The Naperville Central Redhawks are back in the IHSA Team wrestling sectional for a second straight year after capturing the East Aurora regional with Downers Grove South standing in the way after winning their own regional. A win for the Mustangs puts them in the State series for the first time in program history. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Downers Grove South looking for a statement starting with Matt Lapacek
At the 190 pound match, Jacob Smetters gets off to a good start, gnabbing two points on Matt Lapacek. However, Lapacek turns it around, runs up the score on his opponent, and takes a 10-6 decision to tie the team score at 3.
Nico Besteiro comes to the rescue for the Redhawks getting a single-leg takedown on Mack Piehl. Besteiro won the previous matchup in the individual sectional and gets a two-for-one postseason special with a 7-5 win for the red and white.
The next match is the heavyweight with state qualifier Will Erbeck turning Jacobi Spraggins from Downers South on his back and holds him down long enough for the fall. That win puts the Redhawks up 15-3.
Ty Martin puts it out of reach with a tech fall
At 120 pounds Central’s Ty Martin goes to work right away Harris Kelliher. Martins’s method is take down and bull riding and he wins by tech fall 19-3 after showing no love on the mat.
Then the Hawks activate pin mode with CJ Bierman locking down Jordan Christin-Holley in the 138-pound match to add to the team total.
Same thing at 144 pounds with Hagan Taylor holding on for dear life against Nick Spirek, trying to get the shoulders down. Taylor completes the mission after the official taps the mat giving another victory for Naperville Central and a big lead on the scoreboard.
Redhawks are heading to the State series
The Mustangs show a late effort with TJ Johnson getting a fall on and Yusuf Sikander at 150 pounds and then a couple matches later Connor Kelly from DGS pins Nic Olvera in the 165 pound bout. Overall, it’s the Redhawks with a solid outing and that punches their ticket to the state series for the first time since 2012 after a 40-21 wrestling sectional victory over Downers Grove South. They will face Yorkville in the quarterfinals on Friday.
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