Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009

Maroons should make a mark on the mat

Team features one of area's top freshman

BELLEVILLE -- The big two in Southwestern Conference wrestling -- Edwardsville and Granite City -- may have a little more competition in the battle for metro-east supremacy during the 2009-10 season.

One year ago, it was the O'Fallon Panthers who turned some heads by upsetting Granite City and establishing themselves as an elite program.

This year, it could be the Belleville West Maroons turn to re-establish themselves as a threat to qualify for the Class 3A dual team state finals in February.

The Maroons weren't bad a year ago, finishing 17-5 in dual matches. And with two of the top wrestlers in the Southern Illinois returning in juniors Dylan Viglasky (119 pounds) and Dustin Ventimiglia (160), along with highly-touted freshman Demechico Spraggins, leading the way, West could be even better.

And it may just be the beginning.

"I don't think there is any question that the wrestling program at Millstadt Junior High has helped our program in terms of interest and numbers,'' West coach Al Sears said. "If you look at the Edwardsvilles and the Granite Citys over the years, they've had kids come out of their junior high programs who come in and make an impact as freshmen and sophomores.

"They already have a couple hundred matches under their belts and, in this sport, experience is very important.''

West, which opened its season Tuesday with wins over Waterloo and Roxana, heads north Saturday to battle three of the state's top teams in the state -- Lockport, (Chicago) Mount Carmel and Minooka -- at the Lockport Quad.

Spraggins, who won 327 matches, five national titles and three Illinois Kids Wrestling Federation (IKWF) state titles during his pre-high school years, will split time between 103 and 112 early in the season.

When Spraggins is wrestling at 103, the Maroons have a sectional qualifier in Nate Gonzalez, who will wrestle at 112. Dylan Smith will wrestle at 103 when Spraggins goes at 112.

Viglasky is one of the best in Southern Illinois at 119.

"I'm really looking for some great things from Dylan this season,'' Sears said. "He trains like a madman and did all the camps that we did this summer.

"We really stressed the offseason work and the kids have bought into it. University of Nebraska assistant Mike Greenfield came in and did a clinic for area kids here (Belleville West). We went to the University of Missouri camp for a week and the kids just really worked hard all summer.''

Larry Mitchell Jr. should be a mainstay at 125, while junior Josh Grinston and senior Greg Jones are both quality wrestlers at 130.

Jones also will wrestle at 135 along with Isaiah Hechenberger.

Junior Dylan Terrell will be the starter at 140, while Linnell Bush (145) and Dominique Hardy (152) are fast, strong wrestlers who should win more than their share of matches.

Ventimiglia is one of the best around at 160 and should be among the Maroons' top hopes for a spot in the state finals.

Garrett Reno (171), Devin Williams (189), Robert Voelker (215), Josh Enskat (215) and David Darris (275) round out the Maroons' top wrestlers in the upper weights.