Led by Rocco Cassioppi and 2 other freshmen, Hononegah uses Dvorak to show wrestling talent

MACHESNEY PARK — Hononegah is making statements early on in this wrestling season.

And the young but talented squad, which has climbed up to No. 9 in the latest Illinois Matmen rankings of Class 3A teams, used this weekend's prestigious Dvorak Invitational to continue that trend.

"The plan was to go out there and work my stuff — that's what it was for all of us," Hononegah freshman Rocco Cassioppi said Sunday, after winning the Dvorak championship at 106 pounds with three tech falls and two major decisions. "It just felt good... And this team, no matter how young we are, we're just wrestling good right now."

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Cassioppi was the lone Dvorak champion from Hononegah, but he was one of six medalists from the team.

Dakota's Noah Wenzel was the Rockford area's other Dvorak champion, winning it all at 215 pounds.

Led by three freshmen, Hononegah earned fifth place in the 30-team final standings with 127 1/2 points, and was easily the most impressive team from this region.

Fellow freshman Brody Sendele placed third at 157 pounds and climbed to 19-1 overall, and Rocco's freshman twin brother Bruno Cassioppi lost twice to ranked wrestlers, but still placed fourth at 113. Connor Diemel, a junior and one of the veteran leaders for Hononegah, soared to 18-3 and placed third at 165.

"We had a couple of stud freshmen that came in, and this team has really changed fast," Diemel said after his 7-1 win in the third-place match. "It's just a good feeling to be one of the top teams in these kind of tournaments. A couple of years ago, well, we couldn't get out of our own way. Now, it just feels good to be back near the top, and still climbing.

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"This is where the program really belongs."

Hononegah was even without one of its top wrestlers. Junior T.J. Silva, who won a state title while with Dakota last season, and placed second the year before, was the one Hononegah star who wasn't able to wrestle in the Dvorak. He injured his thigh the week before at another tournament, but expects to be back as soon as next week.

He was impressed while watching his young teammates pound out wins in the Dvorak.

"It's great to see these freshmen doing so well. I told them, 'Hey, you can shock anyone as a freshman, so go get it,'" said Silva, who is ranked No. 2 at 132. "Our freshman are taking over. They did so good at this tournament, and it's like 'Watch out.'"

Wenzel was the only other Rockford-area wrestler to make a Dvorak final this year, and he won when Loyola's Kai Calcutt, ranked No. 2 in the state in 3A at 215, checked out with a knee injury just 42 seconds into the 215-pound final. Wenzel was ranked No. 1 in 1A even before the tourney-title run.

"That's not the way you ever want to win a match," said Wenzel, who placed second at the Dvorak last year, and went on to win a state title. "But it was a good tournament for me. I've seen some of the best wrestlers I ever knew lose at this tournament, so this is a good feeling.

"I just have to keep it going now."

Hononegah's Kurt Smith placed sixth at 175 and Isaak Smith took sixth at 215 as well. Dakota's Randy McPeek placed fourth at 285 and Jason Bowers took sixth at 144. No wrestlers from Harlem, Belvidere or Freeport placed in the Dvorak this year.

Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and follow him on Twitter at @JayTaft. Sign up for the Rockford High School newsletter at rrstar.com. Jay has covered a wide variety of sports, from the Chicago Bears to youth sports, since the turn of the century at the Register Star, and for over 30 years all together.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Led by champion Rocco Cassioppi, Hononegah shines at prestigious Dvorak