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Athlete of the Week

AUSTIN MARSDEN

Crystal Lake Central, jr.

Marsden won the Fox Valley Conference Tournament at 189 pounds Saturday. He finished the regular season with a 33-2 record and is ranked second in Class 2A at 189 by IllinoisMatmen.com.

 Regional preview

The most important three weeks for wrestlers begin on Saturday with regionals in the first round of the IHSA state tournament series.

The area could boast as many as 49 wrestlers who enter regional competition with state rankings. Crystal Lake Central leads local schools with nine ranked wrestlers in Class 2A, led by Joey Kielbasa, ranked No. 1 at 145 pounds. Kielbasa will be going for his second consecutive state title after winning at 140 last year.

Kielbasa, who has wrestled at 152 for most of the season, said he needed to drop a few pounds to make weight at 145 for regionals. He said that he was focused on being mentally ready for the road ahead.

“It’s a stretch to lose that weight and compete,” he said.

Trevor Jauch will also be going for a second state title for the Tigers after winning at 112 last season. Jauch bulked up over the summer and will compete at 125 this year.

“I want to get the second title,” Jauch said. “I don’t want to get to state and not win it.”

Marengo’s Joey Moorhouse enters regionals ranked No. 1 at 152. Moorhouse placed third at state at 145 pounds last year.

Also placing at state last year in Class 2A and looking for another long run are the Tigers’ Gage Harrah, who was third at 215, and Marian Central’s Jared Koch, fourth at 189.

Central faces familiar teams at the Woodstock Regional, including four from the FVC.

Tigers coach Justin Lehr said familiarity isn’t always good.

“Sometimes you don’t want to see the same people all the time,” Lehr said. “I think the regional might be tough.”

In Class 3A, Dundee-Crown’s Miko Villanueva hopes to improve on last year’s third place finish at 103. Villanueva moved up to 112 this year and said it was both a mental and physical benefit.

“I really like this weight class,” Villanueva said. “This year, it’s smooth.” 

Coach Al Zinke said Villanueva has wrestled with more focus and intensity this season.

“Last year he turned it on at the end of the year,” Zinke said. “This year he’s been there all year.”

Crystal Lake South sophomore Nick Fontanetta will take his unblemished 31-0 record and a No. 2 ranking at 103 pounds into regionals. Fontanetta just missed qualifying for state last year with a fifth-place finish at the Barrington Sectional last year.

Harvard’s Dillon Cowan (135) and Dan Stott (160) lead the Class 1A hopefuls at regionals. Both are ranked second.

This week’s

top meets

IHSA Regionals
 Saturday

Class 1A -  Alden-Hebron at Harvard.

Class 2A – Crystal Lake Central, Prairie Ridge, Johnsburg, Richmond-Burton, Marian Central and Woodstock North at Woodstock. Hampshire and Marengo at Belvidere.

Class 3A – Jacobs, Cary-Grove, Crystal Lake South, Huntley and McHenry at Harlem. Dundee-Crown at Fremd.

– Rob Smith
rsmith@nwherald.com