By Mike Miazga
Correspondent
The IC Catholic Prep wrestling team made plenty of history this season.
In addition to senior Joey Bianchini winning a Class 1A state title, the Knights also qualified for the Class 1A dual-team state finals for the first time in the brief tenure of the program.
IC Catholic Prep started its road to Bloomington and the dual-team state finals by winning its first-ever regional team title. The Knights had 177 points and finished seven points ahead of second-place Westmont.
The regional title win qualified IC Catholic Prep for the dual-team sectional. The Knights hosted a Class 1A dual-team sectional and recorded a 57-21 victory against Illiana Christian. The win in the semifinals advanced the Knights to the Class 1A dual-team state finals meet held at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.
In the state quarterfinals, the Knights lost 60-15 to Vandalia and were eliminated from the tournament. Vandalia ended up taking second in the state, losing 48-18 to Aurora Christian in the state-championship dual.
In the loss to Vandalia, the Knights forfeited the first match on the card, the 132-pound division.
Bianchini received a forfeit win at 138 pounds. Kyle Franklin was a 3-0 winner over Vandalia’s Robby Durbin at 170 pounds. Victor Vargas was a winner by pinfall in 1:40 against Vandalia’s David Meyer. Jalen Williams lost a close 6-5 match at 160 pounds.
In the dual-team sectional win against Illiana, Finn Barney was a forfeit winner at 106 pounds. John Golding earned a forfeit win at 113, while Joey Maci-Gerace was a forfeit winner at 120 pounds. The first five weight classes were forfeited in the meet.
Bianchini won his match at 138 pounds by pinfall in only 58 seconds. Malachi Morris won an 8-3 decision at 145 pounds, while Charlie O’Brien was a pinfall winner in 46 seconds at 152. Franklin won his match at 160 via fall in 4:27. Joe Scott won his contest at 182 pounds via fall in 5:19.
Michael Johnson (220 pounds) and David Vargas (285 pounds) both won by forfeit.
The Knights ended the season winning six of their last eight dual meets with their only losses coming to state-champion Aurora Christian and to Vandalia in the state tournament. IC Catholic Prep finished with a 9-13 dual-meet record.
Heading into Bloomington, Bianchini sported a 41-3 record with a team-high 101 takedowns to go with 24 pinfall wins against zero pinfall losses.
David Vargas was 26-7 with 43 takedowns and 20 pinfall wins. Franklin was 24-12 with 55 takedowns and seven pinfall wins. O’Brien was 16-12 with 35 takedowns and 12 wins via pinfall. Johnson was 16-13 with 21 takedowns and 11 wins via fall. Scott was 13-13 with 27 takedowns and five wins via fall. Morris was 11-11 with 24 takedowns and eight wins via pin. IC Catholic Prep is coached by Kevin Sliva and he is assisted by Cory Stanley and Matt Mulvihill.
