DEKALB • DeKalb will host the 25th Don Flavin Dual Team Invitational that has become the dual team tournament of all dual team tournaments in Illinois. It is better than the Dual Team State Championships from any perspective as there are no classifications and, more oft than not, the heaviest hitters in Illinois come out to wrestle in this one because, as this is the midpoint of the season, it shows where a team needs to improve.
This preview will look at the first of two eight-team brackets in the morning session that begins at 9:00 a.m. this Friday. Each team will wrestle three duals throughout their bracket. And, wherever they place in their bracket, that will determine which pool they compete in come Saturday. All consolation teams will wrestle in the morning session at 9:00 a.m., with the championship round team wrestling in the afternoon session at 3:00 p.m.
Here is a look at bracket number one.
Terry McCoy Bracket
The Terry McCoy bracket is named after DeKalb’s fourth head coach. Coming to the program in 1984 as an assistant to Hall of Fame head coach Dan Cliff, McCoy helped the Barbs place third in 1988, and second in 1989. In total, those teams qualified seven times for the Dual Meet State Championships.
In 1990, McCoy helped found the DeKalb Wrestling Club, where he served as the club’s president for the final five of the sixteen years he was involved. The club promoted wrestling for children of all ages.
In 1996, McCoy became the head coach for the Barbs. During his four-year tenure, his teams won two Upstate Eight Conference titles, two IHSA Regional championships, and one IHSA Sectional championship. Individually, he coached two state champions, four state placewinners, and several state qualifiers. McCoy retired in 2001 with a combined 64-16 record and has the honor of being inducted into the Peoria Woodruff Hall of Fame in 1989, the DeKalb Hall of Fame in 2003, and the IWCOA Hall of Fame in 2007.
In this bracket, here are the seeds and state rankings for each dual:
01 • Detroit Central Catholic, MI (#1, D1)
08 • Glenbard East (NR, 3A)
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05 • Barrington (HM, 3A)
04 • West Aurora (#12, 3A)
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03 • St. Charles East (#5, 3A)
06 • Minooka (HM, 3A)
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07 • Deerfield (#11, 2A)
02 • Carl Sandburg (#4, 3A)
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Detroit Central Catholic, MI (#1, D1) / versus / Glenbard East (NR, 3A)
Detroit Central Catholic comes into Illinois as the number one ranked team in Michigan. They will also come into DeKalb as the number one seed for this year’s Flavin.
And, unlike Illinois, DCC has, in some weights, two state placewinners, which makes their dual team depth difficult to replicate and, as a team, a very difficult out as their opportunities to bump and match guys up create a great deal of options. In Michigan, a team may only submit fourteen wrestlers at the start of their state series, but they can double up wrestlers at any one weight as long as the limit is no more than two per weight and a total of fourteen entries. In that, they could enter, for example, two wrestlers at 132 pounds, one wrestler at 138, and no wrestler at 144.
This year, DCC has thirteen wrestlers ranked in the top eight of their respective weight class, and, overall, sixteen wrestlers ranked in the top fourteen of the state.
DCC also doubles up at 190 with Lee Krueger coming in at two and Andrew White being seven. And, at 285, Connor Bercume is number one.
DCC’s loaded lineup will face the number eight seeded Glenbard East to open their tournament. For the Red Rams, they will have a few weights with some experience, but not enough to do damage against the Shamrocks, none more than at 120 pounds with Ishmael Chaidez who is currently ranked fifth in 3A by Illinois Matmen. Chaidez has shown he can beat some top guys, and his only loss came in the finals of the Barrington tournament. He will be a wrestler to watch throughout the tournament.
In the end, look for DCC to come in strong and move into the finals of their bracket.
Illinois Matmen and Michigan ranked wrestlers in the dual:
Detroit Central Catholic, MI
113 • Ryan Totten (#1, DI)
113 • Cadon Waatti (#7, D1)
120 • Wyatt Lees (#1, D1)
120 • Jamison Gregory (#5, D1)
126 • Mack Moscovic (#2, D1)
132 • Nathan Walkowiak (#5, D1)
132 • Meyer Murray (#8, D1)
138 • Grayson Fuchs (#1, D1)
138 • Drew Brewer (#14, D1)
150 • Alexander Buskirk (#4, D1)
157 • Jayse Nagy (#11, D1)
165 • Caden Cady (#2, D1)
165 • Logan Ellwanger (#9, D1)
190 • Lee Krueger (#2, D1)
190 • Andrew White (#7, D1)
285 • Connor Bercume (#1, D1)
Glenbard East
120 • Ismael Chaidez (#5, 3A)
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Barrington (HM, 3A) / versus / West Aurora (#12, 3A)
Barrington and West Aurora will wrestle it out for the right to wrestle DCC in the semifinals. Now, each program has its own set of studs that would relish the opportunity to face an out-of-state-top-tanked opponent, but only one school will have that chance.
For West Aurora, the Serio brothers, Dominic (150) who is ranked number two, and Dayne (165) who is ranked number four, are leading a team that is currently ranked number nineteen in 3A and looking to show out at the Flavin with some strong performances. Look for some help from 120-pound Honorable Mention Joseph Huiccohea, and number eight-ranked Marcus Quintana at 144.
Barrington comes into this one looking for the win. The program has been moving steadily forward with Dan Keller at the helm, and being able to defeat a strong West Aurora team and moving to the championships side of the tournament will reinforce where the program is headed. This should be a strong dual and a fun one to watch, and this one will come down to every match point having a significant impact on the final team score.
Illinois Matmen ranked wrestlers in the dual:
West Aurora
120 • Joseph Huicochea (HM, 3A)
144 • Marcus Quintana (#8, 3A)
150 • Dominic Serio (#2, 3A)
165 • Dayne Serio (#4, 3A)
Barrington
113 • Kalen Pratt (#5, 3A)
120 • Ryan Dorn (#7, 3A)
138 • Evan Matkovich (HM, 3A)
150 • Daniel Blanke (#8, 3A)
215 • Clarence Jackson (HM, 3A)
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St. Charles East (#5, 3A) / versus / Minooka (HM, 3A)
On the bottom half of the bracket, St. Charles East will come in as the three seed in the bracket, and they will face off against Minooka, the six seed.
For St. Charles East, they showed what a winning program does for all its wrestlers last week at the Dvorak—it gives them confidence. The Fighting Saints placed second in a strong Dvorak field, and it saw some of its newer-to-the-lineup wrestlers have a strong showing. Success breeds confidence, and St. Charles is riding that wave as their wrestlers continue to improve.
Now, make no mistake about it, junior Dom Munaretto is still the face of that program, and the two-time world champion and Illinois state champion has additional upper-classman leadership in the room with number-one-ranked senior Anthony Gutierrez along for the ride. Between these two, and the rise of the program while both have been a part of it, the younger wrestlers have been able to learn how to work, and hopefully it sets the tone for their future.
As for Minooka, a traditionally strong program that always comes in ready to wrestle, the Saints may be more than they can wrangle in the opening round. But, if Minooka is anything, it is a solid dual team program. Even though St. Charles East may take this one, look for tight matches and strong performances out of Minooka.
Illinois Matmen ranked wrestlers in the dual:
St. Charles East
106 • Kaden Potter (HM, 3A)
120 • Dom Munaretto (#1, 3A)
157 • Ryan McGovern (#3, 3A)
165 • Anthony Guiterrez (#1, 3A)
215 • Cooper Murray (#9, 3A)
285 • Matt Medina (HM, 3A)
Minooka
120 • Noah Avina (HM, 3A)
175 • Kaden Meyers (HM, 3A)
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Carl Sandburg (#4, 3A) / versus / Deerfield (#11, 2A)
The final two teams rounding out this bracket will be the bracket’s number two seeded Carl Sandburg, and number seven seeded Deerfield.
Sandburg has been young for the past two seasons, and they are finally seeing the benefits of the experience gained by their wrestlers in that two-year stretch. With Rocco Hayes leading the charge at 113 pounds, this team can scrap and is just inexperienced enough to be dangerous. Sandburg is strong with their short offense, and they can ride and turn, expect nothing less than some great individual bouts where matches are close, but Sandburg is in control.
With a win, Sandburg would have a semifinal pairing with St. Charles East, and that would make for a great dual and a potential Dual Team State preview. A win in this one would match either one up against a very powerful DCC; however, for Illinois wrestling fans, the 3A dual between St. Charles East would be extremely entertaining and have that cut-throat Dual Team State opening round bout. Of course, both teams will have to take care of business in the first round for this to happen.
Stepping onto the mat across from Sandburg will be a very formidable opponent in Deerfield. Having trophied two years ago, and always in the 2A conversation when it comes to strong public schools, Deerfield will have its guys ready to compete—they always do. As a seven seed in the bracket, Deerfield may not find all the team success it hopes to find in the opening round, but individuals will come out battling and earn wins and, in the consolation bracket, Deerfield should be able to show more of who they are as a team in terms of their strength and ability to win close matches and tight duals.
Illinois Matmen ranked wrestlers in the dual:
Carl Sandburg
113 • Rocco Hayes (#3, 3A)
120 • Oscar Kalman (HM, 3A)
126 • Tyson Bruce (HM, 3A)
132 • Madden Parker (#8, 3A)
138 • Brady Ritter (#10, 3A)
144 • Ryan Hinger (#4, 3A)
Deerfield
126 • Adrian Cohen (#7, 2A)
132 • Jackson Pazet (#3, 2A)
150 • Alex Shvartsman (HM, 2A)
157 • Charlie Cross (HM, 2A)
• TC LIFONTI / LEAD WRITER FOR ILLINOIS MATMEN / tclifonti.com
