THREE THINGS TO KNOW
1. The toughest bracket in any of this weekend’s individual sectionals could be the 145-pound weight class at Hinsdale Central, which features four wrestlers who have won six state medals. They are Hinsdale Central’s Juwan Edmond (41-1), who is top-ranked in Class 3A by IllinoisMatmen.com; No. 4 John Pellegrino (30-3) of Sandburg; No. 5 David Kasper (25-8) of Marist and No. 6 Justin Maslow (33-5) of Hinsdale South.
2. Like brackets, all sectionals aren’t created equal. The toughest Class 3A sectionals will be at Hinsdale Central, with 29 wrestlers ranked in the top six, five No. 1s and three unbeatens, and Leyden, with 19 in the top six, 17 rated No. 1 and one undefeated wrestler. In Class 2A, the Lakes Sectional has nine top-ranked wrestlers and four unbeatens.
3. Two Public League teams advanced to the dual-team playoffs by winning the first regional titles in program history, both in Class 2A: Simeon and Westinghouse. Both face long odds to become the first CPS team to win a state trophy since Lane in 2000. Westinghouse gets six-time defending champ Montini in the Antioch team sectional. Simeon, ranked 14th in 2A, meets unranked Evergreen Park in the Bremen Sectional.
