Wrestling: Niles West’s Monreal-Berner repeats as Central Suburban wrestling champion

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Niles West's Thomas Williams, right, wrestles with Glenbrook South's Michael Kindelin in the 126 lb. weight class at the Central Suburban League conference tournament on Jan. 21, 2012, at Maine East High School in Park Ridge. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

Updated: February 27, 2012 8:30AM

A year ago in the first CSL Tournament that maintained team scores, Niles West finished sixth with a little more than 100 points, placing seven wrestlers in the top six and one champion in Vaughn Monreal-Berner.

Niles West duplicated that performance Friday and Saturday at Maine East, with one difference. After breezing through the 171-pound bracket last year, Monreal-Berner (26-7) found himself deadlocked 1-1 late in the title match at 182 against Deerfield’s Zach Perbohner (17-8). Gut-check time.

“My game plan was to score early and often, but that didn’t work out. I knew I had to escape in the third period,” said Monreal-Berner, after securing the 2-1 victory. “This is a good tournament, and it feels good to win again.”

After a bye, the Wolves junior standout dominated Maine East’s Federico Cabrales 13-4. Two of the four contenders at 182 then bit the dust in the third round. Monreal-Berner pinned Maine West’s Max Hanak (26-8) in 2:44 while Perbohner prevailed 4-3 over New Trier’s Scott Schwartz (26-6).

Monreal-Berner is determined to qualify for the state meet after falling one step short last season in a 3-1 sectional defeat.

“He wants to be a state placer. He just needs to push the pace, attack more, be more aggressive,” said Niles West head coach Anthony Genovesi. “He wrestled tough and rolled (Perbohner) pretty tough when he was on top.”

Anthony Underwood (17-9) won three of four matches at 170 to earn third place. The junior all-conference returnee and three-sport standout recovered from a 14-9 loss to Glenbrook North’s Jim McPike (19-5), the eventual champion, to pin Deerfield’s Cotton Emmerich (15-9) in 2:46.

Junior Steve Apple (23-11) and sophomores Isaac Reinemann (16-14) and Brian Knorr (16-14) each placed fourth at 113, 132 and 152, respectively. Apple is one of Niles West’s six returning sectional qualifiers. Reinemann, who moved up a class, and Knorr both came through with three wins against two losses.

Tommy Williams (22-14, 126), another all-CSL returnee, and sophomore Nick Vickers (106) added sixth-place finishes. Both advanced to sectional last season. Williams did not have his best tournament, but has beaten a couple of ranked opponents and is one of the Vikings leaders, along with fellow juniors Monreal-Berner, Underwood and Apple.

Sophomore Jason Chavez won one bout at 195, while heavyweight classmate Dennis Gargovic lost twice but continued to display considerable potential. Marc Coss claimed two wins while subbing for injured Nick Yonan at 145.

Junior Kevin Kaufhold lost twice at 220 but has been quick learner as a new wrestler, notching 10 wins this season. Senior Andrew Matias picked up a win at 160 while holding the fort for injured junior Sam Conrad (knee). Sophomore veteran Matt De La Vega (138) is also out with an injury.

“I was really happy with our three sophomores (Vickers, Reinemann, Knorr) who placed,” said Genovesi.

South champion New Trier rode upset victories in the lighter weights to the team title, edging favored North champ Deerfield 259.5 to 247.5. Two solid conference runners-up, Maine West (213.5) and Maine South (154.5), rounded out the top four.

Niles West scored 104 points, four fewer than last year. Glenbrook South (120) took the fifth spot, but lost to the young Wolves (12-8, 3-2) in the final regular-season dual.

The Wolves won a regional crown last year at St. Patrick and advanced nine wrestlers to the sectional. But Niles West will encounter a tougher field when it hosts a Class 3A regional on Feb 4. Only the top three wrestlers from each class move on, and Maine West and Maine South will be among the eight teams.