By Carter Crane-
Marmion Academy and Montini Catholic High Schools recently moved from Class 2A in wrestling to the bigger-school 3A in the three-class system and are still dominant. Both teams won their Class 3A dual sectional meets to advance to the eight-team 3A State meet in Bloomington. The excitement is advanced in that they will square off in the quarterfinal round at 11 a.m. Saturday. Semifinals in three classes will be Saturday afternoon and the championship bouts will be at 6 p.m. in the one-day event.
Montini captured four individual State championships Saturday, Feb. 17 at the University of Illinois in Champaign. Marmion captured one championship, Trevor Chumbley at 138 pounds. Montini champions: Real Woods, 132; Jake Stiles, 145; Matt Ortiz, 160; Peter Christensen, 195. Other 3A champions include: Abe Assad, Glenbard North, 170; Jack Jessen, Willowbrook, 182; Matthew Hennessey, Plainfield North, 220.
Class 2A wrestling State champions: Dean Hamiti, Joliet Catholic Academy, 106; Austin Macias, Burlington Central, 126; Nick Termini, Burlington Central, 145.
Class 1A champions: Cameron Johnson, Aurora Christian, 120; Noah Villarreal, Aurora Christian, 126; Joey Bianchini, IC Catholic Prep, 138. Both Aurora Christian wrestlers are sophomores in the relatively young wrestling program.
Other schools in the 3A wrestling State dual meet include Minooka, Huntley, and Glenbard North. Other schools in 1A include Aurora Christian and IC Catholic Prep.
• The State honor roll continues: Girls basketball 4A regional champions include Benet Academy, Bolingbrook, Geneva, Montini, Naperville Central, Wheaton North, and Wheaton Warrenville South; 3A regional champions: Glenbard South and Marengo; 2A regional champions: Harvest Christian, IC Catholic Prep, Timothy Christian; 1A champion: Newark. The only girls basketball sectional champion through the start of this week is Harvest Christian. In girls bowling, Kiana Krahulik of Oswego East was second with 216.8 average in six games.