The Saint Patrick Shamrocks began their wrestling season by tying for 1st Place out of 16 teams at the Maine East High School Tournament.  The Shamrocks won nine of ten dual matches in the tournament, giving them a record of 9-2 after the first weekend of the season.

The Shamrocks opened the season with their traditional matchup against the 11th ranked Huskies of Oak Park-River Forest on the night before Thanksgiving.  The match started a 135 pounds, with the Huskies scoring a fall for a 6-0 lead, but Joe Romano got those points back for the Shamrocks, pinning his opponent at 140 pounds at the 2:28 mark.  Jimmy DiNino lost a decision at 145 pounds, but Alex Ortiz and Joe Rau won thrilling decisions in the next two matches to give the Shamrocks a 12-9 lead.  Ortiz scored a takedown in overtime for a 5-3 victory, while Rau scored a third period takedown, and held on for a 3-2 decision.  O.P.R.F. won decisions at 171 and 189 pounds to take a 15-12 lead heading into the 215-pound bout, where freshman Carlos Martinez, made sure his varsity debut was one to remember, scoring a 3-2 decision, in a tiebreaker, to knot the match at 15.  The Shamrocks built some momentum with 10 points in the next two bouts as George Vitzileos pinned his opponent at 285 pounds at the 5:14 mark, and Anthony Sciaccotta scored an 11-3 major-decision at 103 pounds to put the Shamrocks ahead 25-15.  A fall at 112 pounds cut the Shamrock lead to 25-21, but a 14-5 major-decision victory by Robert Peters at 119 pounds made the score 29-21 with only two matches left.  Unfortunately for the Shamrocks, the Huskies scored a fall and a decision in the final two matches to eke out a 30-29 victory.  By taking a ranked team to the limit in their own gym in their first match of the season, the Shamrock served notice that they are a team to watch in 2007-08.

Over the weekend the Shamrocks participated in a 16-team tournament at Maine East High School.  The two-day tournament allowed the Shamrocks to compete in ten dual matches, and they went 9-1 to tie for first place.  The Shamrocks opened the tournament with a 77-3 thumping of Larkin.  Frank Calvello, John Kozak, Romano, Ortiz, and Vitzileos all pinned their opponents, and DiNino scored a technical fall in the win over Larkin. 

In their second match the Shamrocks faced Maine West.  The Shamrocks fell behind 18-8 after six bouts, with a tech. fall victory by Peters and a 13-8 decision for Calvello.  The Shamrocks took control of the match with three consecutive pins by DiNino, Ortiz and Rau, followed by a 13-4 major-decision victory by Matt Ortega, and another pin by Rich Rategan gave the Shamrocks a 36-18 advantage with three bouts remaining.  Vitzileos pulled out a 3-1 decision and Sciaccotta won by fall to give the Shamrocks a 45-24 win. 

The third match featured Saint Patrick taking on Niles West. Despite a pin by Calvello and a major-decision by Romano, the Shamrocks trailed 17-10 after six matches.  Ortiz scored a 10-2 major-decision to get things turned around, Rau pinned his opponent at 1:16, and Ortega scored a 12-3 major-decision to make it 24-17 in favor of the Shamrocks. Rategan and Martinez both dropped close matches, making the score 24-23.  Vitzileos pinned his guy at the 50-second mark to make it 30-23 with two matches left.  The Wolves pulled out the match with a decision and a fall in the final two matches. 

In their fourth match Saint Patrick pounded Glenbrook South by a score of 54-15.  After falling behind 9-6, despite a pin by Calvello, the Shamrocks scored 48 straight points on pins by Romano, DiNino, Ortiz, Rau, Martinez and Vitzileos, as well as decisions by Rategan and Ortega. 

In the final match of the day, the Shamrocks defeated Evanston 43-21.  The Shamrocks built a 27-3 lead on a technical fall by Rau, major decisions by Calvello, Kozak, DiNino, and Ortega, and decisions by Romano and Rategan and they never looked back.  Vitzileos and Sciaccotta both pinned their opponents, and Peters scored a major decision to round out the scoring. 

On Saturday morning the Shamrocks opened with a 53-21 win over Maine East.  After Kozak got reversed and pinned in the opening match, Saint Patrick won eight of the next nine bouts.  Rau and Ortega both won by fall, Romano and DiNino won by technical fall, and Ortiz scored a 6-4 decision in overtime. Peters scored a major-decision, and Calvello pinned his opponent to round out the scoring. 

In their second match, the Shamrock defeated Loyola Academy by a score of 57-15.  Pins by DiNino, Ortiz, Ortega, Vitzileos, Kozak, and Sciaccotta, along with a technical fall by Rau, a major decision by Roman, and decisions by Castro and Martinez gave the Shamrocks the easy win. 

Saint Patrick then defeated Vernon Hills by a score of 57-20.  Vitzileos, Ryan Castro, Kozak, and Romano scored pins, while Ortega took a 7-1 decision for the Shamrocks. 

In their ninth match of the tournament, the Shamrocks faced undefeated Lake Park.  Lake Park got out to a 5-0 lead, but a 15-0 technical fall by Rau, a pin by Ortega and a 10-4 decision for Nels Adams gave the Shamrocks a 14-5 lead.  Following a pin, Vitzileos won by fall, and Sciaccotta scored a 10-0 major-decision to put Saint Patrick ahead 24-11.  Lake Park won the next five bouts to take a 27-24 lead with two bouts remaining.  With the match on the line, Romano came through with a 13-3 major decision, and DiNino closed the match with a 15-0 technical fall for a 33-27 Shamrock victory. 

In their final match, the Shamrocks beat Kelly 52-24. Rau, Romano and Ortiz scored pins for the Shamrocks, and Peters won a major-decision.  With a record of 9-1 in the tournament, the Shamrocks tied with Niles West and Lake Park for 1st Place.