Pat Walker is Glenbard East’s battering Ram.
The junior took the 215-pound title and his third regional crown with a 5-1 decision over Montini’s Ethan Winel on Saturday at Willowbrook.
“It was really, really tough,” said Walker, who improved to 36-0. “He was banging my head up and I knew I had to get underneath him. It was going to be rough regardless. It was two big guys going at it.”
Walker extended a 2-0 first-period lead to 5-0 with an escape and takedown near the one-minute mark of the final period. Winel (44-5) escaped with 30 seconds left but could do no more.
It was one of the few mishaps for Montini, which collected nine titles from 12 contestants.
Broncos senior Carson Beebe used a momentum-changing six-point run in the second period to defeat childhood friend Matt Tolbert 9-7 at 119 pounds. Tolbert’s record fell to 36-2.
“It’s called North Plains,” Beebe (43-4) said of the winning move. “Normally it’s supposed to be a lot tighter. I got lucky and hipped it through and caught him on his back.”
Tolbert’s Hinsdale Central teammate Frank Battaglia (37-1) fared better at 152. The senior used a third-period escape and the confidence of a veteran for a 1-0 victory over stubborn Luke Gacek of Lyons.
“In the past I [worried about] the stall,” Battaglia said. “This year I treat it the other way around. I’ve got to score. I’ve got to go. It puts [my opponent] on defense. It’s conservative offensive wrestling.”
Mikey Benefiel (45-0 at 171) and Garrett Goebel (43-1 at 285) contributed victories for Montini, which won the regional with 250 points. Wheaton North finished second and Lyons third.
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dsurico@tribune.com
