Elmhust Wins CCIW Title, Steve Marianetti Coach of the Year
WHEATON, Ill., February 12, 2005 – When Steve Marianetti first arrived as the head wrestling coach at Elmhurst College prior to the start of the 2002-03 season, he had one immediate goal: capture a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Championship. Marianetti needed just three seasons and two recruiting classes to accomplish that goal as the Bluejays won their first ever CCIW Wrestling Championship at the annual conference championships at Wheaton College. The Bluejays finished the event with 91.5 points, out-distancing Millikin University, who finished second with 79.5 points.
North Central College placed third with 73.5 points. Augustana College, who had won the past seven CCIW titles and 22 of the last 23 conference crowns, slipped to fourth place (43.5 points) while Wheaton College placed fifth (14.0 points.).
Marianetti was selected as the CCIW’s “Coach of the Year “by his peers as his Bluejays placed all 10 of their wrestlers among the top four in their respective weight class, including seven Bluejays who finished first or second.
Three Bluejays captured individual titles. David Silva (Lake In The Hills/Dundee-Crown) won the title at 141 pounds by defeating Augustana’s Larry Amedio 5-2 in the championship match. Rick Lamas (Oak Brook-Hinsdale Central) won his second-straight title at 157 pounds, defeating North Central’s Jon Murphy by a 15-3 major decision. Ward Brady (Carol Stream-Glenbard North)captured the heavyweight (285 pounds) title by defeating Millikin’s Bryan Morgan 6-1.
Four Bluejays finished as runner-ups in their respective weight class. Josh Buatte (St. Peters, Mo.-Ft. Zumwalt South) finished as the runner-up at 125 pounds after he was defeated 8-0 by Millikin’s Phil Davidson in the final. Buatte, who was seeing his first action in a while after returning from an injury, upset #1 seed Noah Zyduck of Augustana in the semi-finals. Buatte pinned Zyduck in 4:58 to earn the win.
Matt Kuschert (Roselle-New Trier) placed second at 149 pounds. He shut out Wheaton’s Rob Jacobson in the semi-finals and then lost a 7-4 overtime decision to Millikin’s Justin Edwards in the finals.
Tyler Ludwig placed second at 165 pounds. He defeated Millikin’s Derek Simpson by technical fall in the first round and then scored a technical fall over Wheaton’s Taylor Ames in the semi-finals. He dropped a 9-4 decision to Augustana’s Brian Daly in the finals.
Matt Sassolino (Chicago-St. Patrick) pinned Wheaton’s Ian Dye in the opening round and then scored an 11-5 decision over Augustana’s Dan Krcmar in the semi-finals. Sassolino dropped a 7-3 decision to North Central’s Ryan Aldrich in the final. Aldrich and Daly were selected as the tournament’s “Co-Most Outstanding Wrestler. “
After falling in the semi-finals, Jeff Kastel (Hinsdale-Hinsdale Central) bounced back in the third-place match, defeating North Central’s Brian Taylor 7-4.
Nick Metcalf (Villa Park-Willowbrook) pinned Augustana’s Matt Zickafoose in 1:30 in the third place match at 197 pounds.
Toby Boltz (Sycamore-H.S.) placed fourth at 174 pounds. He dropped a closed 3-2 decision to North Central’s Eric Foster in the semi-finals, before advancing to the third-place match with a 12-4 decision over Nick VanSomeren of Wheaton. He dropped a 4-2 decision to Augustana’s Nate Demus in the third-place match.
Now that the CCIW Championships are behind them, the Bluejays, who are ranked 10th in the nation in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Poll, will gear up for the NCAA Great Lakes Regional. They will wrestler next Saturday, February 19, at Augsburg College.
Wrestling Gear
