Huskies Still Have Bite

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By Mack Bolen
Special to Illinois Matmen

Defending 3A state champs Oak Park-River Forest High School began the season with an unsettled line-up and some key injuries. It would seem that things might be turning around for the Huskies after finishing 2nd at the Granite City tournament ahead of both #5 ranked Granite City and #7 ranked Edwardsville and defeating Hinsdale Central 38-31 in a West Suburban Silver conference match-up. The Huskies line-up got a boost with the return of one of their “big dogs,” LaQwan Hightower, at 215lbs. Saturday OPRF swept a quad beating Wheaton North 33-16, Libertyville 31-22, and then finishing the day by trampling St Rita 47-22.

Against Wheaton North, the meet started at 140lbs and the Huskies won the first five matches to go up 18-0 before the Eagles won at 189lbs. Hightower got another win for OPRF at 215lbs before Wheaton North won the next 3 matches to bring the score to 21-13. OPRF closed it out winning 3 out of the next 4 matches with Chris Dardanes getting a major decision on the final match.

Nick Dardanes opened the meet with a major decision at 145lbs vs Libertyville, and the Huskies built a 13-0 lead before Brock Friesen dropped a tough 5-2 match to #6 ranked Josh Ronne at 171lbs. OPRF got a decision at 189lbs and then Hightower marked his return with a 2-1 victory over #9 ranked Luke Miller giving the Huskies a 19-3 lead. Libertyville won 3 of the next 4 matches before Frankie Pichiotti won a decision at 125lbs. Matt Bystol (#3 ranked at 125) won a major decision bringing the score to 25-18, but Chris Dardanes followed with a fall for the Huskies putting the meet out of reach.

In the last meet of the day, the Huskies won the first 3 matches vs St Rita, capped off by a 16-5 major decision by #3 ranked Sam Brooks over Eric Nolen. Jawon Akui (#2 at 171lbs) got St Rita on the board with a fall at 189lbs over OPRF freshman Nick Kowalczuk (Ben Brooks was out with the flu). The Huskies got a fall from Hightower at 215lbs before St Rita won the next 3 matches, closing to within 3 points, 22-19. Colin Rogers won a major decision, and Frankie Pichiotti followed with a TF putting the Huskies firmly in control 31-19. St Rita got a win at 130lbs, but OPRF finished with two pins by both Dardanes and a major decision by Anthony Manetti for a 47-22 final score.

Sam Brooks, Nick Dardanes, and Chris Dardanes all went 3-0 on the day for OPRF, as did LaQwan Hightower and Frankie Pichiotti. Pichiotti has been making some real noise since dropping to 125lbs. His 3rd place finish at Granite City included a victory over a ranked Missouri wrestler and his performance on Saturday was solid. With both Hightower (215) and Rogers (119) back in the line-up, these Huskies are starting to look hungry again.

[owl145]

who are the Eagles?

[mckbln]

Originally Posted by owl145

who are the Eagles?

That's a mistake. Wheaton North are Falcons. Got them mixed up with Carl Sandburg. Must be the uniform colors....sorry.