Dvorak takes fourth, Abordo sixth at state meet
HUNTLEY — A fourth place finish and an IHSA State meet experience were highlights for two Huntley boys wrestlers.
Red Raiders sophomore Radic Dvorak finished fourth at 157 pounds while junior Colin Abordo ended sixth at 113 pounds at the IHSA State Boys Wrestling Individual Tournament.
The battles for place finishes concluded the three-day meet at the State Farm Center in Champaign Feb. 22. Also qualifying for state was Wyatt Theobald, who was 0-2 at 215 pounds but ended his Red Raider career at state.
Huntley coach BJ Bertelsman reflected on the state tournament.
“Dvorak and Abordo had a great weekend,” Bertelsman said. “We knew going in that Dvorak would have a tough semifinal, but he took his lumps and bounced back, barely missing out of third place. He will take the experience and the losses and turn them into a great season next year.”
“Abordo had a great draw and perfected the path to a medal,” Bertelsman said. “He was in a tough weight class, but made it to the medal rounds. He will be even better next year.”
“In the medal rounds they both faced guys they lost to earlier in the season or in the tournament,” the coach said. “Both closed the gap on their opponents so they did better.”
A look at the state tournament results for Dvorak, Abordo and Theobald:
Dvorak
Dvorak, a repeat state qualifier, who was 1-2 last season at state, was 3-2 in five hard-fought matches. He concluded a 45-5 season.
Dvorak opened the weight class with two wins by falls, over Brandon Watson of Glenbard West, 4:52 and Nasser Hammouchie, Chicago Lane, 1:24. Next came a setback to Dom Serio of West Aurora, a loss by fall in 5:26. He won his final consolation round bout by fall over Jovan Vukajlovic of Homewood-Flossmoor in 2:38.
That qualified Dvorak for a fourth place achievement. He lost to Yorkville’s Jack Ferguson, who had a 51-3 record, in a close 5-2 decision for third.
Abordo
Abordo, at 113 pounds, had six matches at the IHSA State Individual Wrestling Tournament and was 3-3, ending with a 41-14 season record. Abordo opened with a win by decision over St. Charles East’s Declan Sons, in a close 8-6 decision. Marmion Academy’s Aidan McClure beat Abordo for the first of two times, in a late match fall at 5:50.
In the consolation rounds, Abordo beat Kai Enos of Batavia, by a 15-9 decision. He lost to Oleksandr Havrlkiv, of Buffalo Grove, by a 14-1 major decision and went for fifth place, but lost to McClure, in a major decision, 8-0.
Theobald
Theobald 33-19 final, fell to St. Charles East’s Cooper Murray, in a tech fall, 19-3 and in the same fashion to Nate Elstner of Lincoln Way West, 18-0.
“Theobald has a great senior year,” Bertelsman said. “He is one of the best kids you will ever meet. He was a pleasure to coach and I was happy he got to have the state experience.”
All-FVC selections
Huntley, who won the Fox Valley Conference championship for the seventh time in the last nine years, had several wrestlers selected to the All-FVC team as picked by the league’s head coaches.
Red Raiders who are all-FVC are: Cael Saldana, freshman, 106 pounds; Colin Abordo, junior, 113; Cam Abordo, freshman, 120; Julian Gutierrez, sophomore, 126; Gavin Nischke, sophomore, 138; Matt Keaty, junior, 144; Radic Dvorak, sophomore, 157; Lucas Bittman, junior, 165 and Waylon Theobald, sophomore, 175.
