Wrestling: Levi stands out for Vikings at league meet

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Niles North's Nick Lakhani tries to fight out of a hold from New Trier's Andrew Steen in the 145 lb. weight class at the Central Suburban League conference tournament on Jan. 21, 2012, at Maine East High School in Park Ridge. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

Updated: February 27, 2012 8:30AM

First-year Niles North head coach Chris Albandia would love to see more Vikings climb the ladder as quickly as sophomore Shawn Levi, who’s quietly developed into the team’s second best wrestler, behind junior Camerin Pascoe.

In his first season on the varsity level, Levi has compiled a sparkling 15-9 record. He went 1-2 in the rugged 113-pound bracket at the CSL Meet, held at Maine East Friday and Saturday.

“Shawn is a prime example of what we want in our wrestlers,” Albandia said. “He was under .500 on the freshman team last year. He had a big camp this summer in Minnesota, and put all the work in. It shows. He’s just a little raw and needs to be a little more technical. He needs to find a set of moves that he can call his own.”

Added Levi: “I have a hunger to want to succeed. If I’m going to do something, I want to be good at it. My shots and intensity are strengths. I need to work on my technique and pregame.”

Albandia inherited a team with scant depth and experience. The rebuilding Vikings went winless in CSL North dual meets, and placed 11th in the 12-team conference tourney. Pascoe earned fourth place at 220 for Niles North’s only top-six finish.

South champion New Trier nosed out favored North champ Deerfield 259.5 to 247.5 for the crown. Six Trevians claimed individual titles to three for the Warriors. Senior-laden Maine West (213.5) and the other conference runner-up, Maine South (154.5), rounded out the top four.

The only roadblock for Pascoe (21-12) at 220 was New Trier’s John Benson, who blanked him 5-0 in the third-place match and 3-0 in the second round of the winners’ bracket.

Pascoe also earned four wins during a busy weekend. He opened by pinning his Waukegan opponent in the first period. In the wrestlebacks, Pascoe earned a solid 9-6 decision over Maine South’s Stefan Barac, and added two more falls against opponents from Evanston and Glenbrook North.

“We want Camerin to be a contender for a regional title and have a good sectional,” Albandia said. “Do better on the bottom and wrestle all six minutes.”

Earlier in the season, Pascoe lost to CSL champion Artie Bess (29-1) of Deerfield by only three points. Bess entered the meet as the conference’s highest-ranked wrestler — No. 3 in the state by Illinois Matmen.

“I actually thought I should have won it in the third period. I was building confidence during that match,” said Pascoe, who will seek his first sectional berth. “I’m good on my feet and my top game. I have to get better with my ground game and turning the guy.”

Nick Lakhani had a strong showing at 145. He started by pinning Glenbrook South’s Dan Lydon in the first period. Lakhani lasted into the second period against No. 8-ranked Lenny Bloom (28-1) of Deerfield. The Vikings junior advanced in the consolation bracket, winning by default, and then hung tough in a 6-2 loss to New Trier’s Andrew Steen.

Losing both of their matches were senior Kin-Man Lee (138), juniors Gene Edmond (285) and Anas Hasan (170), and sophomores Anton Shaykovsky (195), Alex Cimarrustt (182) and Daniel Litovchenko (106).

Sophomore Futtaim Ali was too ill to compete, and Albandia left several classes vacant to allow inexperienced youngsters compete in underclass matches.

Niles North will compete in the IHSA Class 3A Niles West Regional on Feb. 4. Maine West and Maine South are also in the eight-team field. The top three wrestlers in each class advance to the Glenbard North Sectional.