Oak Park-River Forest coach Paul Collins expected two starters to return to his lineup Tuesday for the Class 3A Niles West Dual-Team Sectional.
Senior Adam Lemke-Bell and junior Kamal Bey were cleared for competition after missing the individual postseason, Collins said Monday. The return of Lemke-Bell (25-5) at 285 pounds and Bey (25-2) at 170 could be bad news for the rest of the state.
Lemke-Bell last competed in the OPRF Invitational Jan. 24, but injured his right toe in his opening match. Bey had been held out of the postseason due to a head injury.
Last year, Bey won the state championship at 160.
“Getting Adam and Kamal back is huge,” Collins said. “They provide a lot of energy for the team.”
One wrestler unable to compete in the dual-team playoffs is freshman Tony Madrigal at 106. Madrigal (27-3) couldn’t make weight for the Leyden Regional. Collins said his spot will be filled by sophomore Peter Ogunsanya (7-1).
The Huskies practiced Sunday and Monday after returning from the individual state meet, where junior Isaiah White and senior Matt Rundell won state titles in Champaign.
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“It was nice to get everybody back together and refocus (after state),” Collins said. “Some of the guys didn’t finish the way they wanted to. It’s nice to have the duals (for them).”
The Huskies’ only dual-meet state title was in 2009.
“I can’t wait for the duals,” White said. “It should be really fun.”
The Huskies came into the season hoping to become the second consecutive team to win back-to-back 3A titles, following in the footsteps of Sandburg (2012, 2013).
OPRF (24-0) entered the week ranked No. 1 in the nation by intermatwrestle.com, while Sandburg was No. 19 and Glenbard North was No. 21.
The winner of Tuesday’s match between the Huskies and Evanston will take on either Marmion or Lyons in the state quarterfinals at 11 a.m. Saturday at U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington. OPRF defeated Marmion 49-14 on Jan. 10.
Twitter @geomwilcox