By Mark Gregory
Editorial Director
@Hear_The_Beard
mark@buglenewspapers.com
When Enzo Silva was injured in the sectional round of the IHSA state tournament, some may have though the chance of Plainfield South earning multiple medals at the state meet were over.
After all, Silva was the only returning placer for South and finished his career as the Cougars’ all-time leader in wins.
So while his absence from the state qualifiers may have impacted the number of medals South earned at state, the three wrestlers that did advance picked up slack in a big way.
All three, junior Jimmy Pierandozzi, Jake Kendall and Andrew Bejarano all placed at state, marking the first time in school history the Cougars have placed three wrestlers on the podium inside the State Farm Center on the campus of the University of Illinois.
It is only the fourth time in District 202 history that three or more wrestlers from the same school placed in the same meet. Plainfield Central has the most with four in 2012.
“We were three for three, you can never be upset with that,” said South coach Jason Acevedo. “We had two semi-finalists and if things go a little different we have two finalists. I am proud of all three of them for their work ethic and getting this far.”
Bejarano placed fourth for the Cougars, but a pair of controversial calls in the semifinal match could have easily sent the senior to the title match at 285 pounds.
He lost 5-4 to Justin Hall of St. Charles East, but an apparent takedown early in the match was waved off because Bejarano was ruled out of bounds and another takedown as time expired that was ruled to have come after the buzzer both went against Bejarano.
“I couldn’t sleep because I was mad, but stuff happens in life and you have to come back,” he said.
He did come back with a pin of Lloyd Reynolds of Edwardsville in 5 minutes, 55 seconds.
In the third-place match, Bejarano fell 5-2 to Ashford Hollis of Oak Park-River Forest.
“He got me in a good throw and that is why he won the match,” Bejarano said. “He is strong and had a good defense.”
Kendall placed sixth, falling 9-3 to Brock Emmerich of Deerfield in his final match.
He opened the tournament with a pair of wins, defeating Marty Larkin of St. Rita 8-1 and Austin Johnson of DeKalb 9-7 to reach the semifinal round where he fell in sudden victory overtime 3-1 to Hunter Yohn of Quincy.
In the consolation semi-finals, he was pinned in 55 seconds by Tommy Schroeder from St. Charles East.
“I didn’t make it last year and I used that as motivation and I came out here and it was my last time here and it was cool to be under the lights with everyone looking at you,” Kendall said. “I was upset that I lost in the semis, but I was happy I placed.”
Pierandozzi, a junior transfer from Lockport, earned his first state medal after advancing to state twice as a Porter.
This season he finished 35-9 on the season and placed sixth at 145 pounds after a 7-2 loss to Giovanni Cassioppi of Rockton Hononegah in the fifth-place match.
“It finally feels good to come here and place finally, it is a relief. I am (upset) kind of that I took sixth because I have worked really hard, but sixth is still better than not placing,” he said.
Pierandozzi opened the tournament with a 11-6 win over Joaquin Miranda of Huntley and a 4-1 loss to Fidel Mayora of Montini.
He bounced back with a 14-5 major decision over DeKalb’s Bradley Gillum and a pin of Jacobs’ John Ridle in 2 minutes, 33 seconds before falling 8-4 to Philip Sims of Metea Valley in the consolation semi-finals.
“We lose Jake and Andrew to bigger and better things and we get Jimmy back to learn and show our younger guys and keep building,” Acevedo said. “We had some injuries – Enzo was hurt at sectionals, and he is our all-times wins leader and when you talk about kids you expected to be placers, his name comes up. But, he has been here and helping the kids with the mental aspect of it and that is the leadership and the family that they created.”
The other three District 202 schools all had qualifiers, but did not medal.
Plainfield East had a pair of qualifiers.
At 120 Alex Villar went 2-2 at state, opening with a pin of Glenbard East’s Reese Martin in 3:56. That was followed by a 5-2 loss to Michael Jaffe of Marmion Academy.
Villar bounced back with a 7-1 win over Alex Giuliano of Conant, but was then eliminated by a 9-1 major decision to Nain Vasquez of Montini.
At 138 D`Anthony Hopkins fell 7-2 to Mikey Caliendo of Batavia and lost to Taft’s Brendan Gallo 3-2 in the ultimate tie breaker in his two state matches.
Plainfield Central’s Jamel Sheppard opened the tournament with a pin of John Smith of Wheeling in 2:40 at 145.
He then fell to Metea Valley’s Sims 7-2 and then 7-5 to Jack Lingle of Schaumburg.
At 132, Plainfield North’s Jared Gumila was defeated 14-10 in his opening match to Charlie Gruen of Cary-Grove and then lost by a technical fall in 4:16 to Stagg’s Domenic Zaccone.