After coming one victory from qualifying for the individual state meet, Riverside Brookfield High School senior Jacob Noe took advantage of his second chance.
Noe won his final two high school matches as the Bulldogs reached the Class 2A team state quarterfinals for the third time in the past four postseasons before losing to third-place Chatham Glenwood 58-12 Friday in Bloomington.
Noe won with a third-period pin at 150 pounds. The Bulldogs (19-7) also took decisions by junior all-stater Edgar Mosquera 11-6 at 113 and senior Josh Gonzalez 5-1 at 144.
“After I pinned my dude, it was like, ‘I’m speechless.’ I was so happy winning it for my team [even though] we lost,” Noe said. “[Going downstate] felt amazing. It just feels really good to do it my senior year.”
RBHS previously advanced to state in 2022 and 2020 for the first time ever and also were defeated in the quarterfinals. There was no 2021 state tournament.
With only four senior starters and two of their three state qualifiers returning, Mosquera and junior Ethan Rivas at 157, the Bulldogs should remain in the hunt for that elusive top-four team state trophy.
“The kids are very motivated. One of the thing we’ve talked about is we want to wrestle as a team on the final day [in the state’s top four],” RBHS coach Nick Curby said.
“Now they’ve got eight or nine months to really put the gas down and get as good as they can so we can be in the position to do that.”
Mosquera (43-7), a state runner-up, and Gonzalez (43-12) end this season sharing the most victories in a season during Curby’s eight seasons as head coach. Rivas finished 24-16.
Glenwood recorded seven pins, two technical falls and two decisions.
“We didn’t lose because of lack of effort. We just ran into a lot of good wrestlers,” Curby said.
The Bulldogs pulled off an impressive comeback to reach state. At the Brother Rice Sectional, Feb. 20, they defeated Hinsdale South 42-33 after trailing 22-6.
Senior Cade Tomkins (27-12 at 165 pounds) opened with a pin, but the Hornets took the next four matches.
“Our team knew once we got to the [lower weights], that’s where we’re stronger and when we got to the middle weights, that’s where we were going to pour on the points,” Curby said. “No one panicked.”
Consecutive pins by senior Mateo Gonzalez (24-16 at 106), Mosquera and sophomore Jayden Tulian (23-17 at 120) put RBHS ahead 24-22. Junior Nate Stanard (22-18 at 126) then won 6-0 and junior Jacob Godoy (30-19 at 132) and Josh Gonzalez followed with pins.
Noe (34-19) mathematically clinched the victory with a 6-2 decision that put RBHS ahead 42-27 with one match left. Noe defeated Andrew Musil, a 157 state-qualifier who beat Noe 13-4 in the first round of sectionals.
“After I saw those four pins in a row, it motivated me. It boosted my confidence way more,” Noe said.
“That (6-2 victory) was an amazing feeling. I was so happy. It felt amazing getting my revenge, but we both wrestled a nice match.”
RBHS girls wrestling
Senior Eleanor Aphay, the first individual state qualifier in program history in 2022, went 1-2 at 125 in her third trip to the state meet in Bloomington.
Aphay (19-6) won her second match 15-11 over Homewood-Flossmoor sophomore Makayla Marr (9-5) after initially being pinned in 1:34 by Canton junior Kinnley Smith (27-4), the state runner-up.
In the consolation bracket, Aphay was defeated 9-0 by Kaneland junior Brooklyn Sheaffer (16-5). Aphay then would have had to beat fourth-place Yorkville senior Yamilet Aguirre (28-3) to advance to the all-state rounds.
“I hoped I would do better at state but I tried my best and gave it my all,” Aphay said. “I was happy with my [win]. Although it was long, I fought hard.”
Last season, Aphay also was 1-2 at state and finished 21-7 overall and was joined by current sophomore Danely Villagomez, qualifying at 135.
As the Bulldogs’ first state qualifier in 2022, Aphay was pinned in both of her matches to finish 17-9.
“For me, the best moments were seeing some of the other girls get their first win of the season,” Aphay said. “I hope I’ve encouraged the girls program to grow and continue to have other state qualifiers.”
