As of April 1, 2025, My Huntley News is no longer publishing new content but remains active for archival use. For those of you with active subscriptions, a prorated reimbursement will be sent to you no later than May 1, 2025. Refunds will be issued to the name and address listed on your subscription. My Huntley News thanks you for your support and readership, and we welcome you to visit White Silo Media's primary publication, My Sun Day News.
Subscribe Subscriber Login Staff/Contact Advertise Submissions Jobs

 

MY HUNTLEY NEWS

THE DOORWAY TO OUR COMMUNITY
 
News Features Sports A&E Columns Hang Your Hat Obituaries Sun City

January 4, 2023

Huntley's Ben Wiley, a senior, competes at 220 pounds gainst McHenry in a dual match Dec. 16. HHS faced Crystal Lake South away Jan. 4 and Hononegah here Jan. 5 in dual action.
Steve Peterson
Huntley’s Ben Wiley, a senior, competes at 220 pounds gainst McHenry in a dual match Dec. 16. HHS faced Crystal Lake South away Jan. 4 and Hononegah here Jan. 5 in dual action.

Sports • January 4, 2023

Wrestlers ready for FVC challenges ahead

By

HUNTLEY — One Huntley wrestler reached the 20-win mark while two others were closing in on the milestone as the calendar flipped to the 2023 portion of the season. HHS faced Crystal Lake South Jan. 4 away as the Fox Valley Conference season resumed.

Markos Mihalopoulos, a 285-pounder, was 25-6 following the Red Schmitt Invite at Granite City, which concluded Dec. 29. Alex Napientak at 152 was 18-11 and Ben Wiley at 220 gained a 18-10 mark.

The Red Raiders finished in the top half of 27 teams as they were 11th of 27 squads at Granite City.

Adam Pena, 126, posted the team-best fourth-place effort while Aiden Lira, 120, ended seventh. Also finishing in the top 10 were: Jake Niemasz, 8th at 170; Wiley, ninth at 220; Mihalopoulos, 9th, 285; Zach Hornickel, 9th at 113 and Mauricio Quiroz, who placed 10th at 145.

HHS head coach BJ Bertelsman summarized the squads’ last two tournaments, at Machesney Park Harlem and at Schmitt.

“We have been progressing through the break, fighting a lot of injuries right now on both the boys and girls teams,” Bertelsman said. “The Dvorak results were a little disappointing but with the young team we had, we kind of expected that with a tournament of that caliber. We fared a lot better at the Schmitt Tournament where a lot of the kids got multiple wins and really picked up the slack. I can’t wait until we get all the bodies back in the (wrestling) room on an every day basis. I’m just looking forward to match consistency out of our kids at this point.”

The coach commented on Mihalopoulos, a junior, who was a state qualifier last season.

“Mihaloupoulos is leading the way but he had one bad match at Granite City which threw his chance of earning a medal out the window. He will be ready to go in February,” the coach said.

HHS top results at Red Schmitt Invite at Granite City

At 113 pounds, Zack Hornickel, 12-16 overall, ninth tourney, 5-2 tourney record.

For 9th, Hornickel beat Isiaah Kan, Joliet Catholic, fall, 0:43

120, Aiden Lira, seventh, 4-3 tourney, 12-17 season

For 7th, Lira over Asian Merioles, Alton, major decision, 11-2

126, Adam Pena, fourth  place, 4-3 tourney, 23 team points, 14-9 overall.

For 3rd, Pena lost to Dylan Roth, Lafayette, fall 2:47

132, Vlad Maluhim, 13th place, 4-4 tourney, 11 points, 11-7 overall

For 13th, Maluhim over Chance Hensley, Bolivar, 4-2 decision

138, Rafael Sobrepena, placed 12th, 5 points, 14-14 overall, 3-5 tourney

For 11th, Jorge Robles, Joliet Catholic, over Sobrepena, decision, 10-6

152, Alex Napientak, 13th place, 7 points, 3-5 record, 18-11 season.

For 13th, Napientak over Ethan Fitzgerald, Chicago Heights Marian Catholic, fall 3:08

170, Maurico Quiroz, 10th place, 14 points, 9-15 season, 4-3 tourney.

For 9th: Quiroz beat DJ Wilson, Paducah Tilghman, major decision, 8-0

182, Jake Niemasz, 8th place, 10 points, 5-16 season, 2-4 tourney

For 7th: Gus Schreiber, Normal Community West, over Niemasz, fall 1:13

220, Ben Wiley, 9th, 15 points, 18-10 all, 4-2 tourney

For 9th: Wiley over Ben Hall, Paducah Tighman, fall 4:18

  1. Markos Mihalopoulos, 9th place, 13 points, 25-6 season, 5-1 tourney.

For 9th: Mihalopoulos over Jeremy Lewis, Lafayette, fall 3:30.