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 second of two eight-team brackets in the afternoon session that begins at 3:00 p.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 four.
Rich Harvey Bracket
The 1988 graduate of DeKalb High School was a three-time state qualifier before attending Millikin University where he would also play football and wrestle.
When Harvey came back to DeKalb, he would begin as an assistant coach before becoming only the fifth head coach in the fabled DeKalb wrestling program’s history. In his brief seven-year tenure, he would compile a 129-36-1 record before leaving to take an Assistant Principalship at Rochelle High School.
Although he was there for a short time, his impact on individual wrestlers and the program were immense. He was inducted into the Millikin Hall of Fame in 2017.
In this bracket, here are the seeds and state rankings for each dual:
01 • Washington (#2, 2A)
08 • Prospect (NR, 3A)
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05 • Mukwonago, WI (#11, D1)
04 • DeKalb (#19, 3A)
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03 • Lincoln-Way West (#9, 3A)
06 • Rochelle (#6, 2A)
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07 • Moline (HM, 3A)
02 • Montini Catholic (#1, 2A)
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Washington (#2, 2A) / versus / Prospect (NR, 3A)
Washington has that championship DNA, and they have proved it the past two seasons as they came into each of those IHSA Dual Team State championship duals as the underdog, and they emerged the victor.
In this one, however, Washington is the heavy favorite and deservingly so. Prospect is well past its years with former head coaches Tom Whalen and Dan Keller and their deep state runs and stellar dual met teams. And, unfortunately, with Jaxson Penovich still out for the time being, Prospect appears to be struggling to find its identity.
Now, regardless of all the downs, Prospect’s coaching staff has been working and building and looking to reignite the Knights. It will take some time, but they are working at it and slowly, over time, they may rediscover their stride.
However, as far as this one goes, Washington is much too much, and Prospect will have the opportunity in the consolations to find some success and continue building and growing through doing the right things.
In the end, look for Washington to not only make the finals, but for them to have another stellar matchup, possibly a revisiting of last year’s state championship dual against Montini Catholic. However, two stingy teams in Lincoln-Way West and Rochelle also sit in the bottom of the bracket as well. Regardless, Washington is a team to watch as they know how to win matchups and use their short offense to score big points and keep opponent points at bay.
Illinois Matmen ranked wrestlers in the dual:
Washington
106 • Symon Woods (#2, 2A)
120 • Noah Woods (#1, 2A)
120 • Logan Makiney (HM, 2A)
138 • Peyton Cox (#1, 2A)
138 • Michael Mendoza (HM, 2A)
150 • Wyatt Medlin (#1, 2A)
157 • Cruise Brolley (HM, 2A)
215 • Josh Hoffer (#1, 2A)
285 • Sean Thornton (#5, 2A)
Prospect
157 • Bennett Westfallen (HM, 3A)
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DeKalb (#19, 3A) / versus / Mukwonago, WI (#11, D1)
Host DeKalb will be looking to stay on the championship side of their bracket as they square off against Mukwonago, WI, in their opening dual. Across the board, this dual looks fairly equal in the rankings, so, as many duals do, it will be the lesser-knowns to the general public that will be the difference makers here. As DeKalb knows, and as their program has proven over the years, heroes do wear black and orange singlets, and they show up when their team needs them most.
If DeKalb can stay on the championship side, then they will have a tall order in facing Washington—but they will welcome the competition.
If Mukwonago moves forward, then DeKalb will be using its depth and determination to come back to the highest place possible for them. In the past twenty-four years, DeKalb has been a gracious host, look for this year to be no different.
Illinois Matmen and Wisconsin ranked wrestlers in the dual:
DeKalb
120 • Kaden Klapprodt (HM, 3A)
150 • Hudson Ikens (HM, 3A)
165 • Sean Kolkebeck (HM, 3A)
Mukwonago, WI
120 • Gavin Meinecke (#10, D1)
132 • Colton Katzfey (#8, D1)
150 • Adam Whittier (#6, D1)
157 • Wendell Brausch (#10, D1)
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Lincoln-Way West (#9, 3A) / versus / Rochelle (#6, 2A)
This one will be another great opening round dual that pushes one into the championship bracket, and the other into the consolation bracket. Lincoln-Way West has had some strong tournament showings, and has picked up some strong duals, so this will be a great test for them to see where they are really at.
For Rochelle, they have lost their only two duals to top teams, Washington being one of them, and they have also had a good tournament showing. Again, this should be a very competitive dual and on that comes down to the greatest aspects of the duals: matchups and bonus points.
Illinois Matmen ranked wrestlers in the dual:
Lincoln-Way West
113 • Brady Glynn (HM, 3A)
126 • Shane Stream (HM, 3A)
138 • Jakob Siwinski (#8, 3A)
138 • Jadon Zimmer (HM, 3A)
215 • Nate Elstner (HM, 3A)
Rochelle
113 • Freddie Hernandez (#9, 2A)
126 • Xavier Villalobos (#2, 2A)
165 • Grant Gensler (#4, 2A)
215 • Kaiden Morris (#2, 2A)
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Montini Catholic (#1, 2A) / versus / Moline (HM, 3A)
Montini Catholic comes in as the number one team in 2A, and if all goes as it should, there should be a rematch of last years IHSA 2A Dual Team State championship bout in the finals of the bracket.
However, before anything happens, the Broncos will have to keep focus and wrestle each match in front of them. It is a new year, and Montini is one year more experienced, so watch as Coach Bu keeps his wrestlers grounded and ready to wrestle whoever is in front of them.
As for Moline, Montini will be too much of a hurdle to clear in this opening round, but in the consolation bracket, they should be much more competitive and find themselves in some strong matchups with much growth possible.
Illinois Matmen ranked wrestlers in the dual:
Montini Catholic
106 • Erik Klichurov (#5, 2A)
106 • Jack Bell (HM, 2A)
113 • Allen Woo (#1, 2A)
120 • Michael Malizzio (#3, 2A)
120 • Bobby Ruscitti (HM, 2A)
126 • Josh Vazquez (#1, 2A)
126 • Isaac Mayora (#8, 2A)
132 • Jeremy Huf (#8, 2A)
138 • Kameron Luif (#2, 2A)
157 • Santino Tenuta (#1, 2A)
165 • AJ Tack (#7, 2A)
190 • Jaxon Lane (#6, 2A)
Moline
132 • Dominick Diaz (HM, 3A)
175 • DeAnthony Simpson (HM, 3A)
• TC LIFONTI / LEAD WRITER FOR ILLINOIS MATMEN / tclifonti.com
