Top 10 Wrestling Teams
1. Sandburg: Eagles are considered one of the top 10 teams in the nation for good reason. Six state medalists are back, including two-time champion Rudy Yates (Northern Iowa) and state finalist Louie Hayes (Virginia).
2. Mount Carmel: A drop from Class 3A to 2A has the Caravan thinking big. Jake Tucker (Michigan State) and Dru Worker should be in the mix for individual state titles. Seven state qualifiers return.
3. Lockport: State champion Shayne Oster (Northwestern) leads another strong lineup for his older brother, coach Josh Oster. Abdullah Assaf and Brandon Ramos, a transfer from St. Laurence, should make it tough on opposing lightweights.
4. Lincoln-Way West: The Warriors might start slow with the nine starters competing on the state finalist football team, but coach Brian Glynn returns five wrestlers who had more than 31 wins last season, including two-time medalist Kyle Ruettiger.
5. Lincoln-Way Central: Heavyweight title contender Bryan Ditchman leads way as six starters are back from last year’s state quarterfinalist. Watch out for junior Jake Dudek, who could be poised for a podium run.
6. St. Rita: Two-time state champion Austin O’Connor and two-time placer Jake Silzer (Illinois) will pile up points in every tournament. Six other starters return, including breakout candidate David Ward.
7. Marian Catholic: Nearly the entire roster is back for coach Dan Jordan, including Jose Champagne (Indiana), state finalist Kordell Norfleet and sectional champ Josh Jones.
8. Lincoln-Way East: With 10 returning starters, including 30-match winners Jason Stokes, Jake DiBenedetto and Brian Burns, coach Tyrone Byrd fields his deepest roster in years.
9. Providence: Eight freshmen and sophomores started for coach Keith Healy last season, and with another strong freshmen class, the future looks bright for the Celtics in the revamped Catholic League.
10. Tinley Park: Experience won’t be a problem. Coach John Pfeffer returns 10 starters, including nine seniors. Two-time state finalist Eric Schultz is a wrecking ball at 195 pounds.
Top 20 Wrestlers
(in alphabetical order)
Abdullah Assaf, Lockport, junior, 120 pounds; Egan Berta, Lemont, junior, 145 pounds; Patrick Brucki, Sandburg, junior, 182 pounds; Jose Champagne, Marian Catholic, senior, 152 pounds; Bryan Ditchman, Lincoln-Way Central, senior, heavyweight; Christian Hall, Crete-Monee, junior, 145 pounds; Louie Hayes, Sandburg, senior, 113 pounds; Brian Krasowski, Sandburg, senior, 170 pounds; Brandon Muselman, Oak Forest, junior, 113 pounds; Jimmy McAuliffe, Reavis, junior; 138 pounds; Kordell Norfleet, Marian Catholic, junior, 170-82 pounds; Austin O’Connor, St. Rita, junior, 145 pounds; Shayne Oster, Lockport, senior, 145 pounds; Kyle Ruettiger, Lincoln-Way West, senior, 145 pounds; Eric Schultz, Tinley Park, senior, 195 pounds; Jake Silzer, St. Rita, senior, 132 pounds; Trevell Timmons, Lockport, junior, 152 pounds; Jake Tucker, Mount Carmel, senior, 145-52 pounds; Dru Worker, Mount Carmel, senior, 195 pounds; Rudy Yates, Sandburg, senior, 126 pounds.
Logan Mallory is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.