All five of our area teams make the trip on I 88 to the crows nest for the DVC wrestling meet at DeKalb. The Barbs come in as back to back champs but with postseason coming up everyone is looking for top performances. This highlight is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.
North and Waubonsie succeed in the third place matches
We start off with the third place match at 113 pounds. Ben Messier from Naperville North rolls Waubonsie’s Sebastian Sifuentes into the half nelson and pins him to take the third place spot.
Then that switches at the 132 third place spot with Warrior Elias Gonzalez keeping Zach Mally on his back and gets the win.
Redhawks with a hot start in the finals
Time for the championship round. At 113. It’s Ty Martin for NC taking down DeKalb’s Eduardo Castro and then later on Martin locks him up in the half and is your 113 pound conference champion after the pin.
To 120 with Redhawk Vince Bern facing Barb Jalen Airhart. Airhart thinks he has Bern where he wants but that changes because Bern reverses and throws him to the ground and that results in a close win and the 120 title.
Another Redhawk has success at 126. It’s Ethan Olson wrestling Tyler Sternstien once again after a close win in December for Olson. Not this time because he was in control for the entire match and gets a major decision.
Don’t count out the Barbs
Now the Barbs hit the gas starting with Mekhi Cave who cradles up Larry Stubitsch and holds him long enough for the pin.
It’s the same result at 152 as Jacob Luce puts Chris Bern in the chicken wing and it works to win the match.
At 160 it’s a Husky and a Rehdawk going at it. Gavin Bohan from Central rides the bull and Kai Goodrick in a low scoring match. At the end Goodrick thinks he steals the match but time runs out and Bohan wins.
Neuqua gets a champion at 170
Neuqua Valley gets a conference at 170. Silvano Spatafora gets a close win over Henry Rydwelski after a crucial takedown late in the match.
DeKalb takes over
Although the Barbs aren’t done yet as David Stewart locks down husky Steve Harvey to win in the 195 match.
The championship is all but determined at 220. Lamar Bradley bear hugs Niko Besterio and that’s all she wrote. Bradley gets the pin and is all excited and for good reasons.
Final match of the night and Jesus Rojas from Metea Valley pins Alex Marx in the heavyweight match. For the third time as members of the DVC, DeKalb wins the conference wrestling crown. For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
