Wrestling: Glenbard North wins 14th straight DuPage Valley title

Updated: January 28, 2012 9:40PM

How dominant has Glenbard North been over the past decade-plus at the annual DuPage Valley Conference meet?

Answer: The last time the Panthers did not win DVC was back in 1998. They were on their game again Saturday in an eventual win, scoring 279 team points. Naperville Central (170.5) finished a distant second.

Glenbard North won six individual titles, starting with 120-pounder Jered Cortez and ending with Dan Eldridge’s win at 195 pounds. Cortez won by technical fall 16-0 in 4 minutes, 47 seconds and Eldridge took home the championship via a 7-3 decision.

In between, Jon Marmolejo won by major decision 18-5 at 126 and Johnny Gosinski claimed victory in a 5-3 decision over Kirk Cherep of Naperville Central in double overtime at 132.

At 152, Brian Murhpy won 22-7 by technical fall at 4:56 and 160-pounder Jimique Davis earned a 10-1 major decision win.

What was their key?

“Just scoring points from all positions,” said Cortez, a sophomore. “Taking good shots, scoring on my feet and then working on top where I can earn a lot of points from.”

For Marmolejo, another sophomore, the effective match gave the Panther an added boost in confidence. He had struggled earlier in the year while battling sickness.

Marmolejo acknowledged that he’ll head into the regional a little more sure of himself, given his final result.

“Yeah, because I was doubting myself a little bit when I lost some pretty tough matches but when it comes down to these ones, it’s really where I set my mind to,” Marmolejo said. “They’re just tough matches that help me really think about my wrestling.”

Gosinski capped the Panthers’ streak of three straight wins in the lower weight classes. Cherep wouldn’t go down easily, forcing Gosinski to work for the win.

“In the second overtime, I was just thinking about how hard I worked this season, about how much I’ve got to push through it and realized that if I get two points here or just one point I’m going to win the match and it will all be over,” said Gosinski, a junior. “I just tried to outwork him.”

He said the close match was good preparation for state.

“I think when it comes down to state, no match is going to be a blowout match,” he said.

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