The Oak Park and River Forest High School boys wrestling program has a new leader this season as Jason Renteria, a 2017 OPRF graduate, takes over the reins from Paul Collins, who served as head coach for the past 10 years.
“We have a great group of kids,” Renteria told Wednesday Journal. “What’s stood out to me the most is the energy in the room. It’s high and the boys are responding well to the staff and the standards we are setting for them.”
Renteria, who served as an assistant under Collins, is not inheriting a rebuild. OPRF brings back four individuals who qualified for the Class 3A state tournament: junior Michael Rundell, who became the program’s first state champion since 2020 by winning the 106 lb. title; junior Jamiel Castleberry (fifth at 120); and seniors David Ogunsanya and Zev Koransky.
Juniors Lucas Albrecht, Alex Cohen, Zach Michaud, and Liam Nikolakakis, and seniors Isaiah Gibson, Jeremiah Hernandez, and Pierre Nelson are returning veterans who contributed to last season’s team, which reached the 3A dual-team quarterfinals before losing to Joliet Catholic. Varsity newcomers are sophomore Zachary Chasson; juniors Alex Albrecht, Jordan DeZara, Ryan Farris, Donovan Lopez, Jonathan Nunez, John Skoglund, and Daniel Solano; and seniors Brendan Collins, Laneal Conley, Taylor Francis, Aiden Noyes, and Aidan Owens.
OPRF has a typically challenging schedule this winter, beginning with this week’s Marmion Academy Cadet Classic, Nov. 26. Other highlights include the OPRF Invite Quad, Dec. 13; the Whitlach Invite at Hinsdale Central, Dec. 19-20; the Doc B Invite in Clovis, California, Jan. 9-10; and the debut of the Fred Arkin Tournament at OPRF, Jan. 24.
In terms of the West Suburban Silver, the Huskies won last year’s title with a perfect 6-0 record in dual meets, but Renteria expects this year’s race to be a battle.
“I’m assuming Glenbard West, Lyons Township, and Downers Grove North will be bringing their best,” he said.
The standards have long been high at OPRF, and this year is no exception. Renteria believes the Huskies can contend for a state trophy in the dual-team tournament as well as see a few wrestlers medal in the individual tournament.
“It’s going to be an exciting season,” he said. “Our boys have put the work in and are ready to compete.”
Fenwick
Losing 13 wrestlers from last year’s team due to graduation means that Fenwick will need to reload with new talent this season. But it’s a challenge sixth-year head coach Seth Gamino is eager to take on.
“We are young with solid new senior leadership,” he said. “The team is locked in on Week One and I am excited for the season.”
Just four wrestlers from last year are back: juniors Harrison Brown (120 lbs) and Burke Burns (150), and seniors Solanus Daley (138) and Zikomo Mbewe (215). The debuts of Daley and Mbewe will get delayed as they’re part of the football team, which faces East St. Louis in the Class 6A title game at Illinois State University on Saturday.
Fenwick’s varsity newcomers include freshman Aiden Liss at 113 lbs, sophomore Quinn Paris, junior Ricardo Garcia (165), and senior Adam Calicdan (heavyweight). Calicdan and Paris also play football, so they won’t be available until the season ends this weekend.
What pleases Gamino the most is how things have grown since he took over.
“We are a program again,” he said. “Six years ago we had 20 wrestlers and now we are in the ballpark of 60 with a girls team in their second season.”
Fenwick always has a schedule that serves as a good preparation for the postseason. The Friars open the season with the Prettyman Tournament at Barrington, Nov. 28, something Gamino calls “a great test to start the year with tough competition.”
Other schedule highlights include the Lyons Township Mega Quad, Dec. 13; the Morton Tournament, Dec. 23; and the Evanston Township Invite, Jan. 10.
There’s no rest for Fenwick in Chicago Catholic League action. The conference is considered to be one of the best, if not the best, in the state for wrestling.
“It doesn’t get any tougher than the CCL,” Gamino said. “IC Catholic is really putting their mark on the league, and as always, Mount Carmel and Marmion are top-tier.”
With a young, developing team, he feels if his wrestlers grow and learn each day, the results will take care of themselves.
“It is exciting to build the younger levels up to become varsity wrestlers,” said Gamino. “We do not believe in records, only getting better each day for the postseason. We will achieve [our goals] through hard work, staying as a team, and believing in one another.”
