Wrestling leaders include veteran, rookie
HUNTLEY — One Huntley wrestler with more than 20 victories has proved to be a quick learner, while another is a three-year varsity contributor.
The freshman Red Raider is 157-pound wrestler Radic Dvorak, who owns a 22-9 record. The senior is Markos Mihalopoulos, who is 24-7 at 285 pounds and hopes to conclude with 100 career wins. Both went unbeaten as Huntley notched three more dual wins Jan. 6 in their own mega dual meet.
“It’s kind of sad to realize it’s my last season but I’m excited for the post-season,” Mihalopoulos said. “I’ll miss the practices and the tournaments, the things I have learned in my wrestling career. I just wanted to embrace this year.”
Mihalouplos often gains first period victories, using quickness to beat the other wrestler to the punch. He won in 1:09 over his Schaumburg opponent and another in less than 30 seconds.
“I was slow when I started my sophomore year, but I work on getting better speed every day,” Mihalopoulos said.
Mihalopoulos has reached a record of 24-7. He now has an 88-38 career record. He will wrestle in college at Campbell University in North Carolina next season.
“Mihalouplos has done well,” Red Raiders coach BJ Bertelsman said. “His high water mark was his sophomore season and he’s getting back to that. With him it is a matter of staying focused.”
Dvorak, meanwhile, has made a splash in his first varsity season but Bertelsman is not surprised.
“Dvorak has really turned it on lately,” the coach said. “I know he would have a learning curve coming in as a freshman, at a higher weight class, but you saw during the Dvorak (tournament) he is learning to wrestle as a high schooler. I’ve been following him the last two years and knew once he figures out the nuances of high school he would be very good. He is already near the top of the team in wins and has a strong lead in pins. Hopefully the next month he wrestles lights out and makes a run at state.”
Seniors Shane McGuine (150) who is 23-7 and Alex Napientak (165), 20-7 and Mihalouplos will take a bow on Huntley’s senior night Jan. 24 against Hampshire.
The Red Raiders earned wins over Plainfield South, 65-14; Batavia, 46-34 and Rolling Meadows, 64-14 but lost a close battle to Schaumburg, 37-36, on Jan. 6.
