CHAMPAIGN — In moving forward, Marmion sophomore Nicholas Garcia decided that his past could help him in the present. Especially if that present were unwrapped at the state meet.
Back in December, Garcia lost a pair of tough decisions at 113 pounds to St. Charles East sophomore Dom Munaretto. It mandated a new way of thinking for the competitive Cadet.
“I took away everything from those first two matches,” Garcia said Saturday night at the State Farm Center. “Honestly, every single aspect of where I was wrestling, every single position.
“We looked over the past month and a half at everything, and we knew every single position that he was going to work from.”
Garcia got that work done in fine fashion, engineering two key reversals for a 4-2 decision over Munaretto in the Class 3A individual state finals at the University of Illinois.
Nicholas Garcia (45-7) became the first Illinois wrestler to defeat Munaretto (47-3), who was the reigning state champion at 106.
Garcia manufactured the two reversals at the end of the first and second periods that nullified a takedown in the first period by Munaretto.
“He’s a one-sided wrestler, and he is very good at what he does,” Garcia said of Munaretto. “We worked very hard on taking that side away.”
Garcia’s older brother, Jameson, a freshman wrestler at Harvard, was his loudest supporter.
Nicholas now joins his brother as a state champion. Jameson, a two-time state champ, faced St. Charles East’s Ben Davino, a four-time state champ, for the 126-pound state title last season.
Davino beat Jameson in overtime. The Saints also topped the Cadets for the dual team title.
The classic confrontation between the younger Garcia and standout Munaretto added another riveting angle to the intense rivalry between the powerhouse programs.
“My brother is such a big motivator for me,” Nicholas said. “I just love him with all of my heart. There was really nothing he had to say. He knew all the work I put in, and I was really prepared.”
Marmion showcased its high-end talent despite losing two elite transfers and a knee injury that prevented senior Northwestern recruit Jack Lesher from defending his 182-pound state title.
The Cadets put three sophomores into the finals, matching the individual totals of St. Charles East, Mount Carmel and Marist.
Sophomore Zach Stewart used a late takedown to secure a 6-3 decision over Lockport’s Justin Wardlow in the 138-pound championship match.
Sophomore Joey Favia lost 3-1 in overtime to Loyola’s Kai Calcutt for the 215-pound championship. Ashton Hobson (39-11), another sophomore, finished sixth at 144.
“We have a great bond,” Stewart said of the Cadets.
Stewart (30-8) had stepped away from competition in January to rejuvenate his body while dealing with the emotional demands of the sport.
“I needed time away because I was not in a good mental space,” he said. “Everybody on the team supported me. They love me, and I love them.”
After defeating St. Charles East’s Tyler Guerra by injury default in Friday’s quarterfinals, Stewart took advantage. Favia (37-7), meanwhile, won three one-point decisions in reaching the final.
“I was in the sauna watching their results on the scoreboard,” Garcia said. “As soon as Joey won his semifinal, I texted him and said we’re going to have a dynasty.”
Garcia toggled between 113 and 120 in the first two months of the season.
He dealt the only loss to Maine South senior Teddy Flores (48-1), the 120-pound state champ, last month at a tournament in Batavia. Arguably, the safer path was staying at that weight.
Without saying as much, he didn’t want the perception to be that he was avoiding Munaretto.
“People said I could have won state at 120 pounds, so it was definitely a sacrifice to lose the weight and drop down,” Garcia said. “It was a big decision to make, but for me, it was personal.
“It felt like, this thing, I just had to do.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.