Riverside Brookfield High School junior boys wrestler Tony Lombardo has been around the Class 2A team and individual state meets, but never beyond being an alternate. Now it’s time to participate.
Lombardo joined seniors Izaiah Gonzalez and Nick O’Connor as the Bulldogs’ 2A individual state qualifiers with top-four finishes at the Hinsdale South Sectional Saturday. All three make their individual state debuts.
“It’s funny. I went to team state. I’ve been to the building before (for state championships. Now I can finally experience it myself,” said Lombardo (27-6), who finished fourth at 138 pounds after losing 20-8. “I earned this. I feel pretty good. I get to go down with two of my closer friends on the team. I’m just very excited.”
Gonzalez (31-3) won the 132-pound title with an 18-0 technical fall after a 5-4 semifinal victory. O’Connor (31-6) finished third at 175 with a pin in 3:44.
“Everyone that made it downstate is capable of getting a (top-six, all-state) medal,” RBHS coach Nick Curby said.
Riverside-Brookfield’s Tony Lombardo tries to escape from Evergreen Park’s Michael Chatman during a 138-pound semifinal bout at the Class 2A Hinsdale South Sectional Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 in Darien, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside-Brookfield’s Tony Lombardo looks to turn against Evergreen Park’s Michael Chatman during a 138-pound semifinal bout at the Class 2A Hinsdale South Sectional Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 in Darien, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside-Brookfield’s Nick O`Connor wrestles Oak Forest’s Jason Janke during a 175-pound semifinal bout at the Class 2A Hinsdale South Sectional Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 in Darien, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside-Brookfield’s Nick O`Connor tries to turn Oak Forest’s Jason Janke during a 175-pound semifinal bout at the Class 2A Hinsdale South Sectional Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 in Darien, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside-Brookfield’s Izaiah Gonzalez looks to turn Providence Catholic’s Lucas Forsythe during a 132-pound semifinal bout at the Class 2A Hinsdale South Sectional Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 in Darien, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside-Brookfield’s Izaiah Gonzalez wrestles Providence Catholic’s Lucas Forsythe during a 132-pound semifinal bout at the Class 2A Hinsdale South Sectional Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 in Darien, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark)
A senior transfer from Bremen, Gonzalez came one backdraw victory from state as a sophomore and 20-6 last season but 0-2 at the same sectional as RBHS.
“Going from 0-2 to winning sectionals, it’s a big step. I’ve been working for this and I believe I deserve this,” Gonzalez said. “I’m aiming for that always, No. 1. That’s what I need (at state). That’s what I want. That’s what I’ve been working for.”
As 2025 sectional qualifiers, O’Connor was 2-2 and Lombardo was 1-2. In their matches to reach state, Lombardo had a pin in 1:23 and O’Connor won by technical fall 20-2.
“I was sad after my (12-6 semifinal) loss but I had to get it out of my head with a goldfish mentality,” O’Connor said. “I’d like to say I’d be able to beat me from last year. Throughout my wrestling career, I think I can beat every version of my past self.”
RBHS seniors Aiden Veltman (17-15 at 150), Jayden Tulian (12-15 at 126) and Miles Russell-Barnes (21-19 at 113) came one backdraw victory from state berths. Sophomore Riley Cavaliere (19-16 at 106) was 1-2 and senior Gerald Evans (24-14 at 175) and sophomore Elijah Rembis (7-24 at 157) were 0-2.
In their matches to reach state, Veltman lost by technical fall 19-3 and Tulian and Russell-Barnes were pinned.
“You’ve got to be thankful for what you get,” Curby said. “They left everything on the mat, which is all you expect or ask for. A couple of more guys were right there (to qualify). I can’t be more proud as a coach.”
Top-three regional finishers advance to sectionals. Russell-Barnes and Rembis both finished fourth at regionals but advanced as alternates. Meanwhile, RBHS senior Joe Alberts (15-14 at 215) qualified with third at regionals but withdrew because of injury.
In his first healthy season as a junior, Russell-Barnes came one victory from state. After warmups Friday, Russell-Barnes found out he was competing while battling an illness that kept him from practicing.
“Just grateful to even make it this far. I got a lot better and I learned a lot from my wrestling,” Russell-Barnes said. “I was really excited (to compete) but I also was kind of like this is going to be tough because I was also unprepared.”
LTHS boys wrestling
After taking an all-state sixth at 132 last season, Lyons Township senior Griff Powell is favored to contend for the 3A title at 138. He got a sneak peek at a possible opponent Saturday.
Although Powell (41-4) suffered his first loss this season to an in-state wrestler, he hopes the 4-2 semifinal defeat to Marmion senior Zach Stewart (21-3) serves as motivation and a learning tool. Stewart won the 138 state title in 2024 and was second at 144 in 2025. This was the first meeting between the state’s 1-2 ranked wrestlers at 138.
“It’s going to be a fun match (if we meet at state),” said Powell, who finished third Saturday with a 19-3 technical fall. “I’m going for that state title. That was the goal from the beginning. Little minor mistakes. I’d rather lose now than down in the state finals.”
LTHS seniors Jimmy Hillmann of Brookfield (35-15 at 285) and Luca Ligammari (14-23 at 106) were 2-2, senior Cornell Fennessee (31-20 at 165) was 1-2 and sophomore Jesse Nunez-Garcia (30-17 at 150) was 0-2.
Nationally, Stewart and Powell are ranked No. 10 and 23, respectively. Powell missed state by one sectional victory as a freshman and has to withdraw from sectionals as a sophomore because of injury.
“Last year, getting down was part of it, getting on the medal stand, but obviously his goal now is to get to the top of it,” LTHS coach Griff Powell said.
Because of an upcoming injury forfeit, Ligammari actually came one victory from state. Hillmann finished with a disappointing loss by pin but also would have needed to beat third-place Downers Grove North senior Colin Murphy (38-5) to advance.
“I feel like I fought hard,” said Hillmann, who will play football at St. Xavier. “A lot of the things that have made me good at football are because I wrestled. I feel wrestling has definitely changed my life.”
