Marian Catholic is ready to receive a midseason boost.
After a litany of injuries and sickness raided their lineup, the Spartans are finally back to full health, and the rest of the Southland’s Class 2A teams should take notice.
“Naturally, our kids think we’re the best (in Class 2A),” said Marian Catholic coach Dan Jordan, giving a nod to Mount Carmel and downstate Washington, two nationally ranked programs. “I think we’re in the top three or four, but we haven’t proved anything yet.”
Not at full strength, Marian still proved its worth. Jordan entered just eight wrestlers in the 26-team Granite City Invitational and placed eighth.
Marian finally put forth a near-full lineup Saturday against Kaneland and romped to a 61-12 victory.
“This is an exceptional group,” Jordan said. “They’re always hanging around each other, and that’s why they’re getting each other sick.”
Nobody is sneezing at Jose Champagne (160 pounds) or Kordell Norfleet (182), two returning state qualifiers who missed time this season. Both should rack up big win totals.
Norfleet returned for Granite City and beat Triad state finalist Cole Witzig for the title. Coming off an injury, Jordan held out Champagne.
“Even when Jose wasn’t in the lineup, he’s still pushing kids in the room,” Jordan said. “He’s our captain, and when he missed practice for therapy, you can tell that we miss him. He’s a leader.”
The Spartans stayed afloat thanks to contributions from underclassmen. Travis Ford-Melton (106) and Donnell Washington (120) are two stellar freshman.
“You don’t want to put too much pressure on them, but Travis is an unbelievable wrestler and athlete,” Jordan said. “He’s wrestled in the spotlight of national tournaments before.”
Ford-Melton kept his unbeaten season alive at Granite City with his championship, beating Plainfield North standout Marcus Povlick in the finals. Carlos Champagne, Jose’s brother, won his bracket as a 126-pound sophomore.
Hail Ceasar: Nebraska-bound Eric Schultz isn’t the only Tinley Park wrestler carrying an undefeated record.
Ceasar Clark, a 145-pound senior, improved to 16-0 Saturday with his championship at the 24-team Lincoln Invitational.
Clark was a state qualifier as a sophomore, but his dream of earning a state medal went up in smoke last season.
“I got DQ’d out of the whole (sectional) tournament,” said Clark, who was called for elbowing in a physical bout. “Basically, I was the bad guy in that match. … That’s not who I am. I gotta learn from my mistakes, and I’m learning how to deal with the pressure of those matches.”
So far, so good. Clark makes the 2A 145-pound field even more crowded, joining the ranks of Lemont’s Egan Berta, Mount Carmel’s Dillon Hoey and Lincoln-Way West’s Kyle Ruettiger.
In the meantime, Tinley Park (14-2) is off and running. Clark helped the Titans win the 24-team Lincoln Invite, a first for the program.
Say cheese: A handful of the Southland’s best programs — Sandburg, Mount Carmel, Lockport, St. Rita and Marist — trek north this weekend for the Cheesehead Invitational in Kaukauna, Wis.
It’s a stacked event. Lockport and Mount Carmel finished ninth and 10th, respectively, last year. Sandburg should compete for the team title.
Bragging rights: Surprise, surprise. Lincoln-Way West and Lincoln-Way Central are fighting for the Lincoln-Way Cup.
West won the first two. Central claimed the last three.
“Even when we think one team has the upper hand in years past, it’s still been close,” West coach Brian Glynn said.
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This year is a bit different. The Warriors are making it an event with spotlights and walkout music and by pitting football and cheerleading coaches from both schools against each other in sumo-suit matches.
Check it out at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in West’s auditorium.
Logan Malloy is a freelance writer for the Naperville Sun.
TOP 10
Last week’s ranking in parentheses
1. Sandburg (1)
2. Mount Carmel (2)
3. Lockport (3)
4. Lincoln-Way West (4)
5. Marian Catholic (5)
6. St. Rita (9)
7. Providence (10)
8. Lincoln-Way East (8)
9. Lincoln-Way Central (6)
10. Tinley Park (NR)
Wrestler of the week
Lockport heavyweight Ronald Tucker (23-1) won his division Saturday at the Powerade Invite in Pennsylvania. Tucker was the only freshman to make the finals at any weight. Unranked, he beat three of the top six seeds.