Wrestling: BaMaung leads Glenbrook South at conference meet

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Niles West's Thomas Williams, right, wrestles with Glenbrook South's Michael Kindelin in the 126 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 8:43AM

The Glenbrook South wrestling team had a memorable CSL tournament, as senior JJ BaMaung took home two major honors while the Titans boasted one of their best finishes in years, placing fifth overall in the 12-team field.

BaMaung (195 pounds) earned his first conference title, defeating Maine South’s Michael White 3-1 in the championship match at Maine East on Saturday. With the win, BaMaung avenged an earlier loss to the top-notch Hawk.

BaMaung’s performance certainly earned everyone’s attention, as he was awarded the CSL South’s Most Outstanding Wrestler Award, a distinction voted on by conference coaches.

“He’s been a great story,” said first-year Glenbrook South head coach Tom Mietus. “He’s only lost two matches, and now he’s avenged both losses. To have the other coaches vote him Most Outstanding is a great accomplishment for him and great for our program.”

Mietus attributed much of BaMaung’s in-season success to the wrestler’s hard work and dedication to training.

“He’s worked his butt off the last two offseasons,” the coach said. “He’s one of those guys who (organizes workouts) and drives to tournaments on Saturdays and Sundays in the offseason. He’s definitely well-deserving of the award.”

BaMaung’s performance helped the Titans compile 120 points at the two-day meet, which combined the CSL North and South. New Trier (259.50) was crowned champion.

Mietus, a former Maine West wrestler who spent six years as a GBS assistant before taking the top job, said the Titans are not accustomed to first division showings.

“Finishing in the top half was one of our goals early in the year,” said Mietus, who didn’t even bring a full lineup. “We knew we weren’t going to go out and win the whole thing. But we’re taking small steps and crawling up the ladder. (After the meet) I talked to our freshmen and JV guys and said, ‘The top half of the standings is where we want to stay for awhile. We want to start attacking the top teams.’ ”

Mietus credited his predecessor, Tim Cichowski — who’s still on staff — with laying the groundwork for the Titans’ current success and increasing numbers within the program.

Among other top performers for Glenbrook South was senior Jries Sweilem, who finished third in the heavyweight division. Sweilem pinned Glenbrook North’s Alex Kanellopoulos in the third-place match.

Titans senior Michael Kindelin reached the finals at 126, thanks to a pin of Niles West’s Thomas Williams in the semifinal. New Trier’s Arah Ghafouri pinned Kindelin late in their title bout, but the GBS wrestler already had exceeded expectations.

“No one thought (Kindelin) would be in the finals,” Mietus said. “But he had a really good tournament and ended up getting there. It was a fairly close match in the finals, up to the end. He’s a really good kid.”

Glenbrook South junior Jacob Suter (220) also finished runner-up, losing to Deerfields’s talented Artie Bess in the final.

Another memorable effort for GBS was turned in by junior Amra Otgonbaatar, who took fourth at 120.

Glenbrook South will compete in a CSL crossover double-dual meet against Glenbrook North and Maine East at 6 p.m. Friday. The meet, which also will include Niles West facing both CSL North foes, will be held at Glenbrook North.

Glenbrook South enters the meet with an 8-9 record, and will be looking to climb over the .500 mark with two victories. It marks the Titans’ final preparation for the Glenbrook South Regional on Feb. 4.