After coming one victory from his first Class 3A individual boys wrestling individual state meet in 2024, Lyons Township High School senior Jack Kutchek returned a changed athlete.
“This is my first year I can confidently say that I don’t get nervous before my matches anymore,” Kutchek said. “I’d just get really worked up, really nervous. I just decided in my head if I wrestle my butt off and stay true to my attacks and work as hard as I possibly can, I can get the job done.”
Nothing obviously fazed Kutchek at the Hinsdale Central Sectional Saturday. Now he and junior Griff Powell are both going to their first state meets after both finishing third. Top-four finishers advanced to state, which begins Thursday in Champaign.
“I came a long way, a long way,” said Kutchek (27-14 at 138 pounds), who didn’t begin wrestling until freshman year. “It’s just a blessing having such great teammates and coaches. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t believe in myself and believe that I could do it.”
Powell (33-4 at 132) blanked Mt. Carmel sophomore Justin Williamson (15-7) for third place 3-0 after previously beating Williamson in the second round 4-3. Kutchek won five of six matches. He took third with a 6-2 victory over Sandburg sophomore Brady Ritter (35-11), who actually pinned him in the 2024 match that decided who went to state.
“Both guys did an amazing job. [Classes] 132 and 138 are both very difficult at this sectional,” LTHS coach Griff Powell said.
Wrestler Powell overcame adversity as well. As a sophomore at sectionals, Powell had to medically retire because of an elbow injury suffered during his opening match. As a freshman at 106, Powell was one sectional victory from state.
“It’s pretty nice [to qualify]. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” said wrestler Powell, son of the Lions’ head coach. “I still want to go down and win the whole thing. That’s the next goal.”
Key victories came in wrestlebacks with state berths on the line. Kutchek won 6-3 in overtime against Glenbard West junior Alejandro Aranda (40-7), who pinned Kutchek in the teams’ dual meet. The entire third period remain tied 3-3 with the wrestlers neutral. In overtime, Kutchek won on his takedown with 37 seconds left.
“When overtime started, I looked up into the stands. I just saw everybody rooting and clapping for me and that gave me the boost I needed,” Kutchek said.
In similar dramatic fashion at the 2024 sectional, Kutchek advanced to his match against Ritter thanks to an emotional upset victory — a “cement mixer” pin at the final buzzer after once trailing 7-1.
“Those two are the best matches [I’ve won] but this one’s sweeter because it brought me to state,” Kutchek said.
“Probably the underdog going in [versus Aranda], but Jack didn’t care. He went all out,” coach Powell said. “It’s nice to get over that hump [to state]. That’s a tough round to win in [for wrestlebacks]. There’s a lot on the line and both rose to the occasion.”
After losing 7-2 to second-place Marmion junior Demetrios Carrera (41-6) in the championship semifinals, Powell won by pin in 3:55 to secure his state berth after leading 13-5.
“I just kind of took it like any other match. I didn’t really think of it as this determines my season,” wrestler Powell said. “Not going down my freshman year and then my sophomore season ending early made me want to work harder to be the best in the state.”
Kutchek lost his second-round match to senior champion Seth Mendoza from Mt. Carmel (32-1) by technical fall 16-3. Kutchek responded with a pin and 6-5 decision over Batavia’s Jack Duraski (34-9) on a late third-period takedown.
Freshman Louie King (19-18 at 106) went 2-2 and came one victory from state, losing his third-place semifinal 19-11 to a senior, Downers North’s Tyler Tiancgo (40-12). Senior Nicky Arquilla (23-18 at 215) and junior Cornell Fennessee (25-16 at 165) also were 2-2. Senior Mickey Ahrens (21-20 at 157) and junior Jimmy Hillmann (29-19 at 285) were 1-2. Senior Roger Martinez (32-11 at 126) had to default after injuring his knee at practice early last week. Martinez is expected to have surgery this week.
Kutchek, Powell and Martinez had hoped to qualify together for state after first joining varsity two seasons ago.
“Winning that [overtime match], I was going for him. I just feel bad that he’s not going to be a part of it this week,” Kutchek said.
King, the Lions’ lone regional champion, trailed Tiancgo 10-1 after the first period but quickly closed to 10-7 and trailed 11-9 after two periods.
“I just had to keep wrestling back,” King said. “You’ve just got to believe in yourself. I’m just getting excited for next year and being in this position and trying to get down.”
LT/RB girls wrestling
Lyons Township senior girls wrestler Avi Gonzalez achieved something special in her third trip to sectionals. Gonzalez recorded her first sectional victory in her second match at the Schaumburg Sectional at 110 pounds after going 0-2 in her first two sectional appearances, both also at 110. Gonzalez (18-6) won by technical fall 23-3 in 4:51 over Proviso East sophomore Regina Jones (4-4), whom Gonzalez pinned earlier this season.
“Even if it was just one match, it still meant a lot to me,” Gonzalez said. “It was like a weight lifted off my chest because it was the one goal that I wanted. It feels really good because that sectional is crazy. You’ve got a bunch of ranked girls in your bracket.”
Riverside Brookfield junior Danely Villagormez (23-9 at 155), also making her third sectional trip, and Gonzalez both went 1-2, two victories from advancing to state with top-four finishes. Villagomez was eliminated by a 4-0 loss to Woodstock junior Brianna Crown (38-13) after a scoreless tie entering the third period. Villagomez won her second match 14-2 over Batavia’s Caoimbe Mitchell (30-16) after being pinned in the first round by the third-place finisher. Gonzalez was pinned in her two losses to the third- and fourth-place finishers.
Villagomez qualified for state as a freshman at 135. Last year, she was 0-2 at sectionals at 140. Gonzalez is the only three-time sectional qualifier for the Lions, who began their program her sophomore year.
“I used to cry every match that I lost, even won sometimes,” Gonzalez said. “I just kept in mind that commitment is definitely a huge thing, even if it’s going to practice or lifting a little bit. When you stay consistent with your training, it definitely shows.”
