
Tuesday, February 25.
In the meantime, follow the Orange &
Blue
Wrecking Crew in this February frenzy! Go Huskies!
Don't skirt the shirt: Buy your
Huskie wear today
Huskie gear is ready and waiting, designed to satisfy ·
11/15/2019
Support the HWF (Archived from the 2013-2014
season)
Keep your eyes out for 2019-2020 gear!
|
What's better than OPRF / Little Huskie apparel? New OPRF /
Little Huskie apparel! To get your hands on Huskie Wrestling Family
gear, attend a home event this year.
Being a Huskie in China
I am happy to be in Qingdao, Shandong,
China, but I am unable to experience one of my most
treasured gifts -- being there in the flesh to witness what
I call "The Orange and Blue Wrecking Crew." I need your help
for pictures, results (matchups, dual scores!), newsworthy
items, video finds, anecdotes -- whatever you can send.
Please consider spending a few seconds or minutes of your
day to email me information. Yes, somebody else may send me
the same info, but it's better that I receive two notices
than zero.
