Another Friday night Crosstown Classic on the wrestling mat, oh and for this one, we’re heading under the lights of the football field. Wrestlers and fans are ready for the first Grapple on the Gridiron. Naperville Central walks into Memorial Stadium looking for DVC win number two while Naperville North looks for its first wrestling win over Central since 2014.
160 Pounds
Let’s start at 160 pounds with Central up 4-0 but North’s Nico Takano looks to change that. He sweeps the leg of Central’s Anthony Pendolino and hangs on for two points on the take down. In the next round Takano puts the Redhawk on his back and it’s over from here. The pin gives the Huskies a 6-4 lead.
182 Pounds
Another Huskies pin from Ericas Bartkevicius at 170 makes it 12-4 North but here comes Shane Roth at 182. He recently announced he will be playing football at SIU but in the mean time he is focused on wrestling Caleb Yu. Roth gets a take down here and hangs on to secure three points for his team. The Redhawk win inches Central closer down 12-7.
220 Pounds
To 220 pounds we go featuring North’s Dane Tsao and Central’s Austin Longmire. Not a whole lot of scoring but Tsao makes the best of it, getting on top and racking up as many points as possible. The win by Tsao gives the Huskies a comfortable 21-7 lead.
106 Pounds
However things take a turn at 106. North’s Alex Paunkov thinks he has a potential pin set up but Central’s Ty Martin reverses his way out of the mess, gets the escape and a take down on top of it. Eventually it’s Martin who has Paunkov on his back and that will do it for a pin. Add on a forfeit at 113 and the Hawks jumps in front 24-21.
120 Pounds
To 120 and Central is now back in control. Ethan Olson rolls Aidan Hinkle on his back. The Huskie can’t keep the shoulders up and that is all she wrote in this match. 6 team points coming via pin. Olson and the Redhawks flexing their muscles now up 30-24.
145 Pounds
Final match at 145 and welcome back Tommy Porter. You can tell he missed the mats and it shows right here on North’s Jake Newton. No pin, but an 8-2 victory. The win caps off a 35-3 run for the Hawks as they win the Crosstown Classic over Naperville North after a fun night of wrestling, 42-24.
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