Naperville Central captures a second straight wrestling regional title

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Let’s roll into the East Aurora Wrestling regional featuring all five of our area wrestling teams including defending regional champions and recent DVC champions, Naperville Central, with plenty of wrestlers looking to punch their tickets to sectionals. A top three finish is what a wrestler needs to advance to next week. This highlight is sponsored by BMO

We start with the 138 pound third-place match with Neuqua Valley’s Jay Chidley getting a major decision on Metea’s Juan Arroyo. Chidley is one of four Wildcats moving on to sectionals. Despite the defeat, Arroyo will advance as well after making the semifinals.

The third place match at 144 pounds with Zach Mally from Naperville North and Waubonsie Valley’s Ethan Wojtowich as two more local grapplers are advancing to sectionals. As the match goes on, Mally turns Wojtowich onto his back and pins him to take third place. 

Jake More hits the mats on the right foot

Championship match time starts at the beginning at 106 pounds. Naperville Central’s Jake Moore wrestles in eighth varsity match and he makes the best of it with a 2-0 decision over Naperville North’s Adam Beedon to win it all.

At 113 pounds we see another Redhawk showing a strong effort in Jacob Cochran. His opponent is Isaac Harris from Bolingbrook and Cochran locks him up in the cradle and pins him to win the match.

Tyler Sternstein gets aggressive to win it all 

Another good one at 132 pounds with Vince Bern from Naperville Central getting out of a mess against Tyler Sternstein from Naperville North. However deep in the match Sternstein turns Bern onto his back and pins him to win the 132 championship. 

West Aurora had a strong showing in the regional as Noah Quintana takes care of Chris Bern from Central in a 12-6 bout.

More Huskies with some strong showing with Matthew Murphy wins the 190-pound first place match over Jacob Smetters from Naperville Central. Smetters advances to sectionals once again after being the lone state qualifier from the area last season. 

Redhawks finish strong starting at 215

At 215, Nico Besteiro from Naperville Central is in a tough one with East Aurora’s Arnold Walker. Besteiro is holding on to a one-point lead and gets an aggressive takedown to secure a 7-4 decision and the first-place spot in the weight class. Another top spot on the podium for the Redhawks.

Will Erbeck puts the cherry on top of the East Aurora regional

The final match of the day is the heavyweight bout with Redhawk Will Erbeck and Raider Isaac Amoh. Late in the bout Erbeck trails by one but then throws Amoh to the ground to take the lead. He then wants to end it in style and he does so with a fall. That win for Erbeck puts the cherry on top of another wrestling regional championship for the Redhawks from East Aurora. Twenty-seven of our local grapplers will wrestle next weekend at the challenging Hinsdale Central sectional.

For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!