This time, sophomore Declan Sons was in a completely different place for St. Charles East.
Last month, after having just become eligible to wrestle following his transfer from St. Charles North, Sons faced South Elgin freshman Nick Dilallo and said he was tentative in a 6-1 loss.
“It was one of my first matches back,” Sons said. “I was a little hesitant. I wasn’t trying to score.
“I was worried about losing.”
Sons, though, turned the tables Saturday with a 13-4 major decision over the undefeated Dilallo in the 113-pound championship match of the Class 3A Conant Sectional in Hoffman Estates.
Fully immersed in a new school and a new wrestling program, Sons showed how much progress he has made by handing Dilallo, his former youth wrestling teammate, his first loss of the season.
“The whole process was pretty tough with him, with the IHSA, trying to wait for all of that stuff,” St. Charles East coach Jason Potter said of Sons. “It’s just extra stress and pressure.
“When he was finally eligible and stepped into the lineup, it was the first time he’s been in a lineup full of guys with high expectations. I think it took a little for him to adjust to that mental approach.”
Sons was joined as a sectional champion by teammates Anthony Gutierrez (165), Ryan McGovern (157), Cooper Murray (215) and Dom Munaretto (120).
Munaretto, a two-time national champion, had an entertaining final bout — a 23-13 victory that saw Oak Park-River Forest’s Jamiel Castleberry execute a late takedown.
“You’ve hit the peak when the entire gym boos when you do something right or cheers when you give up a silly takedown trying to tech a kid going for broke for no reason, just because he’s having fun,” Potter said. “The whole place erupts. That’s when you know you’re really the man.”
Elgin’s Fabian Ramirez (175) also won a sectional title. St. Charles East’s Liam Aye (126), Rocco Lobrillo (190) and Gavin Woodmancy (138) took second.
St. Charles East’s Abe Leidig and Kaden Potter, South Elgin’s Aamir Nieves-Allen and Karl Pretzer, Streamwood’s Gabe Inorio and Geneva’s Joe Pettit also qualified for state.
For Sons, while it took some time adapting to his new surroundings, his teammates and coaches weren’t new to him. He was in St. Charles East’s feeder program in junior high.
The Saints’ wrestling room, however, is one of the most competitive in the state.
“I knew what to expect,” Sons said. “I knew every practice was going to be hard. I was going to have to go 100%. I knew I was going to get better. I’m surrounded by great practice partners like Potter, Munaretto, all of them. They just give you confidence that you know you’re ready.”
Dilallo, meanwhile, confirmed he had felt the weight of his undefeated record as the season went on. He’s hoping this loss will help relieve some of that burden.
“I think this could be a positive, just so I know what it really feels like,” Dilallo said. “If I get a loss at state, I really know how to keep my composure and keep wrestling.”
On the flip side, Sons has adopted the Saints’ aggressive mindset, avoiding any thought of being tentative while trying to score as many points as possible.
“Declan had a chip on his shoulder,” Potter said. “He had something to prove. Once he started being confident, it’s like a snowball. It’s contagious. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
“He started feeling the momentum of the team. It started driving him. It was just a beautiful example this weekend, if he does the right things, good things will happen.”
And Sons is now a Saint, both during the day and in the wrestling room.
“The transition has gone well,” Sons said. “The team has been really accepting. School is going really well, too. I really like it. I’m starting to make more friends. It’s fun.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
