St. Charles East’s Ben Davino beats Marmion’s Jameson Garcia in OT for state title. And they could meet again soon.

CHAMPAIGN — St. Charles East junior Ben Davino and Marmion senior Jameson Garcia seemingly pulled off the impossible.

Two nationally ranked wrestlers with glittering profiles as two-time defending state champions surpassed their own top-shelf standards in a dazzling championship match.

“We used to wrestle against each other all the time in middle school, and we wrestled two years ago in the preseason,” Garcia said. “I have seen him a lot. He knows me pretty well.”

It showed Saturday night in the 126-pound bout at the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center. Davino earned his third straight state title with a 6-1 overtime victory.

The showdown appeared inevitable from the moment the two certified at the same weight.

A brilliant and strategically dazzling stalemate lasted nearly seven minutes as each countered or neutralized the other before Davino seized his chance.

“I was just going to get through every position and go really hard,” he said. “If I got into a bad position, I was going to work really hard to get out and get into my attack.

“He had some really good read attacks. I thought I wrestled the positions hard and I stayed on them. I think that took a lot out of him — not being able to score on me.”

After six minutes of regulation, the score was tied 1-1.

Davino (50-0) had the advantage in length and reach. The more explosive athlete, he entered riding a 72-match winning streak. He won the state title last season at 120.

Garcia (40-5), a Harvard recruit, was looking to close out a remarkable career by building off his 113-pound state title.

Garcia had the better offensive scoring opportunities in the first and third periods. He used his length to bother and throw off Davino’s lightning-quick forays.

“I knew I could keep up with him,” Garcia said. “I just wanted to get into my attacks and keep the pace.”

Near the end of the six-minute regulation, Garcia had Davino in a potentially dangerous spot. Davino, however, has permitted just one takedown in his three-year career.

The energy and effort Garcia put into the action took its toll. Davino caught Garcia with the takedown and scored back points.

“I took a bad shot and he countered it with his own attack,” Garcia said. “He was able to take advantage of it.”

“I was just trying to score the next point,” Davino said.

In other area matches, Marmion junior Jack Lesher (34-6) beat Pekin’s Shamon Handegan 6-1 at 182 for his first state title.

“Jameson really helped me out a lot before my match,” Lesher said. “Since it was my first time in the finals, he knew I was a little nervous. He just told me to go out there and let it fly.

“He was also happy after his match because he knew he gave it his all and did everything the right way.”

Davino, one of three state champions for St. Charles East, was joined by freshman Dom Munaretto at 106 and senior Jayden Colon at 145.

Colon (41-5) stunned Moline’s Noah Tapia, who was undefeated, 4-3 in the final.

“Ben is never the guy in the gym that is in the corner,” Colon said. “He’s always the guy in the middle working hard. Every day, he’s either working out or at the gym. He never takes a day off.”

The season is not over for Davino or Garcia, either. Marmion and St. Charles East, the top-ranked teams in Class 3A, are in opposite brackets for the dual team state finals.

They could meet Saturday for the title at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.

“It didn’t go my way at the end, and props to Ben,” Garcia said. “It’s been a heck of a high school career. I look forward to next week and finishing off my career strong.”

Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.