The Saint Patrick Shamrock wrestlers had a successful weekend, winning a pair dual meets before finishing in second place at the Rex Lewis Invitational Tournament hosted by Buffalo Grove High School, lead by Joe Fagiano who won the 215 pound class, and Marty LaBelle who took second place at 189 pounds.

On Friday afternoon the Shamrocks participated in a quadrangular meet hosted by Fenwick with St. Laurence and St. Ignatius. The Shamrocks opened by taking on the Wolfpack of St. Ignatius. The teams battled back and forth, and the Shamrocks held a one-point advantage at 22-21 after nine matches, with Brian Rategan (171 lbs) and Fagiano (215 lbs) scoring pins while Nick Luburich (160 lbs) gained a major decision. The Shamrocks rallied to win the next four matches, as Joe Romano and Brian Ridley won decisions and Steve DiNino pinned his opponent, to pull away for a 40-24 win.

The Shamrocks faced St. Laurence in the middle match of the quad, scoring pins by Luburich, Rategan, LaBelle, and Fagiano in four of the first five matches to jump out to a 24-6 advantage. The Vikings pulled within nine points at 27-18, but they would get no closer. Mark Ridley (130 lbs), Steve Dinino (135 lbs), and Matt Ortega recorded pins, and Romano scored a major decision at 125 lbs on the way to a 55-21 Shamrock victory.

In the final match of the quad, Saint Patrick faced the host Friars of Fenwick. Shamrock coach Pat Duggan juggled the lineup, and Saint Patrick took advantage early, opening an 18-0 lead as Wellington Adams (171 lbs), LaBelle (215 lbs), and Fagiano (275 lbs) scored major decisions and Rategan (189 lbs) pinned his opponent. The Shamrocks would drop eight of the next nine matches, with Romano’s 8-6 decision at 125 lbs being the lone exception as Fenwick took a 33-21 advantage. Luburich (160 lbs) scored a pin in the night’s final match to make the score 33-27.

Saturday the Shamrocks placed second, with five wrestlers earning medals at the Rex Lewis Invitational. At 215 lbs, Fagiano pinned his first two opponents in less than two minutes, then scored a 14-4 decision over Buffalo Grove’s Tom Pineda in the championship match. LaBelle scored a pair of decisions to earn a berth in the championship match at 189 lbs, but dropped a hard-fought 5-2 match to Les Bates of Lyons Township to take second place. Jimmy DiNino (112 lbs), Ridley (130 lbs), and Rategan (171 lbs) all won out in the wrestle backs to claim third-place in their respective weight classes.