Juniors Joe Knackstedt and Eric Harris led the way, winning individual regional titles as the Oak Park and River Forest boys wrestling team captured their first team regional championship since 2020 Saturday at a Class 3A regional hosted by OPRF. The Huskies, who qualified 13 of a possible 14 wrestlers for Saturday’s sectional meet at Conant, amassed 211 points to outpace the eight-team field. Lane Tech finished second with 180 points.
“We had a lot pins and a lot of tech falls and obviously a lot of wins,” said OPRF head coach Paul Collins. Winning the team title, he said, was an important goal.
“It was a very big goal to win as a team,” said Harris, who captured the 215-pound title when he pinned Leyden’s Eric Worwa midway through the championship match. The win improved Harris’ season record to 29-9.
Knackstedt (32-7) won the 138-pound title by pinning Lane’s Nasser Hammouche with 39 seconds left in what had been a close back and forth match.
“He made it really hard,” Knackstedt said. “I just kept wrestling in the end and came out with the pin.”
Oak Park-River Forest’s David Ogunsanya prepares to pin Marquis Deloach of Proviso West in a 150-pound semifinal at the OPRF wrestling regional, Feb. 3. | Samantha Smart 
Oak Park-River Forest’s Zev Koransky gets his hand raised in victory after defeating Gahel Lazam of Addison Trail in the 126-pound third-place match at the Class 3A OPRF regional, Feb. 3. | Samantha Smart 
Oak Park-River Forest’s David Ogunsanya (right) takes on Lane Tech’s Fernando Lopez in the 150-pound final at the Class 3A OPRF wrestling regional Feb. 3. Ogunsanya lost 10-9 but advanced to the sectional. | Samantha Smart
OPRF got second-place finishes from Michael Rundell (106), Gabe Rojas (113), Ruben Acevado (120), David Ogunsanya (150), Issac Davies (157), Hugh Vanek (165), Carey Robinson (190) and Terrance Garner (285). Ogunsanya, a sophomore with a 29-7 record, lost perhaps the best match of the regional falling 10-9 to Lane’s Fernando Lopez in the 150-pound championship match.
Finishing third for OPRF were Zev Koransky (126), Aiden John Noyes (132), and Jeremiah Hernandez (144).
The only OPRF wrestler not to qualify for the sectional was senior Emmett Baker (175). But Baker contributed to the team title by winning his first-round match, defeating Crane’s Tayfun Mcelwain 4-1 before losing 9-4 to Leyden’s Darterrion Garner in a second-round match.
Baker was one of just three seniors in OPRF’s regional lineup.
Knackstedt and Koransky qualified for the state individual championships last year and will be looking to return to state by finishing at least in the top four at the sectional. Harris and Ogunsanya also have a good chance to qualify for the individual state meet.
“I believe I can do it,” said Harris who was one win away from qualifying last year when he wrestled as a heavyweight.
Collins is hopeful that more OPRF wrestlers will qualify for the state meet than last year.
“I feel good about a lot of our guys in the sectional,” Collins said.
Fenwick also advances 13
Heading into the IHSA Class 2A St. Ignatius wrestling regional on Feb. 3, Fenwick coach Seth Gamino figured with powerhouse Montini in the field, winning the team title would be challenging.
“It wasn’t a fair draw, but we wrestled very well,” he said.
While the Friars finished second to Montini with 189 points, they still had a successful day, advancing 13 individuals to the Grayslake Central sectional, Feb. 10. The top four finishers in each weight class advance.
Junior Patrick Gilboy won at 175 pounds, defeating A.J. Tack of Montini, 8-4. Classmate Jack Paris pinned Montini’s Jaxon Lane in 1:36 to win the 190-pound title.
“This is Jack’s second week back,” Gamino said. Paris missed most of the season due to a football injury. “He was unseeded and took first; it was very impressive.”
Fenwick received second-place finishes from junior C.J. Brown at 120, junior Eiam Staples at 150, and senior Luke D’Alise at 215.
Other Friar qualifiers were freshman Harrison Brown (3rd, 106); freshman Cormack Mahon (4th, 113); freshman Burke Burns (3rd, 132); sophomore Solanus Daley (3rd, 138); junior Max Kenny (3rd, 144); junior Brian Timpone (3rd, 157); junior Dominic Esposito (3rd, 165); and junior Gianni Bertacchi (3rd, 285).
With all the qualifiers but D’Alise having at least one season of eligibility remaining, things are looking good for Fenwick’s future. In the meantime, Gamino is optimistic about the sectional.
“Grayslake is the toughest 2A sectional in my opinion,” he said. “But we have high hopes. Patrick has wrestled extremely well all year and has a good shot at qualifying for state. Same with Jack Paris and Luke. And C.J. is scrappy, so I wouldn’t count him out either. We’re excited for the challenge because if you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best.”
Melvin Tate