The Panthers are hosting the Region IV Duals this Saturday at 9:00 am. The season is reaching the final stages, and the time is now to put together their best performances.
Morton College will compete against Triton, Harper, and Joliet. While the District Tournament is on February 18th, the Panthers are looking forward to hosting this weekend.
"It is exciting for our first time hosting. We will set a standard for what to expect and how to run it for the future. But we also want to learn from the experience of a bigger event. Last year was just a single dual. We understand the environment and know hosting something bigger is important. We will see how we do it, and hopefully, if all the region teams agree, we can do it again next year. We will be looking to improve as we go year by year," head coach Chris Butz said.
The previous two weeks for the Panthers have been in Elmhurst for the Al Hanke Invite and Harper College Open. Before that, they were in Minnesota for the Northwood Duals.
They posted a victory over Northland in Minnesota, 36-18, and are looking for success and some home cooking when they enter the Henry J. Vais Gymnasium.
Two of the more accomplished wrestlers that are healthy are Victor Vargas and Kacper Piskorz, who have put together impressive seasons thus far. Health has been a factor for many wrestlers, and their ability to stay fresh has been instrumental.
"I am excited to see how Victor and Kascper perform. This nice test will show how we compare against the top teams and wrestlers. See where we measure up and what we need to fix and sharpen up before the district. It is a nice opportunity to see four quality district opponents. We will then have to see what is needed come tournament time once it rolls along," Butz said.
Entering January, Vargas led the team in several categories for the Panthers. Most falls, team wins, and team points are some achievements that Vargas has shown on the mat.
"The two have a bunch of talent, and we will rely on them as we come down to the last few weeks and month of the season. Seeing how they stay focused and lead is great. They will be an example for future guys. The young guys on the team and future guys will see how they prepare and how they are when the important things roll about," Butz said on Vargas and Piskorz.
Following the District Tournament (2/18) in Palatine is Nationals, scheduled in Council Bluffs, Iowa (3/3).
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Note: Bryant & Stratton is no longer participating (event will run as a quad and teams will not have any rounds off)
