Bolingbrook has rough time at SWSC

[curt herron]

By Curt Herron
Illinois Matmen

There were some really good things, and some not so good ones, for Bolingbrook at last weekend's SouthWest Suburban Conference meet.

While the Raiders won one championship and lost another title match in overtime, they only had three other placewinners in the event.

As a result, Bolingbrook scored 82.5 points and wound up taking ninth place in the rugged 16-team competition at Lincoln-Way Central.

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Coach Rob Kichka's squad finished behind Homewood-Flossmoor (88) and Bradley-Bourbonnais (86) and ahead of Andrew (76) and Stagg (73).

Carl Sandburg (270.5), Lincoln-Way West (177), Lincoln-Way Central (166) and Lincoln-Way East (130) were the top four placing teams.

Winning a championship for the Raiders was Jordan Laster (103) while Frankie Campos (119) came up short in his efforts for a title.

Also for Bolingbrook, Lazarick Mahomes (130) placed third, Alfredo Najera (135) finished fourth and Isaac Jensen (215) took seventh.

Laster (31-4) captured the championship at 103 after claiming a 10-7 victory over Lincoln-Way Central's #12 Tyler Price (23-8).

Following a tech fall and major decision in his first two matches, #6 Laster won 3-1 over Lockport's Brian Rossi (18-4) in the semis.

"This was my first conference tournament, so I was pretty happy that I won it," Laster said. "But I know there's still a lot of things that I need to work on.

"I tried to incorporate a new style so I can move around a little more to help my game for state. I'm trying to make little improvements to step up my game."

Campos (28-3) lost the 119 title 6-4 after Lincoln-Way West's #6 Mike Schloegel (34-4) got a takedown with 20 seconds left in overtime.

The Raider senior got a takedown in the last minute of regulation to take the lead but Schloegel got an escape to force the extra period.

Campos, an 2008 SWSC champ and 2010 runner-up, got two falls before winning 10-3 over Sandburg's John Pellegrino (29-11) in the semis.

"During the match I was doing good on my feet, but when I chose bottom, I got a little desperate and put myself to my back and that was my mistake," Campos said.

"That match taught me a lot, like I have to wrestle a lot smarter and not give up stupid points. It's better to lose like this than at regionals or sectionals."

Mahomes (22-10) claimed third place at 130 after going 4-0 in the wrestlebacks, capped by a 6-0 victory over Sandburg's Scott Redman.

He won three close decisions before the third-place match, with the last being a 9-7 triumph over Joliet West's Jayvin Bandy (26-8).

Najera (15-7) settled for a fourth place finish at 135 after dropping a 15-2 decision to Bradley-Bourbonnais' Adam Dahl (30-4).

After losing 12-3 in the semis to Lincoln-Way East's #4 Kyle Langenderfer (28-1), he won 10-1 over Lincoln-Way Central's Austin Seliga.

Jensen got a pin in 3:05 over Andrew's Kevin Morphey to claim seventh at 215. Earlier in the wrestlebacks, he split two decisions.

Malik Snapp (14-6), who was ranked #12 at 171, lost his initial match to Thornton' Dominic Bryant (25-3) and didn't compete after that.