West Aurora senior Moses Quintana has the perfect opening act for his wrestling matches at 152 pounds.
His younger brother Noah, a sophomore, gets things started at 145.
“Noah is more of a patient wrestler and he thinks before he moves,” Moses said. “Sometimes, I just go right in and do the first thing that is available.”
Despite their contrasting styles, the brothers are united by their skill, their toughness and a growing level of success.
So far this season, Moses Quintana has a record of 12-3. Noah Quintana is 13-2.
At Saturday’s Wheaton Warrenville South Mega Duals, Noah won by major decision and Moses won by a technical fall as the Blackhawks scored the final 10 points in defeating Libertyville 38-33.
As the older sibling, Moses is more outgoing. Noah is marked by a quiet intensity.
“They do things differently and they do it well,” West Aurora coach Andrew Plata said. “There is nothing they do that is exactly the same. When they go at it during practice, it is good to watch.”
Noah made his varsity debut during a special spring season due to the pandemic.
“I gained a lot of knowledge during my losses during the spring,” Noah said. “I feel like my style and wrestling is more refined now.”
Still, he held his own despite his youth and inexperience.
“I am facing a lot of older kids again,” Noah said. “Age is not really the most important factor on the map. It’s more about technique, skill and experience that you gain throughout the year.
“I like to see how the other wrestler responds and try to hit a move off what they’re doing or capitalize on their mistakes.”
In the spring, Moses qualified at 145 for the state meet conducted by the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association.
“It felt like a normal state tournament,” Moses said. “There were a lot of people there and a lot of people in the stands.
“The spring felt a little weird. We didn’t have a full squad. We only had duals and did not have any real tournaments.”
Now, though, the Quintana brothers are older and more polished. Toughness and technique have developed naturally out of daily workouts as practice partners.
Their father was a professional boxer in Mexico who also fought at the amateur level after arriving in Aurora. The brothers took up boxing when they were younger.
Wrestling proved to be a bridge sport.
“I was in the sixth grade and my parents said to choose a sport,” Moses said. “And I picked wrestling. We just stuck with it.”
The brothers expressed different emotional connections to the sport. Moses prefers the team camaraderie. Noah enjoys the opportunity to express himself as an individual.
“I love this idea you have nobody else to blame other than yourself,” Noah said. “You are the one who is responsible for the outcome of your matches.”
The brothers go through a grueling daily workout with cardio and training sessions before school starts. Technique and drill-based practice comes later in the day.
Their natural closeness, along with nearly identical size and weight classes, has been a benefit.
“With Noah going just before me, everybody is psyched out,” Moses said. “I work off that energy and just go out there and try my best.”
They are more complementary than mirror images, however. Each casts his own spell.
“We try to support each other as best as possible, in and out of the wrestling room,” Noah said. “We try to make each other the best version possible.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
