Bobby Campos’ patience the last two seasons is paying off in his senior season with Oak Park-River Forest’s wrestling team.
He leads the two-time Class 3A state champion Huskies in wins and is the favorite to win his bracket at the Conant Sectional at 4:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13.
Campos (33-5) is ranked No. 3 at 113 by Illinoismatmen, behind undefeated Montini sophomore Real Woods and Sandburg senior Louie Hayes, who both compete in the Batavia Sectional.
Campos was a state qualifier as a freshman, but wrestled in a supporting role as a sophomore and junior behind Jason Renteria, who was 3A runner-up at 113 last year and at 106 as a freshman.
Renteria is wrestling at 120 pounds his junior season, while Campos has dominated at 113.
“I can show everyone that I belong on the varsity here,” Campos said. “I’m having fun doing what I can do and hopefully make it back at state.”
It has been a long road back to the starting lineup for Campos, who was one of five talented freshmen to join OPRF for the 2012-13 season. Campos finished 39-11 that year, then in limited action, he went 11-5 in 2014 as a sophomore and 16-1 as a junior.
Campos won his weight at the Glenbard West Regional Saturday, Feb. 6 with a 5-0 victory over Hilltoppers senior Charles Faber in the final. Campos was one of 12 regional champions for OPRF, which will advance to the Larkin dual-team sectional semifinals Feb. 23.
While Campos experienced loads of success the past two seasons, he couldn’t beat out Iowa-recruit Renteria, who won the 120 title at Glenbard West.
“Bobby stayed the course. For two years, he was a back-up going toe-to-toe with two-time state runner-up Jason Renteria,” OPRF coach Paul Collins said.
Collins said he appreciates Campos’ versatility. At the Clash Invitational Jan. 1-2, Renteria was unable to make weight, so Campos wrestled at 120 on the first day and moved back to 113 for the second day. He went undefeated at the dual-team meet in Rochester, Minn.
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He won the OPRF Invitational on Jan. 23 and placed third at 120 at Hinsdale Central’s Whitlatch Invitational on Dec. 19. His only loss since then was 3-2 to Sandburg’s Kevin Stearns.
“Being behind Jason was a little frustrating being on the varsity,” Campos said. “I knew I was going to be better. I think I was good enough for state the last two years. I knew if I would have went anywhere else, I would be a starter. But here I would become a better wrestler.”
However, Campos has not been overlooked by college recruiters and is committed to wrestling at Notre Dame College in Ohio.
Twitter @geomwilcox