Champaign – In proceeding, Marmion Sophomore Nicholas Garcia decided that his past could help him currently. Especially if that present was made unwritten in the state meeting.
Back in December, Garcia lost a pair of difficult decisions in 113 pounds for St. Charles East Sophomore Dome Munrato. This made a new way of thinking for competitive cadets.
Garcia said at the State Farm Center on Saturday night, “I snatched everything from those first two matches.” “Honestly, every aspect where I was wrestling, every situation.
“We saw everything in the last one month, and we knew every situation that he was going to work.”
Garcia was done in fine fashion, two major upsurge for the 4–2 decision on Munrato in Class 3A individual state finals at the University of Illinois.
Nicholas Garcia (45–7) became the first Illinois wrestler to defeat Munrato (47-3), who was the state champion in 106.
Garcia built two reversals at the end of the first and second periods, which made a techdown zero in the first period by Munrato.
Garcia said of Munrato, “He is a one -sided wrestler, and he is very good what he does.” “We worked very hard to take that side away.”
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Garcia’s elder brother, Jameson, was a new wrestler in Harvard, his biggest supporter.
Nicholas now joins his brother as a state champion. Jameson, the winner of the two -time state, faced a four -time state Shampoo for the 126 -pound state title in the last season, Ben Davino of St. Charles East.
Devino defeated Jameson in overtime. The monk also topped the cadets for the double team title.
The classic collision between young Garcia and Standout Munrato added another rivating angle to the acute rivalry between powerhouse programs.
“My brother is such a great inspiration to me,” said Nicholas. “I love her with my heart.
Marmion demonstrated her high-end talent despite the transfer of two aristocrats and losing knee injuries, which prevented Jack Leshar, the recruitment of Senior Northwestern, from defending the state title of her 182-pound.
Cadets put three sophomorus in the finals, corresponding to the individual yogas of St. Charles East, Mount Carmel and Marist.
The Zach Stewart of Marmion, back, tries to get the upper hand against Justin Wardlo of Locport, on Saturday, February 17, 2024 Class 3A in Class 3A state championship match in Champaign in Champaign in Champaign in 138 pounds in 138 pounds. (Vincent d. Johnson / Bicon-News)
Sophomore Zach Stewart used late takedown to secure the decision of 6-3 on Lockport’s Justin Wardlo in the 138-Pound Championship match.
Sofomore Joy Favia lost 3–1 in overtime for Kai Calcutt of Loyola for a 215-pound championship. Ashton Hobson (39–11), another Sophomore, finished sixth on 144.
“We have a great bond,” Stewart said about cadets.
Stewart (30–8) stepped away from competition in January to rejuvenate his body to deal with the emotional demands of the game.
“I needed time because I was not in a good mental place,” he said. “Everyone in the team supported me.
Stewart took advantage of Saint Charles East’s Tyler Guerra by injury default in Friday’s quarter -finals. Meanwhile, Fawia (37–7) won three union decisions to reach the finals.
Nicholas Garcia, Marmian, takes control of 113 pounds against Dome Munrato of St. Charles East in 113 pounds, which meet in the Class 3A state championship match at the State Farm Center in the Champion on Saturday, February 17, 2024. (Vincent D. Johnson / Becon-News)
“I was looking at her results on the scoreboard in Sauna,” Garcia said. “As soon as Joy won his semi -finals, I text it and said that we are going to a dynasty.”
In the first two months of the season, Garcia was tolerated between 113 and 120.
He faced the only loss to the Main South Senior Teddy Flores (48–1), 120-pound state champion in a tournament in Batavia last month. Of course, the safe passage was living on that weight.
Without saying, he did not want the belief that he was escaping from Munrato.
“People said that I could win the state in 120 pounds, so it was definitely a sacrifice to lose weight and fall down,” Garcia said. “It was a big decision to make, but for me, it was personal.
“It felt like this, I just had to do it.”
Patrick Z McGavin is a freelance reporter for Beacon-News.