Lincoln-Way East and Hononegah Lead Strong Field at Clint Arlis Invitational
GMedia Reporting | January 17, 2026
Batavia, IL – The Clint Arlis Invitational brought together elite talent from across Illinois on Saturday for a day of high-stakes wrestling at Batavia High School. Lincoln-Way East and Rockton Hononegah battled for the top spot throughout the prestigious memorial tournament. Both programs displayed incredible depth and secured multiple individual championships during the final rounds. This annual event honors the late Clint Arlis while providing a platform for athletes to showcase their skills.
Lincoln-Way East finished the day with a tournament-high 42 match wins. Their performance was bolstered by championships from JT Theis at 138 pounds and Max Mularz at 157 pounds. Rockton Hononegah followed closely with 40 wins and a dominant run through the middleweight classes. The Cassioppi brothers led the charge for Hononegah. Rocco Cassioppi secured a technical fall at 150 pounds, while Bruno Cassioppi earned his own technical fall at 165 pounds.
The 126-pound bracket featured a standout performance by Lemont senior Cory Zator, who demonstrated aggressive offensive wrestling to secure a podium finish. Zator opened the tournament with a dominant 16-0 technical fall over Lazar Karanakov, followed by a first-period pin in the quarterfinals. After a setback in the semifinals against Rockton Hononegah’s Jackson Olson, Zator showed his resilience by bouncing back with another pin at the 2:59 mark in the consolation semifinals. The third-place match against Plainfield North’s Aidan Durell was a high-scoring affair that kept the crowd on its feet; despite pushing the pace until the final whistle, Zator narrowly fell in a 10-9 decision, ultimately placing fourth.
Host school Batavia celebrated a major victory in the 120-pound division. Sophomore Kai Enos thrilled the home fans by defeating Kristian DeClercq in a 9-5 decision. Enos stayed aggressive and controlled the match to earn his gold medal. Other standouts included Washington’s Symon Woods, who won the 106-pound title. Washington also found success in the heavyweights, where Sean Thornton took the 285-pound crown.
Arlington Heights Hersey and Park Ridge Maine South also earned significant hardware. Oleksandr Havrylkiv of Hersey claimed the 126-pound title with a 6-1 victory. Maine South secured two champions with Brett Harman at 132 pounds and Jake Colleran at 144 pounds. These results reflect the high level of competition present at the Clint Arlis Invitational each year.
