It’s turning into a productive offseason for Oak Park-River Forest wrestler Jason Renteria.
The Class 3A state runner-up at 113 pounds won two major tournament titles in April, and his father, Jason, has been with the Oak Park-River Forest sophomore every step of the way.
The younger Renteria, nicknamed Jay by family and friends, won the Cliff Keen USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals at 120 pounds April 4 at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He capped a perfect month on Saturday by winning the Illinois Greco-Roman championship at 120 in Lockport.
After the IHSA postseason, Renteria verbally committed to wrestle at perennial power Iowa, which ranks second to Oklahoma State in NCAA Division I wrestling national championships. Former OPRF two-time state champion Sammy Brooks is a sophomore at Iowa.
“It has always been my dream to go there,” Jay Renteria said.
Renteria’s father is an assistant coach for Jay’s club team, which is using the name “Washington North” as a tribute to the downstate community that was struck by a tornado in 2013.
Jason Renteria, 38, considered himself a football player while growing up in Chicago’s South Side. He wrestled at St. Laurence, then picked up wrestling again when Jay became interested in the sport.
“It’s great [having dad coach],” Jay Renteria said. “We spend more time together and we break down film together much more than the other coaches. It has brought us together. We’re closer.”
The elder Jason Renteria has been working closely with his son, as well as sophomore Jaime Hernandez and OPRF’s Madrigal brothers, Old Dominion-bound senior Alex and freshman Tony.
“It’s great. It’s been going by really fast,” Jason Renteria said. “Alex will be going to Old Dominion in a couple of months and soon Jay will be gone.”
Jason Renteria has coached Jay and the Madrigal brothers since they were 7 years old and competing in kids wrestling with a club based in Aurora. Jason Renteria has marveled at Jay’s recent success considering that his son is 15 years old and training against wrestlers who are as much as two years older.
“He has a had a couple of letdowns [this spring], but he is still so young,” Jason Renteria said.
Jay Renteria, 38-3 last season, led the Huskies with 25 total falls, 12 technical falls and 13 reversals on the season. He lost to Glenbrook North sophomore Austin Gomez, 4-3, in the 113-pound state title bout in February in Champaign.
Renteria also defeated Sandburg’s Robbie Precin 3-0 as OPRF beat the Eagles 39-16 on Feb. 28 to clinch the Huskies’ second consecutive Class 3A dual-team state championship.
Next up for Jay Renteria the Northern Plains Kids & Cadet Regional Championships June 18-20 in Rockford. His goal in the offseason is to qualify for the Asics/Vaughn Cadet & Junior Nationals July 18-25 in Fargo, North Dakota.
Twitter: @geomwilcox
