Here is a capsule look at the first step of the state series, beginning Saturday.
The area wrestling squads will begin the quest for state titles this weekend as the IHSA wrestling regionals kick off around the state.
Some teams will have two goals: advancing to sectionals as a squad and getting as many individuals through as possible as well. The winning squad in each regional will advance to team sectionals, which will start after the individual state tourney on Feb. 20. The top three finishers in each weight class will advance to sectionals, where the top four finishers will move on to state.
The teams from the area with the best shot to make it out of regionals are in Class 1A, where Dakota was ranked No. 1 in the latest illinoismatmen.com rankings, while Lena-Winslow/Stockton was at No. 2. They will both take part in Saturday’s Winnebago Regional, which means only one will move on to sectionals.
“Unless somebody falls apart somewhere, it’s going to come down to the last match of the finals,” Dakota head coach Pete Alber said. “I’m hoping to see a little fire in my guys when we come out for this one. We’re going to need it.”
Here is a capsule look at the three-class wrestling regionals:
Class 1A
When: Saturday
Where: Winnebago Regional
Teams: Byron, Dakota, Durand, Lena-Winslow/Stockton, Oregon, Rockford Lutheran, Savanna West Carroll, Stillman Valley, Winnebago
Other regionals: Polo is at Princeton and North Boone is at Aurora Central Catholic
Teams to watch: There is only one sectional-qualifying slot out of this regional, and Le-Win/Stockton, the defending state champions in 1A, and Dakota, the five-time state champs in 1A before that, will be slugging it out in the team race. Byron is ranked 13th in the state as a team, and Oregon is 22nd.
Wrestlers to keep an eye on: Le-Win/Stockton and Dakota are stacked with potential sectional qualifiers, but there are plenty of others to watch as well. The Indians are led by Maverick McPeek (31-2) who has been ranked No. 1 at 220 for much of the season.
Rahveon Valentine of Le-Win/Stockton is No. 2 the latest rankings at 160, and teammate Hunter Luke is ranked second at 138.
Stillman Valley has a pair of No. 1-ranked wrestlers in Jared VanFleet at 132 and Drake Jennings at 195, while their teammate Sam Durfey is ranked sixth at 160. Lutheran’s Josh Schrenk is ranked third at 120, and Winnebago’s Bryce Faworski is ranked fifth at 126.
What they have to say: “Dakota has a nice team over there, and this regional title is going to come down to the wire,” Le-Win/Stockton head coach Kevin Milder said. “It’s going to be interesting, that’s for sure. And it’s not just about us and Dakota. There are a lot more tough teams and solid wrestlers coming in.”
Class 2A
When: Saturday
Where: Belvidere Regional
Teams: Belvidere, Belvidere North, Burlington Central, Freeport, Hampshire, Marengo, Rochelle, Boylan, Sycamore
Wrestlers to keep an eye on: Freeport’s Major Dedmond is the lone local wrestler atop the rankings, where he has been perched for most of the season at 170. Rochelle’s Alex Harvey is ranked No. 2 at 195 and his teammate Eddie Villalobos is sixth at 138. And while Belvidere North’s Malakye Rodriguez (at 106) and Presley Beasley (at 113) are both listed as honorable mentions, there are no other local wrestlers ranked.
What they have to say: “I know I’m going to have to work even harder the farther we go, now,” said Dedmond (33-2). “Every time I think I’m done, I just say to myself: ‘Someone else is working even harder,’ and I’m back at it. I want this.”
Class 3A
When: Saturday
Where: DeKalb Regional
Teams: Algonquin Jacobs, DeKalb, Huntley, Harlem, Auburn, East, Guilford, Jefferson, Hononegah
Wrestlers to keep an eye on: Hononegah’s Tony Cassioppi, 35-0 at heavyweight this season and undefeated the past two seasons, is ranked No. 1 in the state and fourth in the nation and hasn't been challenged by an Illinois wrestler in years. He could pin or tech-fall his way to a state title this year, starting with Saturday’s opponents.
His brother and teammate Giovanni Cassioppi is fresh off an impressive conference title run in which he went up two weight classes and pinned his way to the crown. Hononegah had seven conference champs last weekend.
East’s Dontrelle Johnson was also dominant on his way to the league title at 132, and he will be looking to make it through regionals this weekend as well.
What they have to say: “I’m just out there always trying to improve and make myself into the best wrestler I can be,” Tony Cassioppi said after he earned his third NIC-10 title in a row. “This is my last run for high school, too, so I have to make sure I stay focused and do what I have to do.”
Jay Taft: 815-987-1384; jtaft@rrstar.com; @JayTaft