Bronco Wrestlers Pin Down Conference Championship

One would think that it would be very difficult to continue building on a resume after finishing the season undefeated and ranked fifth in the state as a team, but amazingly the Broncos managed to find another way to prove their team is worthy of the accolades placed on them while gearing up for regionals in a week.

"We are peaking at the right time," Barrington's coach Alex Strobl said of his team.  "All 14 of our wrestlers are placed in conference and that speaks volumes about the team."

With some of the areas toughest kids wrestling in his 112 pound division, it is still difficult to find a wrestler that is ranked higher in the state than Buffalo Grove's Eugene Blackmon who is currently 11th. However, he would still need to battle just to get the chance to face his opponent in the championship round where he would face the second ranked wrestler in the state junior Jared Parvinmehr of Barrington.

The match remained close through out and while at 3-3 Blackmonearned three points for a near fall on Parvinmehr that pushed the score to 6-3.  But Parvinmehr showed why he is ranked second and managed a reversal to pull nearer at 6-5 to start the third.  During the final period Blackmon was called for stalling that tied the match at six and moments later Parvinmehr was able to take Blackmon down to earn two points and secure the championship match.

"I wanted to get really offensive and try to just use my technique," Blackmon said following his match.  "He just capitalized on my mistake."

"I didn't wrestle my best, but I'm very pleased with the results," Parvinmehr said.

The crucial team points from the match went to Barrington and scored 235 team points in route to their MSL championship.

But not to be out done as the only MSL champion, Aaron Castagna(285) would also take the top spot on the podium with his 3-1 decision victory over fellow heavyweight Prospects Terry Thomas in his championship match.

A methodically match that would have seemed void of action to the common viewer but this match was a technically sound match where one wrong move would have cost either opponent the match.

I love being part of this team," an excited Castagna said moments after his match concluded.  "And now my name, as well as the team's, will be forever immortalized on the [record] board as MSL Champs."

'This is just a jewel in his crown," Strobl said of  Castagna's performance.  "He has been wrestling well lately and has earned this."

Barrington had four wrestlers in the finals but unfortunately Castagna and Pervinmehrwere the only ones to come out of their battles with the championships.

To kick off the championship wrestling round was Barrington's sophomore Matt Sheehy who had a fierce competitor in tenth ranked junior Aaron Kohlberg of Rolling Meadows.  Despite the best efforts of Sheehy he fell in a major decision 9-1.

Sixth ranked senior Dakota Wapotish (145) also lost in his championship match in a major decision 10-2 at the hands of a familiar for, Wheeling's 10th ranked senior Mike Smith.  Smith has defeated Wapotish for the second time this year but he is looking to regionals for some redemption.  

Barrington's most popular victory, or perhaps most consistent bitter sweet finish was third place which they captured six times out of eight bouts during the two day event.

Sophomore Kevin Conrad won his match with a 9-0 major decision over fellow sophomore Palatine's Austin Honneing.

"To have not wrestled on varsity and to come out here and win is totally exciting," Conrad said.  "And I didn't even wrestle my best so I am really happy."

"I wrestled hard and did my best," Honneing said of his hard luck fourth place finish.  "I tried my hardest and got this far so what more can you say?" 

The following match decided the 125 weight category and the Broncos were quick to claim victory with a 5-3 win for senior Connor Mannina.

"I would have liked to have been in the finals," Mannina said following his victory.  "But I'll take it."

Barrington's first lose in the semifinal matches came when Conant's senior Vince Gottardo worked a 9-5 decision over senior Steve Polasik, much to the delight of the hometown crowd.

But Barrington went straight back to their winning ways with seniorJoe Adreani's 9-2 decision over Hersey's senior Zac Whitehead.  In a rematch from a bout earlier in the tournament the results were similiar but by different means as Whitehead was pinned by Adreani.

At the 160 pound class a pair of juniors dueled with Barrington's Cam Thomson pinning Wheeling's Eddie Scanlon to add to Barrington's overall team points that kept climbing after every match.

"[Scanlon] is tough and fun to wrestle," Thomson said as a positive for not being able to wrestle in the finals. 

Barrington's other fourth place recipient was sandwiched between their other two third place victories.  First, senior Mike Weisshappel(171) won a tough 3-1 decision over hometown favorite, Conant's Gino Prestia, but the emotion for Barrington's win would slip a bit as Hoffman Estates' Paul Albani (189) managed a take-down in sudden victory overtime to lead him to the third place win over Barrington's Ryan Wilt.

Junior Daniel Davidson came into his wrestle-back bout relaxed thanks to a loss that left him at ease and not worrying about the pressures of a finals match.

After defeating Prospect's junior Max Triveline, that set-up his third place clash with Fremd's senior Dan Muehlfelt, Davidson was eager to get back to the mat despite winning his match on a 7-3 decision. 

"Sometimes a loss is a good thing," Davidson said referring to his loss to Hersey's senior Jason Olsen.  "It makes you hungry for regionals."

Barrington will again hit the mat when they head to Deerfield next week Saturday, Feb. 5 for regionals.  When the dust settles after this tough test, the remaining Bronco wrestlers will return home for Sectionals that Barrington will be hosting.

"We are fortunate to be at home; especially considering the facilities and the venue that Barrington has," Strobl said of the prospect of having a home match so late in the season.  "The trick will be to make sure we get there because some of the schools at regionals have some studs."