After St. Rita’s Drumline and Flag Corps provided a rousing start, the Mustangs’ Albert White and Providence’s John Starzyk provided the fireworks in the Chicago Catholic League Championships on Saturday at St. Rita.
Starzyk and White became the ninth and 10th wrestlers to win four league titles.
Fenwick’s Bobby Barnhisel (33-4) made Starzyk’s historic victory at 130 pounds the match of the meet. The sophomore put the pressure on with a five-point move and a 7-2 first-period lead. Starzyk scratched back and tied the match with an escape at the third-period buzzer. He scored a takedown with 36.5 seconds left in overtime for a 13-11 win.
“I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy match walking in to it. The kid’s a goer,” said Starzyk (28-1). “I couldn’t panic. I told coach [Keith] Healy … `It’s fine. I’ll come back.’ [It was] cutting it close, but getting the job done.”
White’s 152-pound match was much less dramatic–a technical fall over Providence’s Jake Ruettiger.
“It feels good to be a four-time Catholic League champ,” said the three-time state champion, now 35-1. “But it’s not the last stop. I still have another stop.”
Providence sent nine to the finals. Starzyk, Jake Beechy (140) and Marty Murphy (145) won their weights to push the Celtics to 220.5 points and their seventh title in the last 10 years. St. Rita finished second with 210 points. Mr. Carmel was third at 141.5.
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dsurico@tribune.com
Saturday’s results, www.chicagosports.com/preps
