Wrestling: Lincoln-Way East’s Langenderfer a Classic champ
By Logan Malloy For Sun-Times Media January 12, 2013 8:36PM
Lincoln-Way East’s Kyle Langenderfer takes down Schaumburg’s Luke Gruszka in the championship, 152 pound match at Lincoln-Way East, Saturday January, 12, 2013. | Ray Luna ~ For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: February 14, 2013 6:37AM
Lincoln-Way East’s Kyle Langenderfer is a force in any weight class.
Certified at 145, the reigning state champion romped through the 152-pound field Saturday with three pins and a technical fall to capture the Most Outstanding Wrestler award at the 16-team Lincoln-Way East Illini Classic.
“I haven’t done too shabby at 152,” Langenderfer said. “But I’m taking the undefeated record with a grain of salt. It looks good in the record book, but I’m more concerned with the end result, which is a state title.”
Langenderfer (31-0) secured takedowns at will in his 16-1 title win over Schaumburg’s Luke Gruszka.
“I’ve been putting in extra work on my feet,” said Langenderfer, who will wrestle in college at Illinois. “I landed 23 takedowns over the weekend.”
In the team standings, Marist repeated as Illini Classic champion. The event mandates a team’s coach to have wrestled at Illinois for tournament entry.
Marist scored 251.5 points. Harlem finished second with 216 and St. Rita placed third with 180.5.
Lincoln-Way West received a title from Kyle Rodriguez (132 pounds) and finished fourth with 149 points.
Lincoln-Way East placed seventh with 95.5 and Minooka took eighth with 75.
Minooka’s Carson Oughton continued his stellar freshman campaign with a title at 145. Oughton defeated Marist’s Jakada Hull by a 7-0 decision.
Morris standout Kenny Baldridge (30-1) won the 120-pound title in a closely contested match with St. Rita’s Colt Kielbasa. Morris finished 10th with 57 points.
“There were a lot of 3A teams here, and it’s exciting because we’re a 2A school and I did fine against them,” Baldridge said. “My biggest strength was defending the takedown and my sweep single. (Kielbasa) wasn’t really able to stop my takedowns when I got in on him.”
Lincoln-Way West’s Matt Ryan took second at 126, losing to Harlem’s returning state champion Jordan Northrup.
Lincoln-Way East’s Nick Allegretti (285) took second to Hinsdale Central’s undefeated Brian Allen.
