Batavia Bulldogs Wrestling

3/10/09 - JV AND FRESHMAN CONFERENCE RECAP

With the Bulldogs graduating four seniors from this year's squad, including three state qualifiers, it is time to consider the future for the team.  If the results of the JV Conference Tournament are anything to go by, there should be a lot of healthy competition for varsity spots next year, and every reason to believe that the team will continue to maintain its standard of excellence.

Like the varsity team, the JV squad also claimed a conference championship, securing victory by a comfortable 37 point margin over 2nd place DeKalb.  The team demonstrated its depth, placing wrestlers in 10 of the 14 championship matches, splitting these matches evenly.  The five Bulldog champions were Sophomores Dylan Beach (103), Mike Bonifas (130) and Charlie Kost (135), and Juniors Mike Hoefler (171) and Nate Wieske (189).  Runners up were Sophomores Mike Drummond (112), Ryan Jones (119) and Nick Pohorsky (152), and Juniors Doug Faber (145) and Todd VanNoord (171).  Dylan Findlay placed 3rd at 135lbs and other place winners were Will Huggins, David Sarver and Jack Grimse.  Congratulations to the entire team on an outstanding tournament.

On the same weekend as the JV Tournament, the Freshman were also battling it out.  With a couple of freshman filling varsity spots, the team had to forfeit five weights contributing to a 4th place finish, but they did get a championship from Evan Christianson at 103lbs.  Jordan Loughran (112), Matt Kopala (119) and Alec Lyons (285) also made it to the championship mat, finishing with runner-up honors.  Kevin Kost took 3rd place at 103lbs and other placewinners were Chris Zeyen (125), Eric Kopitke (130), Carlos Cervantes (135), Matt Baker (140) and  Bennett Hartmann (145).  Thanks to Coach Rossetti under whose tutelage the team has made big strides this year, and we look forward to seeing their continued development over time.

3/10/09 - WATSON ADVANCES TO FRESH/SOPH STATE FINALS

After winning his Regional, Augie Watson won another championship at the Hinsdale South Fresh/Soph State Sectional.  Augie advances to this weekend's State Championship, and we wish him well and hope he brings home some more hardware for the Bulldogs.

2/28/09 - BATAVIA WELL REPRESENTED ON KANE COUNTY CHRONICLE ALL-AREA TEAM

The Kane County Chronicle named four Batavia wrestlers, Logan Arlis, Charlie Ryan, Andrew Rudd and Danny Watson to the All-Area Wrestling Team, and honored Logan Arlis as its Wrestler of the Year.  Second team honors were given to Augie Watson and Luis Campos, and Tyler Patton was named Honorable Mention.  Congratulation to each of them on a truly outstanding year and the well deserved recognition.

2/28/09 - TOM ARLIS REPEATS AS CHRONICLE'S COACH OF THE YEAR

Head Coach Tom Arlis was named the Kane County Chronicle's Wrestling Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year and the third time in the last four years.  Highlights of the season include both conference dual meet and tournament championships, a successful defense of the Batavia Invitational title and a record four state qualifiers and three place winners.  Congratualtions and thanks to Coach Arlis on a truly historic season.

2/29/09 - FRESH/SOPH STATE RESULTS

Four Bulldogs advanced from the Glenbard West Regional of the Fresh/Soph State Tournament.  This tournament is held annually and is open to any freshman and sophomore with the exception of IHSA State Qualifiers.  Advancing to the Hinsdale South Sectional are Augie Watson (1st), Shaquille Smith (2nd), Evan Christianson (4th) and Dylan Findley (4th).  Good luck to each of them next weekend.

2/21/09 - BULLDOGS MAKE HISTORY AT STATE TOURNAMENT

Entering this year only five Batavia Wrestlers had ever placed in the state tournament, starting with Steve DuVall in 1981, and followed by Ruben Cooper, Matt Weight (2X), Matt Sauter and most recently Greg Schroeder in 2006.  With four wrestlers qualifying this year, hopes were high among the Bulldog faithful headed to Champaign that we would add to the list this year, and the team did not disappoint.  Their individual stories are as follows:

Logan Arlis - 2nd Place @ 112lbs

Logan entered as one of the pre-tournament favorites, sporting a 39-0 record and fresh off his second consecutive sectional title.  Looking to erase the disappointment of not placing at last year's tournament, Logan made it to Saturday's semi-final match without much difficulty.  There he faced Sean Raddatz of Marist, a wrestler he beat 6-5 with a late third period takedown earlier in the year, so he knew it would be a dog fight.  Having studied his previous match extensively, Logan made some subtle adjustments for the re-match, and was able to take the early advantage with a first period takedown and controlled the remainder of the match for a 3-2 victory and a spot in the championship match.  It's hard to know who was more nervous, but the chance to participate in the Grand March as father and son, is something I am sure that Logan and Coach Arlis will never forget.  In the championship match, Logan faced the top-ranked 112 pounder Edwin Cooper of Providence Catholic, and the pair gave the many thousands of fans in attendance one of the most exciting matches of the night.  After a scoreless 1st period, Cooper escaped early in the second period, but Logan responded with a takedown to take a 2-1 lead in the match.  Cooper regained the lead with a reversal and two quick back points and went on to a 6-3 victory.  Logan's 2nd place finish ties Matt Weight for the highest spot earned by a Batavia Wrestler, and I am sure gives him an added incentive as a senior to return and capture the top spot.  His 42-1 record puts him second all-time in Batavia history, and gives him bragging rights at home, having topped his brother Clint's total of 41 victories he earned in 2004 & 2005.  Logan also joined his brother as the only wrestlers to surpass the 100 career win mark by the end of their junior year, finishing the season at 101 wins and counting.

Danny Watson - 3rd Place @ 171lbs

The 171lb weight class was viewed as one of the toughest at this year's tournament, with Northwestern bound and former state champion Lee Munster positioned as the pre-tournament favorite, followed by a pack of 4-5 other very talented wrestlers including Danny. In the preliminary and quarter-final matches on Friday, Danny continued to rely on his signature move, the single-leg takedown, to pile up the points in two convincing victories.  These wins set up the anticipated semi-final showdown with nemesis Mark Stenburg of Lockport.  Stenburg ended Danny's run at state last year, and his strength advantage proved the difference again in his tactical 7-4 victory.  Danny shook off the disappointment to beat Matt Dwyer of Rockton Honenegah and Sterling Hecox of Machesney Harlem, earning a measure of redemption against two wrestlers consistently ranked ahead of Danny over the course of the season.  This not only gave Danny a 3rd place finish, but also a record of 43-1 for the season, tying Steve DuVall's single season victory record set back in 1981, to go along with the single-season takedown mark he broke earlier in the season.  Danny finished his high school career with a three year varsity record of 109-25.

Andrew Rudd - 6th Place @ 160lbs

In Andrew's first trip to the state tournament, he drew in the first round the top seeded and eventual 160lbs runner-up, Nick Proctor of Neuqua Valley.  Whatever nerves he was feeling seemed to evaporate once he hit the mat, and he gave Proctor a real run for his money before falling 7-3.  The confidence gained in this match carried over into the wrestle-backs as he beat Josh Ronne of Libertyville 4-3 in the evening session to move on to the second day.  Andrew then turned around early Saturday morning to pin Jeff Koepke of Hersey and guarantee himself a spot on the medal stand.  In the wrestle-back semi-final he faced sectional champ Charles Argue of Mt. Carmel, and holding nothing back the two wrestlers brought the fans to their feet with a series of takedowns and throws.  With the match still in the balance in the waning minutes of the second period, Andrew threw his opponent to his back, but could not stick him as Argue rolled through the move to get the takedown and back points.  This margin proved too much to make up as Andrew lost by a final score of 16-7.  In the 5th place match Andrew lost 9-4, but in the process became the 3rd Bulldog to make the medal stand and finished his season with a record of 35-10.  Andrew finished his two year varsity career with a record of 59-18, with 41 of the wins coming by way of a pin.

Charlie Ryan - 130lbs

Charlie Ryan faced Cameron Shaffer of Lake Zurich in a 1st round match on Friday and in true Charlie fashion he went all out for the pin and the win.  On a couple of occasions he came close to hitting his signature head lock, but it was not his day, eventually falling 15-6.  Unfortunately his bout fed into eventual state champion Nick Dardanes of Oak Park and Charlie did not get the chance to wrestle back.  He did however leave us with many lasting memories and added his name to the Batavia record book by tying Tom Miller's 27 year old record for career pins as well as joining the 30 Win Club this year.  Charlie finished his four year varsity career with a record of 90-47.

The collective success of the team placed Batavia 9th among all teams at the state tournament in terms of team points and and increased the number of state placers from 5 to 8.  Congratulations to all the wrestlers who made it to state and to the entire team a historic season.

2/14/09 - BATAVIA TIES TEAM RECORD FOR NUMBER OF STATE QUALIFIERS

Congratulations to Sectional Champions Logan Arlis (112lb) and Danny Watson (171lb) and fellow state qualifiers Charlie Ryan (130lbs) and Andrew Rudd (160lbs) for making team history at the Leyden Sectional.  Arlis and Watson will be returning to Champaign for the second consecutive year, and Ryan and Rudd become the 27th and 28th state qualifiers in the history of Batavia Wrestling.  The four team captains also tied the school record for number of qualifiers in a single year, matching the 1980 squad.  One other historical note, Charlie Ryan tied the school career record for pins with his 52nd in the quarter finals.  He now shares the title set in 1980 by Tom Miller and has a chance to eclipse this mark in Champaign.  

2/7/09 - BULLDOGS TAKE THIRD AT REGIONALS

Logan Arlis (112), Charlie Ryan (130) and Danny Watson (171) all walked away from the Wheaton North Regional as champions.  For Arlis and Ryan it was their second consecutive year as regional champions.  For Watson, who after taking third as sophomore and second as a junior at regionals, he made it to the top of the podium as a senior.  In the process, Watson also became one of only seven wrestlers in the history of Batavia to surpass 100 career victories.  They will be joined at next week's Leyden Sectional by Andrew Rudd (160) and Augie Watson (140) who took runner-up and 3rd place honors respectively. 

As a team the Bulldogs placed third in the ten team regional, trailing eventual champions Naperville Central and second place team Glenbard East.  

1/30/09 - BATAVIA EDGES ST. CHARLES EAST IN REGIONALS TUNE-UP

The Bulldogs closed out their regular season with an exciting 36-35 dual meet victory over local rivals St. Charles East.  Each team has a handful of state ranked wrestlers who won their matches in predictable fashion, so as is often the case in a meet such as this, the outcome hinges on the contribution of some of the less heralded wrestlers on both teams.  In the case of Batavia, pins delivered by Freshman Evan Christianson (103) and Augie Watson (140) came at crucial times in the meet, and in the case of Watson, guaranteed victory for the Dogs with two matches to go.  The other critical match in this sequence pitted Charlie Ryan (130) against Cody Crawford of St. Charles in the only matchup of ranked wrestlers on the night.  The pair of seniors have battled each other repeatedly over the year with both having their share of wins, and with both wrestlers having legendary pinning ability you knew that the bodies would be flying around.  On this night, however, it was Ryan's night to shine, taking Crawford to his back in the 1st and 2nd periods to take control of the match, and ultimately wrapping up a 10-7 decision.

Batavia finished the regular season with a 15-7 dual meet record and heads into next weekend's Regional with hopes of advancing to the team state tournament.

1/24/09 - BULLDOGS FIGHT TO THE FINISH TO WIN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

The Western Sun Conference Tournament was expected to be a hotly contested event with dual meet co-champions Batavia, Sycamore and Dekalb, as well as perennial power Yorkville, all vying for the top spot, and it was every bit as exciting and dramatic as advertised.  Entering the Championship and 3rd Place matches, Batavia trailed Sycamore and Yorkville, and with two less wrestlers in the final matches than Sycamore, the Bulldogs needed to pull out all the stops and get some help.  The Dogs got an immediate spark from Steve Cherry with a pin in his 3rd place match at 103, and Max Christianson followed up with a decision over his opponent from Sycamore at 119 to also take 3rd, both wrestlers earning All-Conference honors in the process.  On the championship mat, Logan Arlis was in complete control of his match against Derek Larson of DeKalb leading up to an injury default from Larson early in the 3rd period.  The next Batavia wrestler to hit the mat was Charlie Ryan at 130lbs, who in a rematch of last year's 125lb final, defended his title with a 14-6 decison over Tyler Walt of DeKalb.  Tyler Patton followed Ryan on the championship mat and wrestled an excellent match, only to come up a little short against a highly ranked Yorkville wrestler.  With the tournament still very much in the balance, the last hope for the Bulldogs were three consecutive championship matches at 160, 171 and 189, and the Dogs needed to run the table to give themselves a chance of victory.  First up in this stretch was Andrew Rudd, facing CJ Navarro from Rochelle, the #4 ranked 160lber in Class AA.  Rudd took early control of the match with a 14-3 2nd period lead, only to get taken to his back for a heart-stopping near fall.  After fighting through the pin, Rudd regained his composure and went on to a decisive 22-12 major decision.  Danny Watson then made short work of Russ Diedrich of DeKalb in the 171lb final, not only earning invaluable bonus points with a pin, but also wrapping up Outstanding Wrestler honors.  In the last Batavia match of the day, Luis Campos used a 3rd period takedown of Ryan Ward of Geneva to seal a crucial victory and bring to five the total of Conference Champions.  Campos' win gave Batavia a slim lead over Sycamore, but they still had wrestlers in the 215lb and Heavyweight matches, with various options in terms of wins and bonus points to take home with the trophy.  Things looked good for Sycamore early in the 215lb match as their wrestler almost pinned his opponent, but Jake Bannister from DeKalb recovered and in a dramatic turn of events won the match by pin himself.  While the Sycamore heavyweight won his 3rd place match with a pin, it was too little, too late, and Batavia walked away with a three point margin of victory and successfully defended their conference tournament title.

1/22/09 - BATAVIA EARNS SHARE OF WESTERN SUN CONFERENCE TITLE

By virtue of Dekalb's victory over Sycamore tonight in the final Western Sun dual meet, Batavia has earned a share of the Western Sun Conference title with the aforementioned teams.  Each team finished the dual meet portion of the schedule with a 6-1 record.  Batavia now heads into what should be a very competitive conference tournament this weekend with hopes of defending the tournament championship earned last year.

1/22/09 - BULLDOGS FALL TO FALCONS IN CLOSE MATCH

The Bulldogs almost pulled the upset of Wheaton North on their Senior Night in a back and forth dual meet.  Individual matches were split evenly between the two squads, but the Falcons 4-1 margin in pins provided the bonus points needed for their 33-27 victory.  

The night started well for Batavia with decisions from Danny Watson (171) and Luis Campos (189) giving the team an early lead.  This was quickly erased by two Falcon pins at the upper weights, and after a forfeit victory for the Bulldogs at 103, the team score was tied at 12 a piece.  After another Wheaton pin at 112, the two teams traded decisions at 119 and 125, with Logan Arlis picking up the win for Batavia.  Charlie Ryan evened up the score again with a second period pin at 130, and Tyler Patton put the Dogs ahead with a decision at 135.  In one of two overtime matches of the night, Augie Watson won a very exciting match, riding out his opponent in the 4th overtime for a 3-2 decision.  The Falcons then responded with a decision and a pin in the next two weight classes to move into the last match up by three (and with the tiebreaker advantage for most pins).  The last match pitted Andrew Rudd from Batavia and Dominic Schmit from Wheaton, both wrestlers ranked in the Top 10 in the state.  The match was as close as the rankings suggest, with Schmit getting a takedown in overtime to win 6-4 and seal a Wheaton North victory.  

1/17/09 - BULLDOGS CLAIM SIXTEEN TEAM BATAVIA INVITATIONAL TITLE

Batavia won the 30th Batavia Invitational, defending their title for the first time ever, and winning for the 3rd time in the past four years.  All in all it was an extremely impressive performance with a final margin of victory of over 50 points.  The Bulldogs were led by champions Logan Arlis (112) and Danny Watson (171) and placed six wrestlers in championship matches.  Even some of the younger wrestlers who did not place, worked hard in the wrestlebacks contributing valuable advancement and pinning points.  Of particular note were Freshmen Shaquille Smith's (215) first varsity wins, with Smith picking up two pins on the day.

1/16/09 - SENIORS LEAD THE WAY AGAINST GLENBARD SOUTH

On Senior Night, the Bulldogs wrapped up an undefeated home record and finished the Western Sun regular season with a 6-1 overall record.  Seniors Charlie Ryan (130), Andrew Rudd (160), Danny Watson (171) all went out in impressive style, recording a pin and two tech falls between them.  On a night when the team won 10 of 14 matches, there were plenty of other highlights including pins from Evan Christianson (103), Logan Arlis (119), Tyler Patton (135), Augie Watson (140) and Matt Goodin (145).  The final score was 58-16.

1/13/09 - BULLDOGS RUN WINNING STREAK TO FIVE STRAIGHT

Batavia headed out to Kaneland to face the Knights and came home with a 42-27 Western Sun Conference victory.  With Jake Hilliard on the shelf with a knee injury, and another round of challenge matches this past week, the lineup gets younger all the time.  In fact, half of last night's lineup were underclassmen, with three of them turning in important wins for the team.  To read more about the meet, check out the Press Coverage page.

1/12/09 - LOGAN ARLIS NAMED WRESTLER OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to Logan Arlis on being named the Kane County Chronicle's Wrestler of the Week. To read more about the meet, check out the Press Coverage page.

1/10/09 - BATAVIA SWEEPS HOME QUAD

The Bulldog Wrestlers continued their recent success with decisive victories in all three dual matches at their home quad, including a victory over local rival West Aurora.  Logan Arlis, Charlie Ryan, Andrew Rudd and Danny Watson were undefeated on the day, and the team got important contributions up and down the lineup.  To read more about the meet, check out the Press Coverage page.

1/8/09 - BULLDOGS RACK UP PINS IN WIN OVER HUBS

The Bulldogs returned to Western Sun Conference action tonight in Rochelle, and after splitting the first six matches, won seven of the last eight to run away with the dual meet victory.  Eight of the ten match wins were by fall, producing a lopsided 55-19 final score.

After a loss by decision at 125lbs to start the night, Charlie Ryan got the Dogs on the board with an impressive 1st period pin.  After a close 1st period, Tyler Patton broke open his match at 135lbs and to record a 14-4 major decision.  Augie Watson used one of his patented cradles to record a pin of his own at 140lbs to give Batavia a 16-3 lead.  The Hubs bounced back with 10 points in the next two weight classes to pull within three points.  Andrew Rudd started the Bulldogs' big run with a 1st period pin of his own at 160lbs, after which Danny Watson prevailed with a 5-3 decision against a previously undefeated wrestler from Rochelle.  With the exception of an unfortunate injury forfeit by Jake Hilliard at 215lbs, the Bulldogs won all the remaining matches with pins.  Pat Martin fought his way off his back in the 1st period of his heavyweight match to then turn the table on his opponent in the 2nd and put him away.  Returning to the lightweights, Evan Christianson, Steve Cherry and Logan Arlis all looked impressive in securing early finishes to their matches.

12/30/08 - BATAVIA WRESTLERS WIN BATTLE OF LOCAL RIVALS

Batavia wrestlers ended 2008 in style with a convincing 46-19 victory over their local rivals Marmion Academy.  The team claimed 10 of the 14 individual matches, with four wins coming by way of a pin.  Logan Arlis was the first Bulldog to see action, winning a close 6-4 decision at 119lbs to keep his unblemished record intact.  Marmion came back immediately to take their only lead of the day with Eddie Breen’s major decision at 125lbs.  Charlie Ryan put Batavia back on top with a pin at 130lbs, and after Tyler Patton racked up an 11-3 major decision at 135lbs, the Bulldogs had a nine-point lead.  Pat Greco closed the gap for Marmion with the Cadets’ first pin of the day at 140lbs, but this is as close as they would get the rest of the way.  Augie Watson wrestled an excellent match to notch an 8-2 victory at 145lbs, and this was followed by a forfeit victory for Batavia’s Adam Schulz at 152lbs.  Andrew Rudd earned a quick six points for Batavia with a first-period pin at 160lbs, and his teammates Danny Watson and Luis Campos won decisions at 171lbs and 189lbs respectively to give the Dogs a commanding 34-10 lead.  Marmion struck back at 215lbs with a 3-2 decision for Conner English, but it was too little too late.  The last three matches of the day all ended with pins.  Pat Martin started the string with a win at heavyweight, after which Eddie Greco matched his brother’s result for Marmion with a pin at 103lbs.  Steve Cherry put an exclamation mark on the victory for Batavia with a pin in the last match of the day at 112lbs.

1/10/09 - BATAVIA SWEEPS HOME QUAD

The Bulldog Wrestlers continued their recent success with decisive victories in all three dual matches at their home quad, including a victory over local rival West Aurora.  Logan Arlis, Charlie Ryan, Andrew Rudd and Danny Watson were undefeated on the day, and the team got important contributions up and down the lineup.  To read the local newspaper coverage of the meet, click the links below:

Daily Herald - Batavia Continues its Run

Beacon News - Host Bulldogs Assert Their Dominance



1/8/09 - BULLDOGS RACK UP PINS IN WIN OVER HUBS



The Bulldogs returned to Western Sun Conference action tonight in Rochelle, and after splitting the first six matches, won seven of the last eight to run away with the dual meet victory.  Eight of the ten match wins were by fall, producing a lopsided 55-19 final score.

After a loss by decision at 125lbs to start the night, Charlie Ryan got the Dogs on the board with an impressive 1st period pin.  After a close 1st period, Tyler Patton broke open his match at 135lbs and to record a 14-4 major decision.  Augie Watson used one of his patented cradles to record a pin of his own at 140lbs to give Batavia a 16-3 lead.  The Hubs bounced back with 10 points in the next two weight classes to pull within three points.  Andrew Rudd started the Bulldogs' big run with a 1st period pin of his own at 160lbs, after which Danny Watson prevailed with a 5-3 decision against a previously undefeated wrestler from Rochelle.  With the exception of an unfortunate injury forfeit by Jake Hilliard at 215lbs, the Bulldogs won all the remaining matches with pins.  Pat Martin fought his way off his back in the 1st period of his heavyweight match to then turn the table on his opponent in the 2nd and put him away.  Returning to the lightweights, Evan Christianson, Steve Cherry and Logan Arlis all looked impressive in securing early finishes to their matches.


12/30/08 - BATAVIA WRESTLERS WIN BATTLE OF LOCAL RIVALS

Batavia wrestlers ended 2008 in style with a convincing 46-19 victory over their local rivals Marmion Academy.  The team claimed 10 of the 14 individual matches, with four wins coming by way of a pin.  Logan Arlis was the first Bulldog to see action, winning a close 6-4 decision at 119lbs to keep his unblemished record intact.  Marmion came back immediately to take their only lead of the day with Eddie Breen’s major decision at 125lbs.  Charlie Ryan put Batavia back on top with a pin at 130lbs, and after Tyler Patton racked up an 11-3 major decision at 135lbs, the Bulldogs had a nine-point lead.  Pat Greco closed the gap for Marmion with the Cadets’ first pin of the day at 140lbs, but this is as close as they would get the rest of the way.  Augie Watson wrestled an excellent match to notch an 8-2 victory at 145lbs, and this was followed by a forfeit victory for Batavia’s Adam Schulz at 152lbs.  Andrew Rudd earned a quick six points for Batavia with a first-period pin at 160lbs, and his teammates Danny Watson and Luis Campos won decisions at 171lbs and 189lbs respectively to give the Dogs a commanding 34-10 lead.  Marmion struck back at 215lbs with a 3-2 decision for Conner English, but it was too little too late.  The last three matches of the day all ended with pins.  Pat Martin started the string with a win at heavyweight, after which Eddie Greco matched his brother’s result for Marmion with a pin at 103lbs.  Steve Cherry put an exclamation mark on the victory for Batavia with a pin in the last match of the day at 112lbs.

12/21/08 - STRONG FINISH FOR BULLDOG WRESTLERS AT RUS ERB INVITATIONAL

The Batavia Bulldogs took third place in the 45th Annual Rus Erb Invitational held at Glenbrook South High School.  This sixteen-team tournament is a great early season test against a perennially competitive field.  Early in the day the Bulldogs stood fifth in the team standings after a handful of close losses, but they regrouped and battled through the championship and wrestle back brackets to place nine of fourteen wrestlers in the medal matches. Importantly, during this stretch, every wrestler on the team earned at least one victory to contribute to the team score, including the first varsity wins for Adam Schulz (152lbs) and Matt Goodin (145lbs).

Having drawn closer to the top of the tournament standings, the Bulldogs made their big move in the medal round, winning six of nine matches, passing Western Sun Conference rival Sycamore, and coming within a half point of second place Wheeling.  The Bulldogs were perfect in their championship matches, with both Logan Arlis (112lbs) and Andrew Rudd (160lbs) earning first place honors with convincing victories.  Danny Watson, (171lbs) came within a whisker of the championship match, losing in a semi-final 5-4 against the top-ranked wrestler from 189lbs who dropped down to his weight class for the tournament.  Watson, along with Charlie Ryan (130lbs) and Tyler Patton (135lbs) all won their third place matches.  Evan Christianson (103lbs), participating in his first varsity tournament, brought home a well-deserved fourth place medal.  Also on the medal stand were Luis Campos (189lbs), who after a close second round loss, strung together three straight victories to earn 5th place.  Rounding out the place winners were sixth place wrestlers Rich Smith (125lbs) and Jake Hilliard (215lbs).  

12/19/08 - BULLDOGS SPLIT PAIR OF CONFERENCE DUALS

Batavia took on conference rivals Yorkville and Sycamore on consecutive nights in two closely contested duals.

Despite having to juggle the lineup to fill in for two missing starters, the Bulldogs could not have scripted a much better start against the Foxes.  Andrew Rudd got the home crowd fired up with a tech fall at 160lbs, and was followed by Mike Hoefler who got an early pin in his first varsity match.  Moving up to 189lbs for the match, Danny Watson had no problem with the additional weight delivering yet another tech fall.  Not to be out done, Luis Campos, taking over the 215lb spot, pinned his opponent as well.  Sporting a 22-0 lead Batavia had early control of the match.  Yorkville responded as you would expect from a program of their caliber and tradition, and with two quick pins closed the gap to 10 points.  Steve Cherry then came up with a critical six points in his 112lb match and Logan Arlis added to the lead with a tech fall at 119lbs.  All of these points came in useful as we hit the heart of the Yorkville lineup.  While we dropped the next two matches, both Rich Smith and Charlie Ryan kept their matches close against top tier competition and gave the team some breathing room.  Tyler Patton then closed out the match with pin at 135lbs in what had been a close match to that point.  The Bulldogs dropped the last three matches of the night, two of which were the first varsity matches for a pair of Batavia freshman, but walked away with an impressive 39-32 victory.

Right back it on Thursday, the Bulldogs traveled to Sycamore to face the surprising, undefeated Spartans.  Once again, the team got a good start with Danny Watson’s second tech fall in as many nights.  Jake Hilliard celebrated his return to the lineup with a pin at 215lbs, and by the time we started at the lightweights, Sycamore held a slim 12-11 lead.  The two teams traded pins at 103lbs and 112lbs, with Logan Arlis dropping down from 119lbs to pace the Bulldogs.  Fighting off pins, both Max Christianson and Rich Smith gave up just decisions in their matches, and after Charlie Ryan’s pin at 130lbs, the Dogs were back within a point.  In the closest match of the night, Tyler Patton continued to build his reputation as a big match wrestler, earning a 7-5 decision with a takedown 10 seconds before the end of the match.  With this decision, Batavia had its second lead of the night at 26-24, but it was short lived.  A stretch of three consecutive Sycamore victories put the match our of reach, making Andrew Rudd’s major decision in the last match of the night rather anti-climatic.  Sycamore ended up taking the match with a score of 39-30. 

The Bulldogs would surely like a “do over”, but like last year after a close loss to Yorkville, may have to wait until the conference tournament to state their claim to conference supremacy. Despite the obvious disappointment of losing control of their destiny in the conference regular season, the team will look to run the table and hope someone else knocks off Sycamore.

Click here for a newspaper account of the Yorkville dual

12/13/08 - CAPTAINS LEAD THE WAY AT DOWNERS GROVE SOUTH TOURNAMENT

All four team captains won their championship matches in convincing style to lead the Bulldogs to a 2nd place finish at the Downers Grove South Mustang Invitational.  Logan Arlis won by technical fall at 119lbs to win his third consecutive title at the tournament.  Charlie Ryan also won by technical fall at 130lbs, and Andrew Rudd (160lbs) and Danny Watson (171lbs) repeated as champions with a pin and major decision in their respective championship matches.  Sophomore, Augie Watson, was a runner-up at 140lbs in his first varsity tournament, and Tyler Patton came back from a hard fought semi-final loss to the eventual champion to take 3rd place at 135lbs.  

Despite matching Hinsdale Central in the number of individual championships, the depth of the Red Devils’ lineup was the difference on the day.  Hinsdale placed 11 of 14 wrestlers in a championship match, and in the process comfortably beat the Dogs for top team honors.

12/06/08 - UP AND DOWN DAY FOR BULLDOGS AT NAPERVILLE NORTH QUAD

In a meet strangely reminiscent of last year, the Bulldogs took one of three matches on the day at a very competitive quad meet at Naperville North.

The first match of the day against Lyons Township was a back and forth affair, featuring a total of eleven lead changes.  Batavia’s first lead followed Danny Watson’s pin at 171lbs, the first of three convincing wins he would claim during the day.  Jake Hilliard continued his winning ways with a decision at 215lbs, but after the heavyweight forfeit, the team trailed 12-9.  The Bulldogs then alternated wins and losses over the next eight weight classes, with Evan Christianson, Logan Arlis, Charlie Ryan and Augie Watson winning their respective matches.  The dual was tied at 30-30 going into the last match, but the Lions closed it out with a pin to win 36-30.

Next up was perennial state power Carl Sandburg, and while the team is perhaps not quite as dominating as previous years, they are still a formidable challenge.  Danny Watson’s tech fall gave the Dogs the early lead, but Sandburg responded immediately, taking seven on the next eight matches to build a commanding lead.  Logan Arlis’ 18-7 major decision was the only bright spot in this stretch.  The Bulldogs’ made a late push started after Tyler Patton’s third period takedown secured a 5-4 decision at 135lbs and a major decision by Augie Watson.  Nick Allen picked up another pin at 152lbs, but with the match our of reach, we forfeited the last match at160lbs to protect Andrew Rudd’s ankle that was injured in his first match of the day.  The final score was a 40-22 win for Sandburg.

In the last match of the day Batavia squared off against the Huskies of Naperville North.  Luis Campos got things started with a major decision at 189lbs, and after swapping forfeits at 215lbs and heavyweight, the match moved to 103lbs with the Bulldogs leading 10-6.  After two losses and a double forfeit at 119lbs, the team trailed by 3 points.  Rich Smith then put in an excellent performance at 125lbs earning a 6-2 decision, and was followed by a tech fall from Charlie Ryan.  However, after a loss at 135lbs the match was once again all tied.  Augie Watson put the team back on top, capping a perfect day for the Watson brothers, but by the time the match reached the last two matches of the day at 160lbs, the Bulldogs were staring at an eight-point deficit.  Needing bonus points to secure a victory, Andrew Rudd and Danny Watson did not disappoint, delivering a pin and tech fall respectively to close out the match 33-30.

12/04/08 - NEWCOMERS TIP THE SCALE FOR BULLDOGS IN WESTERN SUN OPENER

Batavia received a tough test in their Western Sun Conference opener facing a much-improved DeKalb team.  The Bulldogs prevailed in a closely fought match in large part to the contributions received from first year varsity wrestlers Dylan Beach, Rich Smith and Augie Watson.

The night started at 119lbs where Logan Arlis faced a state-ranked wrestler from DeKalb.  Arlis took control of the match with a 1st period takedown and never looked back on the way to a 5-1 decision to open the scoring for the Dogs.  Rich Smith then made short work of his opponent at 125lbs with a fall at 1:15 in the match.  After a close loss at 130lbs, Tyler Patton battled his way to a tough 4-0 decision at 135lbs.  Augie Watson, who looks more comfortable every time he hits the mat, took less than a minute to give the Bulldogs a comfortable early lead of 18-3.  The lead was short-lived, with the Barbs racking up 15 points in the next three weight classes to tie things up.  Danny Watson got Batavia back on the winning track with a 15-5 major decision at 171lbs, and then in probably the match of the day, Luis Campos held on for an 8-6 overtime victory at 189lbs.  Jake Hilliard continued to press the advantage with an impressive 3-2 win at 215lbs.  The forfeit at heavyweight gave DeKalb new life and brought them back within 4 points with two matches remaining.  With the match hanging in the balance, Dylan Beach took the mat at 103lbs, a late add to the line-up due to Evan Christianson falling sick earlier in the day.  Not only did Dylan win his first varsity match to secure the team victory, but added an exclamation mark with his 2nd period pin.  That finished the scoring for the day for Batavia as they closed out a 34-28 win.

11/20/08 - WRESTLERS EVEN DUAL MEET RECORD AT NAPERVILLE CENTRAL QUAD

The Bulldogs came back from Thanksgiving to even their dual meet record at 3-3 after winning two of their three matches at the Naperville Central Quad.

The team started the day facing Lane Tech and got a quick 6-0 lead on a 1st period pin by Jake Hilliard at 215lbs.  This was one of seven first period pins (three in under 25 seconds) the team would rack up.  After forfeiting heavyweight the team went back to work at 103lbs.  With Coach Arlis having everyone wrestling up a weight for the day through 145lbs, freshman Evan Christianson got his first varsity opportunity and wasted no time securing a first period pin.  Steven Cherry matched this at 112lbs and Logan Arlis won a 12-4 major decision at 119lbs.  Not to be outdone by his younger brother, Max Christianson also got a pin at 125lbs, and Rich Smith earned his first varsity win and pin at 130lbs.  Charlie Ryan wasted little time at 135lbs with yet another pin for the team, pushing the lead to 40-6.  Nick Allen hung on for a hard fought 13-12 win at 152lbs putting the match on ice, and Andrew Rudd added an exclamation mark with the last pin of the match at 160lbs.  With the match well in hand, Batavia forfeited 171lbs and 189lbs.  The final score was 49-20.

Next up for the Bulldogs was the host Naperville Central.  Batavia spotted the Redhawks a six point lead with the heavyweight forfeit, and had a hard time getting on track in the lightweights, losing five of the next six matches.  The only bright spot was a 15-4 major decision from Logan Arlis.  Things started to turn around at 140lbs with another major decision delivered by Tyler Patton, followed by Augie Watson’s first varsity win with a 2nd period pin.  With the momentum shifting to the Bulldogs, Andrew Rudd and Danny Watson got back-to-back pins at 160lbs and 171lbs to get the match back within 9 points, but Naperville Central closed it out with a win at 189lbs. Jake Hilliard wrestled the remaining match, winning his second of the day.  Naperville Central won the dual 37-28, thwarting a spirited Batavia comeback.

In the final match of the day the Bulldogs squared off against the Mustangs of Downers Grove South.  After a 12-4 loss at 103lbs, the Bulldogs got three consecutive pins from Steve Cherry, Logan Arlis and Max Christianson and a forfeit victory for Rich Smith.  A double forfeit at 135lbs was followed by a 5-2 decision for Tyler Patton and a second consecutive pin for Augie Watson.  The Bulldogs forfeited matches at 160lbs and 215lbs and sandwiched between these were a tech fall from Danny Watson and a 9-3 decision for Luis Campos.  The final score was 41-28.

In case you were wondering, the reason for some of the forfeits is that if a varsity wrestler were to compete in every scheduled dual meet, they would exceed the number of matches allowed by the IHSA.  Accordingly, Coach Arlis will sit wrestlers down in situations where the match is well in hand, especially if there is a double forfeit opportunity where the opposition does not have a wrestler at that weight.

11/28/08 - BULLDOGS KNOCK OFF 8TH RANKED LINCOLN WAY CENTRAL

Batavia wrestlers kicked off their 2008-09 campaign with its traditional pre-Thanksgiving quad at Glenbard North.  This meet is always a very stiff early test, and with all three opponents ranked in the Top 8 in the state by Illinois Best Weekly, this year was no exception.

The Bulldogs started out facing the #6 ranked Minooka Indians. Starting at 189lbs, Luis Campos drew first blood for Batavia with a 10-7 decision.  After a close loss at 215lb, the Bulldogs forfeited Heavyweight (as they would the entire evening).  Moving back to the lightweights, Logan Arlis was the next Bulldog to notch a win with a 7-3 decision at 112lbs, keeping the match close.  Unfortunately, it was at this point that Minooka ran off a series of seven consecutive victories.  In this stretch, the team led handily in three of the matches, only to lose after making uncharacteristic mistakes.  Something that is sure to have given Coach Arlis a few gray hairs!  The Bulldogs got back on the winning track with the first pin of the season delivered by Andrew Rudd at 160lbs, followed by another pin by Danny Watson at 171lbs to close out the match.  Final score was a 49-18 victory for Minooka.

Whether it was the spark the team received from back to back pins to end the previous match, or the “pep talk” given by Coach Arlis behind closed doors, the team came out against #8 ranked Lincoln Way Central with a renewed sense of energy and focus.  Starting at 215lbs, Jake Hilliard started the match with a pin, and showed why the drop from heavyweight last season to the lower weight class looks to be a great move for the team.  After the heavyweight forfeit, the team regained the lead with a scrappy 11-10 win by Steve Cherry at 103lbs.  Logan Arlis added to the lead with a 3rd period pin at 112lbs.  After a loss by decision and major decision at 119lbs and 125lbs respectively, the score was 15-13.  Charlie Ryan picked up his first win of the season with a pin at 130lbs and Tyler Patton won a hard fought 5-2 decision at 135lbs.  The Bulldogs gave up 15 points in the next three weight classes to trail by 4 points going into the 160lb weight class.  In one of the most entertaining and important matches of the night, Andrew Rudd faced off against a state qualifier from Lincoln Way Central, and with the match tied at 4-4 in the 3rd period, took his opponent to his back and pinned him to put the Bulldogs ahead for good.  Not to be outdone, Danny Watson and Luis Campos both came up with pins in the final two matches, giving Batavia a 42-28 victory.

In the final match of the night, Batavia faced the #3 ranked host Glenbard North. Logan Arlis scored the first points for the Bulldogs with a 10-0 major decision at 112lbs starting his season 3-0 for the first time.  We then hit the heart of Glenbard North’s lineup, and despite a determined effort by some of our new varsity team members, matching up against two state champions and another medalist was too tall of an order.  The only bright spot in this stretch was Tyler Patton’s 7-2 victory at 135lbs.  By the time we reached 152lbs the match was already out of reach and Batavia was wrestling for pride, but showing that there is no quit on the team they ran off victories in 4 of the last 5 matches.  Nick Allen started it with a 1st period pin and his first varsity victory and it was followed by Andrew Rudd’s third win and third pin of the night.  Danny Watson also went perfect for the night with a win at 171lbs and Jake Hilliard closed out the meet with a 7-3 victory at 215lbs.  Final score was a 46-25 victory for Glenbard North.

While some may question Coach Arlis’s logic in scheduling such tough non-conference competition, the team understands that if you want to be the best you have to face the best.  This baptism by fire prepares some of the new varsity wrestlers for the road ahead, and its hard to be imagine they will be easily intimidated in the future after facing a state champ or medalist in their home gym!  All in all this provided an important early season measuring stick for the team, and to knock off a highly ranked opponent is a signal that they are on the right track.

11/21/08 - 2008-09 TEAM CAPTAINS NAMED

Congratulations to Logan Arlis (Jr.), Andrew Rudd (Sr.), Charlie Ryan (Sr.) and Danny Watson (Sr.) on being named team captains for 2008-09.  We expect that their leadership in the practice room and in the meets will contribute to the success of this year's team and set a strong example for the younger members of the team.

09/18/08 - WRESTLERS NAMED TO NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

Congratulations to Senior wrestlers Danny Watson and Andrew Rudd on their recent induction into the National Honor Society. To be considered for this honor students must maintain at least a 3.5 GPA and have demonstrated leadership within the high school and community.

10/01/08 - BULLDOGS WELCOME BRIAN ROSSETTI AS NEW ASSISTANT COACH

We are pleased to announce that Brian Rossetti will be joining the Bulldog coaching staff for the upcoming season.  Coach Rossetti has had a lifelong association with wrestling and brings a passion for, and knowledge of, the sport that is sure to benefit the entire team.  He started wrestling at the age of six in the IKWF and continued wrestling competitively throughout high school.  In 2003, he was a state qualifier at Palatine High School, and upon graduation from Palatine, was the school's record holder for most all time and single season wins and takedowns.  He was also the first wrestler in school history to earn a varsity letter all four years, and earned all state distinction in both Free-Style and Greco-Roman three times while in high school.  Since graduation he has spent the last five years officiating wrestling for the IHSA and coaching at Wheeling High School.  Coach Rossetti graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in Health Education, a subject he now teaches at Batavia High School.  He prides himself in the fact that he comes from a wrestling family; having a father who is in the Illinois Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame based on his success as head coach at Willowbrook High School, and a brother who currently coaches at Leyden High School.