Wrestling trio aims to reach goals together
HUNTLEY — A trio of long-time Huntley wrestlers, Alex Napientak, Shane McGuine and Markos Mihalopoulos are looking to finish their careers strong for the Red Raiders and are off to strong start
Napientak is competing at 165 pounds, McGuine at 150 pounds and Mihalopoulos at 285. On team photo day, the trio reflected on their wrestling careers.
“All three hard in the off season so hopefully they will leave it all on the table in February,” HHS coach BJ Bertelsman said.
McGuine and Mihalopoulos have a long-standing friendship.
“I have known Markos since middle school, he is one of my best friends. We both went to state in eighth grade. We train together in the off-season at Relentless Training Center in Johnsburg,” McGuine said.
“We both made state in the eighth grade. We have a real good relationship,” Mihalopoulos said.
It’s been a journey through multiple weight classes for McGuine, who started at 113 pounds as a freshman, went to 120 pounds as a sophomore and jumped from 138 to 150 this season.
“I had a growth spurt, so staying at the lower weights was not sustainable,” McGuine said. He recalled a tough match from that time. “I remember at 113 going up against Ben Devino of St. Charles East, but he beat me.”
McGuine and Mihalopoulos took home more than one win at the tough Dan Gable Donnybrook wrestling tournament in Coralville, Iowa Dec. 2. McGuine was 3-2, 11th place showing. Mihalopoulos was 2-4, and finished eighth, but faced nationally ranked Dillan Johnson of Joliet Catholic Academy in a third round bout.
“I’ve had a good start to the season, 3-0 at the Fremd Quad and the Gable meet has a lot of tough wrestlers. It’s good for us to wrestle against a high level of wrestler,” McGuine said.
“McGuine has had the strongest start to the year,” Bertelsman said. “He has put the time in during the off season and is reaping the benefits so far.”
McGuine is looking forward to college wrestling, with the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire the top choice now.
Mihalouplos is motivated after a rough sectional last season. He beat his Jacobs foe to start the dual season and did well at Gable.
“I feel like I did better there (Gable) then I did last year,” Mihalopoulos said of the Gable meet.
Mihalopoulos recalled one special win in his four years of Red Raiders wrestling.
“It was sophomore year and I beat the McHenry kid for the team’s Fox Valley Conference title,” he said.
Mihalopoulos recently accepted a college wrestling scholarship offer.
“I wrestled at a tournament at Virginia Beach, VA,” Mihalopoulos said. “The coach from Campbell University (North Carolina) was impressed, and he offered me a scholarship. I never thought I would be wrestling at D-I in college.”
Napientak, meanwhile, sees development in his approach to matches.
“I’m way more calm now and less emotional,” Napientak said. “I think that’s an advantage over time. I’m motivated to be the best wrestler I can be.”
There is another factor drives Napientak to success.
“I wrestle for my late uncle, Mickey Marchesse, who was huge into wrestling, he was two-time state qualifier for Hoffman Estates and wrestled for Illinois State University,” Napientak said.
Napientak has injury challenges early this season.
“Napientak is working through some injuries right now but hopefully he will be ready to go in the next couple of weeks to have a strong season,” Bertelsman said.
Bertelsman commented on the team’s Gable meet effort.
“Overall we did a lot better than last year,” the coach said. “A lot of kids got multiple wins. Mihalopoulos did well on day one until he ran into the No. 2 ranked kid in the nation in Johnson. He didn’t wrestle bad day two, just lost close matches that he has to find a way to win in February. McGuine wrestled really well winning three matches. Our three freshmen won seven matches. We need to regroup and focus on duals the next two weeks.”
