Thirty-four area area wrestlers representing 13 different schools are sending grapplers to this weekends’ IHSA state wresetling tournament, with 18 advancing in Class 2A and 16 in Class 3A. Two of them are are going for the third year in a row.
The three-year state qualifiers are Grayslake Cental’s Jonathon Makey and Deerfield’s Andrew Mehrholz. Makey qualified at 138 two years ago, at 152 last year, and at 152 this year. Mehrholz qualified at 106 in 2013, at 120 last year, and at 138 this year.
Mehrholz was one of five area sectional champions, with the others being Nathan Morris (160) and Michael Tortorice (113) of Carmel in Class 2A, Joey Gunther (160) of Libertyville in Class 3A, and Christian Kanzler (126) of Grant in 3A.
In the sectional level, the top four finishers advance to state.
Wrestling begins Thursday night with the Round of 16 in each weight class and the finals are on Saturday.
AREA STATE QUALIFIERS
2A Antioch (4) — Jacob Gross (3rd at 113); Nathan Dlugopolski (2nd at 120); Pat Schoenfelder (2nd at 145); George Bessette (3rd at 195).
2A Carmel (4) — Michael Tortorice (1st at 113); Kenny Barber (3rd at 132); Nathan Morris (1st at 160); Anthony Swindell (4th at 145)..
2A Lakes (2) — Max Hill (2nd at 160); Jared Smith (4th at 170).
2A Grayslake Central (3) — Jonathon Makey (2nd at 152); .David Thiel (4th at 182); Richard Nourouzov (4th at 220)..
2A Grayslake North (3) — Joy Arroyo (4th at 106); Jake Wright (4th at 152); Cody Sawyer (4th at 195).
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2A Vernon Hills (2) — Pete Vanderbloomer (4th at 138); Joe Blistering (4th at hat).
3A Deerfield (6) — Dylan Utter beck (3rd at 106); Andrew Mehrholz (1st at 138); Sage Heller (2nd at 160); Brady Glantz (3rd at 170); Kyle Clough (4th at 113); Nick Kupets (4th at 126)..
3A Grant (2) — Christian Kanzler (1st at 126); Michael Kouvelis (3rd at 152).
3A Highland Park (2) — Dondi Penick (2nd at 152); John Ciancio (4th at 170).
3A Libertyville (2) — Joey Gunther (1st at 160); Mark Dunsing (3rd at 220).
3A Stevenson (2) — Tyler Harrington (2nd at 182); Eric Carter (4th at 120).
3A Zion-Benton (1) — Mark Miller (2nd at 195).
3A Lake Forest (1) — Corey Knudsen (4th at 145).