Kane County wrestlers claim five state titles

St. Charles East's Dom Munaretto and Marmion's Nicholas Garcia survive scares to win third individual state championships

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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St. Charles East senior Dom Munaretto and Marmion senior Nicholas Garcia each won their third individual state wrestling titles at the IHSA Boys Wrestling State Finals in Champaign. Munaretto held on for a 4-3 victory in the Class 3A 120-pound final, while Garcia secured an 8-5 overtime win in the 132-pound title match. Marmion also had three other wrestlers - Zach Stewart, Demetrios Carrera, and Joey Favia - reach the finals, with Stewart and Carrera claiming championships.

Why it matters

The Kane County area has long been a hotbed for high school wrestling talent, and this year's state finals continued that tradition. Munaretto and Garcia joining the elite company of three-time state champions is a significant accomplishment, while Marmion's team success underscores the program's dominance in the state.

The details

Munaretto found himself in a tight 4-3 match against Montini's Allen Woo, nearly getting taken down in the final seconds before holding on for the victory. Garcia also had to go to overtime to defeat Joliet Catholic's Jason Hampton 8-5. Marmion's other champions were Stewart, who won 7-1 at 138 pounds, and Carrera, who earned a 3-1 victory at 144 pounds. Batavia sophomore Kai Enos also captured the Class 2A 120-pound title.

  • The IHSA Boys Wrestling State Finals took place on Saturday, February 21, 2026.

The players

Dom Munaretto

A senior at St. Charles East High School who won his third individual state wrestling title in the Class 3A 120-pound division.

Nicholas Garcia

A senior at Marmion Academy who won his third consecutive state championship, this time in the Class 3A 132-pound weight class.

Zach Stewart

A senior at Marmion Academy who won the Class 3A 138-pound state title, his second career individual championship.

Demetrios Carrera

A senior at Marmion Academy who captured the Class 3A 144-pound state title, his first career individual championship.

Kai Enos

A sophomore at Batavia High School who won the Class 2A 120-pound state championship, becoming only the second individual boys wrestling state champion in Bulldogs history.

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What they’re saying

“Get tough. It's not always going to be pretty, I just had to find a way to get it done.”

— Dom Munaretto, St. Charles East senior (shawlocal.com)

“I knew that his double move was coming. He never showed it to me and he did it to everyone else. That was one thing I knew I hadn't seen and I was ready for it.”

— Nicholas Garcia, Marmion senior (shawlocal.com)

“I just didn't want to tire myself out, because last week I did that and it did not go the way that I wanted. I just wanted to get a take down a period, wrestle smart and take control of the match.”

— Zach Stewart, Marmion senior (shawlocal.com)

“I learned that every time I was taking some bad shots and forcing them, I wasn't really good defensively. So that made a big difference of me being able to stay in good position and being a defensive position I need to be to attack again.”

— Demetrios Carrera, Marmion senior (shawlocal.com)

“I just wanted to go in there and have fun with it. The title doesn't define who I am, but at the end of the day I just wanted to let it fly and trust in my training.”

— Kai Enos, Batavia sophomore (shawlocal.com)

What’s next

Marmion will look to capture the team state title next weekend, likely facing a rematch against Joliet Catholic's Jason Hampton in the quarterfinals.

The takeaway

The Kane County area continues to produce elite high school wrestlers, with five individual state champions crowned this year. The accomplishments of Munaretto, Garcia, Stewart, Carrera, and Enos underscore the region's wrestling prowess and bright future.