“It would mean a lot if we can win the conference again because we’ve been working really hard and coach [Vruno] wants us to show that during duals. Our goal is to win regionals as a team.”

Freddie Hernandez

ROCHELLE — Sophomore Freddie Hernandez used the advanced spladle technique to turn around his match against Sycamore’s Charlie Olson on Thursday evening, when the Rochelle Hub varsity wrestling team battled the Spartans in a crucial Interstate 8 Conference contest.

Trailing 4-1 during the second period, Hernandez erased the deficit with a swift reversal-to-near fall combination, taking a one-point lead into the third period of the 106-pound bout. While Olson answered with a third-period takedown, Hernandez responded with another reversal and held the top position as the final seconds wound down. The result was a 7-6 decision for Hernandez, whose victory helped Rochelle take down Sycamore 51-18 to stay unbeaten in the Interstate 8.

“It was a tough match at first, but I fought through,” Hernandez said. “He had me in the second period, but I listened to my coaches and they really helped me. We’ve been working really hard in practice and it’s showing off in our duals… I feel like I’ve improved a lot this season and coach [Nelson] Baker has taught me a lot of things. I think we’re doing really good as a team.”

Rochelle (19-6, 4-0 Interstate 8) now moves within one win of clinching the Interstate 8 regular season championship for the second straight year. The Hubs will go for the title next Thursday, when Rochelle hosts Kaneland for its final conference match of the season. Rochelle will head south to Mahomet-Seymour for the annual Marty Williams Invitational, which begins Saturday.

“We have a lot that we can improve on, but we’ll fight through it,” Hernandez said. “It would mean a lot if we can win the conference again because we’ve been working really hard and coach [Vruno] wants us to show that during duals. Our goal is to win regionals as a team.”

The Hubs took a commanding lead early in the match, with sophomore Tony Milburn taking a forfeit for the 120-pound bout before senior Tommy Tourdot and junior Xavier Villalobos followed with consecutive falls over the 126-pound and 132-pound bouts. Tourdot pinned Sycamore’s Thomas Lind in just over a minute, while Villalobos pinned Noah Carlson in only 12 seconds.

The Spartans claimed their first win of the evening at the 138-pound weight class, where Jayden Dohonge notched a second-period fall over Hub sophomore Deegan Schabacker. Rochelle bounced back with a pivotal toss-up win in the 144-pound bout, where freshman Josh Lassiter outlasted Sycamore’s Cole Kleiser for an 8-6 decision, winning by a match-clinching takedown.

Sophomore Brenden Voight gave the Hubs a 27-6 lead with a dominant effort in the 150-pound bout, compiling two takedowns and three near falls before scoring a pin against Logan Sandfox. Sycamore responded after Doug Gemberling’s first-period takedown and fall over junior Matt Lynn in the 157-pound bout. The Spartans had no answers for junior Grant Gensler, who used the hurt-box technique for two near falls before pinning Adam Carrick in the 165-pound bout. 

A grueling battle ensued in the 175-pound bout, as sophomore Roman Villalobos fought hard before falling just short in a 3-2 tiebreaker against Sycamore’s Cooper Bode. The 190-pound bout was also a tough battle, as Hub senior Brock Metzger scored the bout’s lone takedown and displayed tough defense in order to secure a 3-0 decision over Sycamore’s Gable Carrick.

Rochelle sealed its dual victory soon after, with senior Frank Decena taking a forfeit for the 215-pound bout and junior Kaiden Morris making quick work of Sycamore’s Asher Dohonge in the 285-pound bout, winning with a first-period takedown and fall. After Hernandez edged Charlie Olson in the 106-pound bout, the dual concluded with Sycamore’s Michael Olson scoring a 9-2 decision against Hub sophomore Keagan Albers to claim the 113-pound bout.