Wrestling
Wrestler of the Year: Austin Marsden, CL Central
Austin Marsden has wrestled in many big tournaments but the Crystal Lake Central junior said nothing compares to the IHSA Individual State Tournament.
Crystal Lake Central wrestling coach Justen Lehr had an unusual goal heading into the season – simply to have fun.
There were not many people out there who thought that Johnsburg’s girls basketball team would be playing for a state title more than The Rant.
BLOOMINGTON – Crystal Lake Central’s seven wrestlers who qualified for the IHSA Individual State Tournament last weekend won 18 matches against three teams Saturday at the IHSA Class 2A Dual Team State Tournament.
The dream matchup between Crystal Lake Central and Montini is all set up at IHSA Dual Team State Tournament today.
The Burg’s girls basketball team won its third straight sectional title on Thursday in a route of Regina Dominican, and if they beat Oswego on Monda,y they punch their ticket to the state tournament.
Things are heatin’ up for The Burg and the Shire’s girls basketball teams. Each of them are one win away from sectional titles, and a long awaited meetin’ between the two.
GENESEO – Crystal Lake Central spent more than twice as much time on its bus ride as it did in defeating Washington, 46-23, on Tuesday at the IHSA Class 2A Dual Team Wrestling Geneseo Sectional.
CHAMPAIGN – Crystal Lake Central put an exclamation point on the season by winning three state individual titles at the IHSA State Wrestling Finals on Saturday.
CHAMPAIGN – Dundee-Crown’s Miko Villanueva got the matchup he wanted Saturday at the IHSA Individual Wrestling State Tournament but not the result he hoped for.
Prairie Ridge senior David Vinton’s state title in the 215 weight class capped an improbable high school wrestling career. He also picked a heck of a time to win the second tournament of his life.
CHAMPAIGN – After losing in his quarterfinal match for his first loss of the season, Crystal Lake South’s Nick Fontanetta quickly adjusted his goal to taking third place at 103 pounds.
Last year at the IHSA Individual State Wrestling Finals, Marengo’s Joey Moorhouse went from barely qualifying to a third-place finish.
Athlete of the Week
For Jim Patton, this is the cherry on top of the sundae.
BARRINGTON – Crystal Lake South’s Nick Fontanetta and Kean Loupee and Huntley’s Lucas Rogers don’t know what to expect, but they are hoping for the best. Dundee-Crown’s Miko Villanueva and Cary-Grove’s Josh Nelson have an idea, but that doesn’t make it any easier.
Harvard qualified three wrestlers for the IHSA State Finals at the Class 1A Byron Sectional in what might be better called a mini state tournament.
STERLING – Crystal Lake Central junior Joey Kielbasa walked off the mat at Musgrove Fieldhouse with one hand holding his sweatsuit and the other holding an ice bag to his head.
Wrestling matches will intensify today and Saturday at sectional tournaments with a trip to the IHSA Individual State Finals in Champaign at stake.
Inside Wrestling
After the final buzzer sounded Saturday, Crystal Lake South 103-pound wrestler Nick Fontanetta had his hand raised as the winner, just like he has in every other match this season.
MACHESNEY PARK – Crystal Lake South’s wrestlers looked at the brackets from the IHSA Class 3A Harlem Regional and thought big.
WOODSTOCK – Crystal Lake Central wrestlers won eight of nine place matches at the IHSA Class 2A Woodstock Regional on Saturday to secure its second consecutive regional championship.
HARVARD – Wrestling and winning regional titles is a tradition at Harvard like none other.
CRYSTAL LAKE – In her five years as superintendent, Jill Hawk said District 155 officials this semester are dealing with the district's first accusations of hazing.
Things just got a bit more interestin’ in the FVC Valley Division in girls basketball.
Athlete of the Week
By ROB SMITH
HARVARD – Harvard’s boys basketball team defeated Westminster Christian on Saturday, 36-34, in non-conference play behind some impressive play in the third quarter.
GRAYSLAKE – Crystal Lake Central’s Gage Harrah wrestled for 20 seconds Friday at the Fox Valley Conference Tournament, and his coach couldn’t have been happier.
The Rant noticed that it’s very crowded at the top of the FVC Valley Division in boys hoops with three teams tied for first place.
RICHMOND – Wrestling team scores don’t always tell the complete story of a meet, but they do tell the most important thing – who won.
HARVARD – The Richmond-Burton boys basketball team erased a six-point deficit with three minutes remaining Tuesday and held on for 52-51 win against Big Northern Conference East Division rival Harvard.
Athlete of the Week
HARVARD – In his first and final season in the varsity lineup, Matt Melson wants to make the most out of every opportunity.
WAUCONDA – Johnsburg’s wrestling team went 3-0 on Saturday with impressive victories against Vernon Hills, 51-24, Antioch, 47-31, and Wauconda, 39-29, at the Wauconda Bulldog Duals.
McHENRY – After losing a tough match to Crystal Lake South on Thursday night McHenry’s wrestling team bounced back to defeat Jacobs, 62-16, on Friday to finish second in the Fox Valley Conference Valley division.
CRYSTAL LAKE – Crystal Lake South sophomore Nick Fontanetta is one of the top-ranked 103-pound wrestlers in the state in Class 3A according to IllinoisMatmen.com, but the renown isn’t negatively affecting him, just making him work harder.
JOHNSBURG – Crystal Lake Central’s wrestling team clinched at least a share of the Fox Valley Conference Fox Division title with a 50-24 win against Johnsburg on Thursday.
The Rant heard that the atmosphere in McHenry for the CL South vs. Mac Town wrestlin’ match that basically decided who would won the FVC Valley Division crown was awesome.
CRYSTAL LAKE – Crystal Lake South’s Robbie Lemke scored all of his nine points in the fourth quarter and overtime Wednesday to help the Gators past Jacobs, 43-39, in their Fox Valley Conference Valley Division game.
Inside wrestling
NAPERVILLE – Prairie Ridge’s girls gymnastics team had an added degree of difficulty when defending state all-around champion Jenny Covers did not compete Saturday, but the Wolves won the five-team Neuqua Valley Invitational with 142.825 points.
HUNTLEY– Huntley’s girls basketball team had three players score in double figures and defeated South Elgin, 66-50, in a non-conference game Friday night.
CRYSTAL LAKE – It was called the District 155 Quadrangular, but the wrestling meet hosted by Crystal Lake Central on Friday had more of an intrasquad feel to it.
HEBRON – Outscoring Westminster Christian by eight points in the fourth quarter Thursday, the Alden-Hebron girls basketball team forced overtime and won its Northeastern Athletic Conference game, 44-37.
HUNTLEY – The Huntley wrestling team found out Thursday that an incomplete Dundee-Crown team is still pretty good.
JOHNSBURG – After a 51-point home loss Saturday to New Trier, Johnsburg’s girls basketball team rebounded Wednesday in Fox Valley Conference Fox Division play against Crystal Lake Central.
HARVARD – Richmond-Burton’s girls basketball team saved its best against Harvard for the second half Tuesday.
