It was definitely a humbling experience. When we’re wrestling at the national level and we see the competition the national level has to offer, I realized how good these kids are.”

Roman Villalobos

HERRIMAN, Utah — Rochelle Township High School wrestling standout Roman Villalobos represented the Hub City and his home state this past week, when the rising junior competed as a member of Team Illinois during the 2024 USA Wrestling 16U National Duals in Utah.

Team Illinois finished third nationally in the greco-roman tournament and sixth nationally in the freestyle tournament. Villalobos wrestled seven total bouts over the two tournaments, winning three matches during the greco-roman tournament. The RTHS wrestler scored a 15-4 technical fall over Minnesota’s Jaxon Thompson and a 14-second fall over Utah’s Connor Kennedy. Team Illinois took down Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri and Utah for third place.

“It was definitely a humbling experience,” Villalobos said. “When we’re wrestling at the national level and we see the competition the national level has to offer, I realized how good these kids are. There were a lot of emotions throughout the tournament, but we kept moving forward. We tried to win as many matches as we could and we brought as much energy as we could.”

Villalobos wrestled three matches in the freestyle tournament, where Team Illinois took fifth with victories over South Carolina, Idaho, Washington and Georgia. It’s the second time representing Team Illinois for Villalobos, who won the 2024 Illinois Greco-Roman State Championship at 190 pounds earlier this year. Villalobos competed at the 2022 USA Wrestling 14U National Duals in Indianapolis two years ago, helping Team Illinois to third in greco and fourth in freestyle.

“There were some simple mistakes that I can improve on, but all of this is extra experience for the folkstyle season, so I went out there and had fun with it,” Villalobos said. “Freestyle and greco-roman wrestling adds a lot to my arsenal and gives me more options during folkstyle matches. A lot of kids who wrestle folkstyle don’t wrestle freestyle or greco, so I feel like I have an advantage over those kids. Freestyle and greco have made me more comfortable on top.”

Villalobos is gearing up for his junior season at RTHS, where he has wrestled with the varsity team over each of the last two years. Villalobos became an IHSA Sectional qualifier for the first time as a sophomore, but the rising junior has a goal of making the IHSA State Championships.

“My biggest goal for my junior year is to make it down to the state meet and try to place there,” Villalobos said. “There were mostly seniors and a couple of juniors who ran my weight class last season, but now that I’m an upperclassman, I’m hoping to really go far next season.”