The Oak Park and River Forest and Sandburg High School wrestling teams very well could meet once again for the Class 3A team state championship.
In Saturday’s regular-season showdown of the two top-ranked teams by IllinoisMatmen.com, the No. 2 Huskies edged the No. 1 Eagles 34-27 in the final round of the Sandburg Quad after trailing 18-0 and 21-7 with help from three one-point victories, two in overtime.
OPRF (20-3) earlier won 59-13 over Joliet West and 58-6 over Crystal Lake Central, ranked No. 4 in 2A.
Last season, the Huskies won their second straight team state championship by beating Sandburg 39-16 in the final. This year’s state brackets have not been posted.
Seven Huskies were 3-0 Saturday — seniors Isaiah White, ranked No. 1 at 160 pounds and the defending 3A state champion at 152, and Mikey Ordonez (No. 4 at 145), juniors Jay Renteria (No. 1 at 120), Jaime Hernandez (No. 2 at 138), Rollian Sturkey (No. 2 at 170) and P.J. Ogunsanya (No. 7 at 106) and sophomore Tony Madrigal (No. 2 at 126). White, Renteria, Hernandez and Madrigal each had two pins.
Seniors Robert Campos (No. 3 at 113) and Gabe Townsell (No. 4 at 132) and juniors Chris Middlebrooks (honorable mention at 285) and Deundre Garner (182) finished 2-1. Junior Drew Matticks (No. 12 at 152) was 2-0 against Joliet West and Crystal Lake Central.
The Huskies forfeited all three matches at 220 as No. 2-ranked Allen Stallings was on a football recruiting trip.
The dual with Sandburg (18-2) opened at 182. The Huskies trailed 26-24 with two matches left, but White won by technical fall over No. 4 senior Ben Schneider and Sturkey won 2-1 in overtime over senior Brian Krasowski. Sturkey also won their Dec. 19 match in overtime 3-1 for the title of Hinsdale Central’s Rex Whitlatch Invite.
Sandburg opened the dual with two pins and six more points from the 220 forfeit.
Middlebrooks began the turnaround with a 1-0 overtime victory over junior Malik Scates, also ranked honorable mention.
Next came major decisions from Ogunsanya (19-7) and Renteria (19-10 over No. 3 senior Kevin Stearns) around Campos’ 2-0 loss to No. 2 senior Louie Hayes.
After pins by Madrigal and Hernandez, Ordonez won 11-10 to give the Huskies their first lead at 26-24. Brian Holloway then lost 7-2 at 152 to No. 8 senior John Prieto.
The Eagles’ lineup was minus No. 8 Robbie Precin (126) and No. 9 Christian Robertson (138), both weights where the Huskies recorded pins.
In the first round, Sandburg suffered its first loss of the season 30-29 to No. 3 Marmion (20-6) with Prieto losing 3-2 in the final match. The Eagles then beat New Trier 69-3.
Next for the Huskies are home meets against No. 4 Lyons Township Friday and their annual invitational Saturday.